Mulching strawberries is an agricultural technique that makes it easier for the gardener and prevents crop diseases. A good knowledge of the technology and timing of laying mulch, the characteristics of the materials will help to solve many problems of plant care and increase yields. In this article, we will talk about how to mulch strawberries, how you can sprinkle the beds and why you need it.
What is mulching?
The correct development and fruiting of plants is impossible without regular soil formation. The decisive role in this is played by the surface layer of the soil. It is he who is most exposed to adverse factors. Rains wash away minerals, wind and temperature changes lead to drying and freezing.
These conditions are unfavorable for the activity of living organisms in the soil, which are an important link in the formation of humus. They move into deeper layers, and the soil loses its fertility.
Mulching - covering the soil surface under the plants with organic and inorganic materials. This protects her from all adverse factors. Increases the reproduction of living organisms, earthworms and beneficial insects, which together with organic acids form a fertile layer.
The mulch blocks sunlight, making it difficult for weeds to grow. The denser the material and the higher the layer of mulch, the more effective the protection against weeds. The thermoregulatory property of mulch protects plant roots from freezing, overheating and frost.
A layer of mulch reduces the evaporation of moisture from the soil, which reduces the need for watering. It complicates the entry of viruses and fungal spores to the roots of strawberries, reducing the incidence of late blight of roots, rhizoctonia, verticillosis. Ripe berries do not come into contact with the soil, the percentage of rotting is practically excluded.
During the decomposition process, the organic mulch produces all the nutrients necessary for strawberries. They slowly enter the soil throughout the growing season, maintaining mineral exchange between the roots and the aboveground part of the strawberry.
Before choosing a material for mulch, you need to decide on the purpose of the event. Depending on the material chosen, mulch can be a source of nutrition for strawberries, protect against diseases, or simply create a favorable environment in the soil.
Terms of mulching strawberries
The soil under the plants should not be under a high layer of mulch all year round. In the spring, she needs to warm up. Otherwise, the growing season of the crop will be greatly delayed. Strawberries are mulched only after the appearance of flower ovaries.
Mulching can also be done during the summer. Regardless of the term, the soil and plants must be prepared before laying the material:
- loosen the soil;
- remove weeds, diseased leaves, excess mustache;
- water abundantly;
- make seasonal feeding.
The term for the winter mulching of strawberries is the end of September, when the plant is preparing for dormancy. During this period, mulch is used as a thermostat. This is protection against severe freezing of the soil in a snowless winter, damage to roots during thaws.
It is not enough to lay mulch; in the summer you need to monitor its condition. Organic materials need to be regularly agitated and rotted areas replaced. The material should not fit snugly against the stems of the bushes, there must be a gap of 1-2 cm for aeration of the roots.
Selection of materials and rules for mulching
This review presents materials that have all the necessary qualities for mulching strawberries. After evaluating their advantages and disadvantages, you can choose the optimal mulch for individual conditions and purposes.
Straw
Straw is the recognized leader of all materials suitable for strawberries. Only dry material is used for mulching.
The straw contains fiber that is difficult to decompose, which protects it from rapid decay. For the same reason, it is a poor source of nutrition, in addition, it draws nitrogen from the soil. To compensate for the loss of mineral and provide the bushes with food, straw is combined with compost or rotted manure.
The straw attracts rodents as a refuge and is scattered by the autumn wind. Therefore, during the autumn work, it is collected and disposed of, and in the winter, mulching is carried out with a suitable material.
The optimal straw layer for loose soils is 15-20 cm. In a few days it will settle down to 5-7 cm. On heavy clay soils, cut straw is used, laid in a layer of no more than 3-5 cm, renewing the surface every 15 days.
How to mulch strawberries with needles?
The advantage of needles is a high content of phytoncides and bactericidal substances. It is a powerful defense against diseases and pests. The substances contained in coniferous materials improve the taste of strawberries.
The tannins of the needles gradually acidify the soil. Therefore, it is used in slightly acidic soils or slaked lime (50 g / 1 m2) is added before mulch is laid.
In regions with hot summers, it should be taken into account: needles weakly protect the soil from overheating. The needles fall on the ground in a loose layer through which weeds easily germinate. It has been proven in practice: to protect against weeds, you need to lay a layer of 30 cm. It is difficult and impractical.
Weathered and slightly yellowed pine needles are used for mulch. They are laid in a layer of 3-5 cm. In the spring, the old mulch is renewed or embedded in the ground during weeding.
Hay, fresh grass and green manure
Is it possible or not to cover the berry with hay or fresh grass? These botanicals contain readily biodegradable fiber and provide a rich diet of strawberries. But only for a short time.
Rapid decomposition leads to depletion of the thin layer of mulch and rotting of the lower layers of the high one. When decaying, plant waste becomes the reason for poisoning strawberries with decay products.
Hay is suitable for temporary feeding of strawberries. To create a favorable environment in the soil, they will have to be laid out with a layer of 7-10 cm and replaced with fresh mulch every 15 days. It is very labor intensive.Before laying, the cut grass is dried, the plants with abundant ripened seeds are removed. The optimal layer is 3-5 cm.
