Strawberries are a common garden crop grown by many summer residents. It is characterized by excellent taste. When planting a plant, it is recommended to take into account the climatic characteristics of the region. When growing strawberry bushes in Siberia in open ground conditions, you need to choose the right variety and provide quality care. In a region with harsh weather conditions, it is necessary to take care of the complete insulation of the plant.
- Specifics of growing strawberries in Siberia
- The best plant varieties for this region
- Zoned
- Fairy
- Festival
- Mascot
- Lviv early
- Omsk early
- Repairers
- Queen Elizabeth II
- Lord
- Honey
- Criterias of choice
- Growing and caring for northern varieties of strawberries in open ground
- Site selection and soil preparation
- When to plant strawberries?
- Planting scheme and technology
- Watering and fertilizing
- Trimming
- Preparing the plantation for winter
Specifics of growing strawberries in Siberia
When growing garden strawberries in Siberia and Altai, it is necessary to take care of high-quality insulation of the plant. At the same time, only zoned varieties that can withstand harsh climates are suitable for planting. Southern crops can only be grown in greenhouse conditions.
To ensure success in growing strawberries in harsh climates, it is recommended to choose the warmest area for the beds. The best option would be a flat place or a small slope on the south side.
In Siberia, it is best to use a narrow-band, single-line landing pattern. It is recommended to root the tendrils that grow near the row in place and form strips. Their width should be 25-30 centimeters. It is recommended to carry out planting work in the spring. If there is a threat of frost, young crops should be covered with spunbond, film or spruce branches.
The best plant varieties for this region
In order for growing crops in areas with harsh climates to produce results, it is recommended to choose the variety wisely.
Zoned
When choosing a crop, experienced gardeners recommend giving preference to special zoned varieties. They are bred specifically for cultivation in harsh climates.
Fairy
This variety has a medium ripening period. It is designed specifically for planting in Siberia. The culture is characterized by resistance to diseases and pests. The berries have an excellent taste and aroma and can reach 40 grams. They have a truncated conical shape.The key advantage is considered to be high productivity. From 1 bush you can get 1.5 kilograms of fruit.
Festival
The advantage of the plant is that the fruits are tasty and filled with juice, they are large in size - they weigh 30 grams. The fruits have a round-conical shape. There are characteristic grooves on the surface. Fruit ripening is observed in July. Strawberries are characterized by excellent frost resistance parameters.
Mascot
The variety is unique. The berries are large and round-cylindrical in shape. They weigh 20 grams. The fruits have an average ripening period. Peak fruiting occurs in early July. The yield parameters are at an average level and amount to 1 kilogram per square meter.
Lviv early
This variety is often chosen by professional gardeners and amateurs. This is an early ripening crop, which is distinguished by the friendly ripening of fruits. This occurs at the end of May or beginning of June. The taste of the fruit has sourness and sweetness. The berries are large in size and weigh up to 30 grams. The plant is characterized by being unpretentious in care.
Omsk early
This is a common variety that is not afraid of frost. It practically does not suffer from pathologies and pest attacks. The berries are small in size. They weigh, on average, just over 10 grams. Moreover, the fruits contain a lot of sugar and ascorbic acid. Strawberries also taste great. The bushes are compact in size. From 1 square meter you can get 1.3 kilograms of berries.
Repairers
The key advantage of such varieties is considered to be high yield parameters. They are achieved through multi-stage ripening of berries.
Queen Elizabeth II
This variety is perfect for Siberia. It is characterized by high productivity.From 1 bush you can get 1.5 kilograms of fruit. The berries are large in size and weigh 40-80 grams. Fruits weighing 100 grams are also found. They are characterized by excellent taste.
The plant is well suited for harsh climatic conditions, as it is characterized by resistance to frost and parasites.
Lord
This strawberry has excellent yield. It has large fruits and resistance to frost. The fruiting period is mid-early. In early July, fruits weighing 60-100 grams appear on the bushes. At the end of summer, strawberries produce a second harvest of slightly smaller size.
The plant should be planted in well-lit beds. Mulching the soil is also important, as it will help prevent fruit rotting. With systematic watering and fertilization, it is possible to obtain 1 kilogram of berries per bush.
Honey
This plant is suitable for growing in Siberia. Even in unfavorable conditions, it makes it possible to obtain a rich harvest. The first berries can be collected at the end of May. With a film cover, this process can be accelerated by several weeks. The second wave of harvest is observed at the end of summer.
The key advantages of strawberries include high yield and excellent taste of the fruit. The berries are large. The bushes are characterized by resistance to frost.
Criterias of choice
For planting in Siberia, it is worth choosing winter-hardy plant varieties. In this case, the culture must meet the following criteria:
- the ability to grow quickly and produce crops;
- high resistance to frost in winter and lower temperatures in spring;
- the ability to bear fruit in short daylight conditions;
- resistance to fungi, rotting processes, parasites;
- great taste.
For planting, it is recommended to choose several varieties of strawberries that differ in fruiting time. This will help to continuously harvest. Many plant species for Siberia have an early or middle fruiting period. Remontant varieties that produce crops from June until the onset of frost are very popular.
Growing and caring for northern varieties of strawberries in open ground
Siberia is characterized by a rather harsh climate. Therefore, when cultivating strawberries, it is worth strictly following agrotechnical recommendations.
