It happens that you look at your garden bed: the leaves are green, the bushes seem to be alive, but by July the cat started crying for the berries, and they are sour and small. It seems like they watered and weeded, but to no avail. The secret here is not in the variety or good weather, but in one point that many people miss. If you do not feed strawberries at the very beginning of spring, when the roots are just waking up, the plant will bloom weakly, and summer tricks will no longer save the harvest. Since summer residents began to feed strawberries strictly according to schedule, the berries grow large and sweet, and the bushes do not get sick.
Why the first feeding is everything
Strawberries are one of the first to wake up as soon as the April sun gets hot. Over the winter, the bushes gave up all their reserves for survival, and in the cold soil the roots almost sleep. Giving power at this moment means starting three processes at once. Nitrogen will encourage the growth of strong leaves, which will then feed the ovaries. Phosphorus and potassium will help to lay more flower stalks, which directly affects the number of berries. And a healthy root system will more easily survive return frosts and spring diseases.
When to feed
Fertilizing is done as soon as the snow has melted and the beds have dried out slightly, but the soil still holds moisture. In the middle zone this is mid or late April. The main beacon: the first young leaves have appeared, and the flower stalks are still hiding in the rosette. If you skip this moment and give nitrogen during flowering, the bush will begin to drive away the foliage to the detriment of the berries, and the harvest will be weak.
Three feeding methods: choose the one that suits you
Method 1. Quick start with minerals
Suitable when you urgently need to give plants strength without long infusion.
- Nitroammofoska or complex for berries: 20–30 g per 1 m², this is about a level tablespoon.
- Scatter the granules between the bushes, 5 cm away from the center of the rosette.
- Lightly tamp down with a hoe or pour warm water so that the granules dissolve and go to the roots.
- Important: follow the rules. Excess nitrogen will cause the bushes to fatten, there will be a lot of foliage and few berries.
Method 2. Yeast infusion to awaken the roots
A budget option that works as a mild stimulant. Yeast awakens the soil microflora, and the roots begin to absorb nutrition more actively.
- 10 g dry yeast and 2 tbsp. Dissolve spoons of sugar in 1 liter of warm water.
- Leave in a warm place for 2 hours, then dilute the infusion in 10 liters of water.
- Water 0.5 liters under each bush from a watering can without a sprayer.
- Important: the solution only works on the day of preparation. Water in the evening or in cloudy weather to prevent the sun from burning wet leaves.
Method 3. Organic for soft and long-lasting nutrition
If you want to feed your plants carefully and improve the soil itself, choose natural infusions. They work more slowly, but maintain the bed all summer.
- Nettle infusion: fill a third of the bucket with greens, add water, keep for 5–7 days, dilute 1:10 and pour 1 liter per bush.
- Wood ash: 1 glass per 10 liters of water, leave for 24 hours, strain and water 0.5 liters at a time.
- Rotted compost or humus: spread in a thin layer around the bushes and lightly sprinkle with soil.
- Important: do not place fresh manure under the roots; it will burn the young roots. Use only fermented infusions and water over pre-moistened soil.
What to do after feeding
After applying fertilizer, mulch the rows with straw, dry grass or pine needles. Mulch will retain moisture, prevent the berries from touching the wet ground, and protect the roots from overheating. After 2-3 weeks, when the flower stalks begin to emerge, add potassium-phosphorus fertilizer for the sweetness and density of future berries.
Question and answer:
What to do if the leaves turn yellow after feeding?
Yellowness often indicates excess nitrogen or watering with cold water. Fertilizing is suspended, the beds are loosened to allow oxygen to enter, and the next watering is done with warm, settled water.
Is it possible to mix yeast infusion with mineral fertilizers?
The components are added on different days. Yeast activates soil microflora, and chemical salts can suppress its work. Alternate methods at weekly intervals for maximum effect.