Tree bark
For mulching strawberries, use the bark of pine or larch of small or medium fraction. They contain little tannins, so there will be no acidification of the soil. It is the most durable mulch material and is also suitable for winter mulching. It will last up to 5 years.
The bark protects the soil well from overheating and freezing, gives an aesthetic appearance to the garden, but retains moisture relatively worse. You will need more frequent watering. The required layer of mulch is 5-7 cm.
Sawdust
Sawdust decomposes slowly, so you should not consider them as a source of food. For the same reason, sawdust can last up to 3 years. The rough surface of such mulch complicates the movement of slugs and snails, there are fewer of them.
Sawdust strongly absorbs moisture, until this happens, there will be no water flow to the roots of the plant. Therefore, the amount of watering should be increased, but the need for this rarely arises.
For mulching, overlapping newsprint is spread on the surface of the soil, sawdust is laid on top with a layer of 5 cm. Sawdust is suitable for use in summer and winter.
How to use cardboard correctly?
Cardboard can be used to regulate the optimum environment on the ground surface. For this, in the spring, large pieces of cardboard are overlapped between the bushes, leaving holes only around the bushes. The edges and joints of the cardboard are fixed with heavy objects.
Watering and feeding is carried out through the holes. To feed the strawberries during the summer, a 3-5 cm layer of compost can be spread under the cardboard.
Spandbond as mulch
This is a geosynthetic materialproduced using special technology. It does not transmit light, maintains temperature and moisture in the soil. Watering and fertilizing can be carried out through the spandbond.
Notable firms:
- Agrin (Ukraine);
- Agrotex (Russia);
- Lutrasil (Germany);
- Agil (France);
- Plant-Protex (Poland).
For mulching strawberries, choose a black material with a density of 60 g / m2.
Before planting strawberry seedlings, it is spread on the surface of the garden bed and cuts are made in the places of future holes. The edges of the spandbond are secured with hairpins or heavy objects. To mulch already planted plants, agrotextiles are spread between the rows, covering the soil surface around the bushes as much as possible.
Spandbond can be used all year round. It is resistant to putrefactive bacteria, mechanical stress and low temperatures. Service life 3 years.
How to mulch a berry with a film?
For mulching strawberries, use a black film with a thickness of 30 microns. Film service life up to 3 years. Thinner material can be used for one season. For hot regions, manufacturers offer films with a white surface and a black backing. It simultaneously reflects the sun's rays and retains moisture.
The technology of laying mulch from a film is similar to spunbond. Only watering in this case is organized microdroplet under the film or watered locally through the holes.
A mixture of different mulch materials can be of great benefit to strawberries. To do this, you can combine dry plant residues, bark and sawdust with green parts of herbs, compost or rotted manure. This mulch both creates a good environment and nourishes the plants.
The benefits and harms of mulching in spring or autumn
Mulching strawberries causes heated debate among gardeners, during which one can hear diametrically opposite opinions. There are claims of unusually high yields after mulch application and also of its negative impact on strawberries. Assessing the advantages and disadvantages will help you better understand mulching.
Benefits
Depending on the material used, mulching can help solve many of the gardener's tasks.
It:
- prevention of soil overheating in summer and hypothermia in winter;
- preservation of moisture in the soil;
- reducing the amount of weeds;
- protection from pathogens entering the soil;
- prevention of soil erosion;
- protection against decay of ripe berries in a rainy summer;
- maintaining the looseness of the soil;
- the formation of a larger number of adventitious roots;
- reduction in ripening times.
This impressive list involves a lot of labor and money when done separately.
Disadvantages
One of the disadvantages of mulching gardeners call the reproduction of slugs and snails.... For them, the moist inner layer of mulch becomes a refuge on dry summer days, and decaying organic matter becomes food. The pest conditions are really attractive.
This is not an excuse to give up mulching.
In areas with an increased population of pests, sawdust or needles can be used. Create a natural biocenosis that will keep the mollusc population down to a harmless threshold.
Another disadvantage of mulch is rotting of the lower layers in a rainy summer or when laying on heavy clay soil. This task is easy to solve. You need to focus on the regional climate, do not lay a high layer on clay soils, and regularly monitor the mulch during the season.
Mulching strawberries with long-lasting materials can play a bad role in recurrent frost. In this case, all the heat will remain in the soil, increasing the negative impact of freezing on the aboveground part of the strawberry. Keeping track of the weather forecast will help cover plants in time.
The disadvantage of mulching is also called the attraction of rodents, insects and birds. However, this is difficult to consider as a specific drawback. A garden plot with an abundance of vegetable and fruit crops is itself attractive to their potential pests.
Experts are sure: poor knowledge of the characteristics of materials, soil at the site and the regional climate lead to bad experiences. It is important to take into account that mulching does not at all exclude other types of strawberry care, so you cannot treat it as a solution to all problems.