Pickling seedlings of strawberries grown from seeds
Since you took up growing strawberry seedlings from scratch, in the sense of seeds, and initially sown garden strawberries in a common container, then wait until the seedlings grow a little, they form several leaves in order to carry out the procedure for transplanting them into separate cups.
Actually, this detailed material will be devoted to when and how to do it correctly, what are the nuances of picking strawberries.
Content
Why dive garden strawberry seedlings
The need for picking strawberries is that, in a small total capacity, the seedlings of garden strawberries at one point can stop developing, because it will simply have nowhere to develop, or rather, it will no longer have enough space (even though it has a fibrous root system that grows mainly in width).Naturally, after transplanting into new, more voluminous containers, the root system will immediately begin to develop more actively in plants, which will also give an impetus to the growth of the aboveground mass (leaves).
When to dive garden strawberry seedlings: optimal timing
You need to start diving strawberry seedlings when it forms 2 real leaves (and also the third will start or will already appear), that is, approximately after 3-6 weeks after sowing (1-3 weeks - for seedlings and 2-3 weeks - for the formation of 2-3 true leaves). This is the best time for transplanting garden strawberry seedlings into separate containers.
How to properly dive strawberry seedlings
It's time to dive the strawberries. However, first you should thoroughly prepare: prepare the soil, pick up suitable picking containers and purchase several useful drugs (which, most likely, you already have).
Preparing the ground for a dive
For picking strawberries, exactly the same soil is suitable as when sowing seeds for seedlings, namely: it should be loose, light, neutral in acidity (in no case sour), not necessarily very nutritious, but always of high quality.
Interesting! Why is it recommended not to take too nutritious soil?
The point is that after planting strawberry seedlings in a permanent place in the garden, the root system of the plant can easily adapt and get used to a new place, because in our garden, as a rule, we do not have such nutritious soil that you can use for growing seedlings.
Another thing is that it is better to plant seedlings in a more nutritious medium than to initially grow it in it (grow seedlings).
However, not everyone agrees with this opinion, especially since many seedlings simply do not grow in the garden soil.
On the other hand, adding garden soil to the soil mixture, thereby you immediately - in advance, adapt the plants to future growing conditions.
Of course, the easiest way is to buy ready-made special soil for growing strawberries (garden strawberries).
Advice! It is advisable to prepare the soil the day before the pick!
And of course, you must definitely spend soil disinfection procedure (including purchased).
Important! You can disinfect the soil by steaming in the oven or microwave, or spilling it with a solution of the drug Fitosporin (according to instructions)... Better yet, do both (steam first, then cool, and then spill with fungicide).
Selection of containers for transplant
You can dive strawberry seedlings into small separate containers, in other words, you can use pots with a volume of 0.2-0.3 liters. Both plastic cups and cassettes will do.
Important! If you take too large containers, then the plants will not have time to master the entire earthen lump and it will fall apart during transplantation, which will not be good ...
Naturally, a dive container must have drainage holes.
Pick rules and technology
Step-by-step instructions for picking strawberries at home:
- A few hours before the pick, sprinkle young strawberry seedlings lightly with warm water so that the earthen ball is well separated, and the roots are less damaged.
Advice!Optionally, at the same time, i.e. a couple of hours before the pick (or 6 hours after), to neutralize stress, the seedlings can be sprayed with one of the growth stimulants, for example, HB-101, Epin or Zircon (according to the instructions).
- Fill individual containers with soil mixture (but not completely, about 3/4, so that you can water the plant normally).
- Make sufficiently deep holes in the middle in advance.
- Carefully remove the plants from the container: slowly, using a spoon or stick, gently pry them from below (digging from different sides) and, supporting them with your fingers, take out a piece of earth.
- If you pulled out several plants at once, then carefully put them on a saucer (plate) and separate the seedlings there, preferably one at a time.But, in principle, you can transplant 2-3 plants in one container (so that the bushes are more luxuriant) However, they can not be separated even when landing in the ground at a permanent place.
Advice! Optionally, in order to enrich the root system with beneficial bacteria and at the same time disinfect (protect against fungal diseases), you can dip the roots in the drug solution Fitosporin (according to instructions).
Alternatively, to protect against various diseases, it is good to dip the roots in crushed charcoal (or activated).
And to stimulate root growth - in a solution of "Kornevin" or "Heteroauxin".
- Next, carefully place the seedling in the hole. In this case, it is very important that the roots of the plant do not bend, therefore, using a stick, you must evenly distribute them over the hole.
By the way! If the root is very long, it can be shortened slightly. And after that, be sure to process in a solution of the drug Fitosporin or crushed charcoal (charcoal or activated).
- Now again, using a stick, you need to carefully squeeze the seedling with earth from the edges of the container. And then with your fingers on top, add soil over the area of the container.
Important! In no case it is impossible to deepen the growth point (heart) garden strawberries, which is at the level of the cotyledons.
- Pour with warm, settled water from a syringe or syringe (without getting on the plants, in other words, pouring along the edges of the container).
If desired, you can spill the remaining Fitosporin nutrient solution
- Return the seedlings to their previous conditions (for example, on a light windowsill), but shade for 1-2 days (protect from direct sunlight).
Video: picking strawberries is the most correct way
In the next video, a young gardening blogger recommends after picking, cover the seedlings with plastic wrap or a bag (moisturized from the inside), so that the seedlings take root better.
Video: picking (transplanting) strawberry seedlings into separate cups
Care of strawberries after picking
In the future, you need to take care of the cut strawberry seedlings in the same way as before the pick: maintain the temperature (which can already be slowly reduced to + 15-18 degrees) and light modes (12 full light hours, which means at the end of February-in March you will also need mandatory backlighting), perform moderate, but more frequent watering (more foliage requires more moisture).
And 2-4 weeks after the pick, when the seedlings already have 3-4 real leaves, you can perform first feeding complex mineral fertilizer, for example, special universal fertilizer for seedlings such as "Kemira Lux". Seedlings at this time need potassium and phosphorus, and very little nitrogen, otherwise the plants will begin to fatten.
And about what problems can arise when growing strawberries from seeds, see the next video.
Video: why strawberry seedlings from seeds do not grow after picking
A picking is undoubtedly stress for any plant, including garden strawberries (strawberries). Therefore, the procedure should be carried out carefully, observing the basic rules of picking, then you will succeed. Good luck!
Video: picking strawberries (from a common small container and a common large one at a sufficient distance)