Site selection and soil preparation
Strawberries should be planted in the brightest and sunniest place. The best option for the plant would be loose soil that contains a lot of humus. However, the culture does not tolerate large amounts of moisture. Therefore, it requires high-quality drainage. You should not plant strawberries in beds with high groundwater levels. It is best to plant it on level ground or small hills.
When planting a crop, you should follow the rules of crop rotation. The plant is strictly forbidden to be planted after crops from the Solanaceae family. To achieve stable yields, green manure should be placed in the garden bed before planting. It is not recommended to grow the crop in the garden for more than 3 years.
It is recommended to prepare the soil before planting. Strawberries require fertile soil. For spring planting, garden beds should be prepared in the fall. It is recommended to add compost, humus or other organic matter to the soil. Wood ash is an excellent option.
The soil should be loose. Good drainage is important. It is also worth paying attention to the acidity parameters. They should not be higher than 6.5 pH. 10-14 days before planting, it is recommended to dig up the soil and add manure or compost.Immediately before planting, the beds are loosened to a depth of 15-20 centimeters.
When to plant strawberries?
In Siberia, it is permissible to plant strawberries in spring or autumn. In spring, planting work is carried out from the end of April to the first half of May. Autumn planting is called planting from the end of July to the first half of August. Compliance with such deadlines helps the crop to strengthen before the arrival of cold weather.
Planting later in the spring can cause the bushes to dry out. If you plant the crop later than August 10, it will not have time to adapt and grow stronger. In the spring, at the time of planting, the temperature should exceed +8 degrees, which will ensure sufficient heating of the soil.
Planting scheme and technology
Planting work is recommended to be carried out in cloudy weather. It is necessary to moisten the soil first. When planting, the distance between rows should be 60-80 centimeters, and between bushes - 15-25. It is recommended to place the seedlings in the recesses so that the roots are vertical. In this case, the root collar should be placed at the same level with the ground.
After completion of planting work, it is recommended to cover the soil with a mulch layer. Peat or humus is suitable for this. When planting in spring, seedlings should be covered with film for 10-14 days.
Watering and fertilizing
To get the expected number of berries, it is recommended to water the strawberries systematically. Timely loosening of the soil is also important. The amount of water should be selected taking into account the amount of precipitation. In rainy weather, it is recommended to cover the bushes with a special film during the flowering and fruiting period. This helps protect plants from fungi. Soil moisture parameters are selected taking into account the type of soil.For sandy soil they should be 70%, for clayey soil - 80%.
It is recommended to water strawberries in the morning so that the moisture is fully absorbed. Evening watering is also acceptable. 1 plant requires 0.5 liters of water. After planting, it is recommended to moisten the bushes every day for 2 weeks. Then this procedure is carried out at intervals of 2-3 days.
On average, it is recommended to water the plant 1-2 times a week. The culture requires rare but abundant watering. Frequent irrigation of strawberries is contraindicated. In hot weather, it is recommended to increase the volume of water. Do not use too cold water to water the plant. For large beds, drip irrigation is ideal, as it ensures uniform moisture of the plantings.
It is recommended to feed strawberries in several stages:
- In spring, the plant should be fed with a solution of bird droppings. To do this, it is recommended to mix 200 grams of the product with 10 liters of water, let it sit for 24 hours and pour it under the root. It is permissible to add 10 grams of nitroammophoska to the composition.
- At the stage of the appearance of ovaries, the crop needs a solution of mullein. Rotted manure is used for this. It should be left to steep for several days.
- In summer, it is recommended to feed the crop with potassium. This substance improves the taste of fruits. This element is present in humus and ash.
- In autumn, the crop should be fed with mullein. It is recommended to add potassium sulfate to the product solution. Superphosphate is also suitable. For 10 liters of water use a maximum of 30 grams of minerals.
Trimming
During the development process, mustaches appear on strawberry bushes. They are long shoots that contribute to the growth of the culture. Thanks to the mustache, it is possible to obtain seedlings. If the shoots are not trimmed in time, the plantings will become thickened.This will negatively affect yield parameters.
The plant produces maximum mustache after fruiting. In this case, excess shoots must be removed immediately, since the culture spends a lot of effort on them. It is also worth getting rid of dried leaves and stems. It is important to leave only those shoots that are planned to be used for seedlings.
The mustache should be trimmed in the spring, before flowering, and in the fall, after harvesting. It is recommended to carry out work in dry, windless weather. This should be done morning and evening. You need to trim the shoots with pruning shears. It is also permissible to use scissors.
Preparing the plantation for winter
There are different ways to prepare a plant for winter. In Siberia, strawberries can be transplanted into pots and kept in a cool place. In this case, the temperature should be at least +2-8 degrees. Humidity parameters should be 90%.
A simpler method is to store the bushes directly on the site. To do this, at the end of the season it is recommended to trim them, feed them and moisten them well. Then the beds should be covered with organic agents or agrofibre. Then insulate the plantings with spunbond. Apply a mulch layer on top again and sprinkle with snow 10 centimeters thick. Growing strawberries in Siberia has a number of features. To achieve success in this, it is recommended to choose the right variety and provide it with quality care.