While there is snow in the garden, a real gardener is not idle, but is preparing for the next spring-summer season - buying seeds and fertilizers, repairing garden tools, laying seed for stratification... But you never know what the amateur gardener has to do! After all, besides everything, lately we have to increasingly look on the Internet in search of the necessary information, since already in February we need to start sowing seeds of garden crops for seedlings. We decided in our articles to compile all necessary information on the most popular crops, so that you do not have to collect the necessary information bit by bit from different sites.
In this article we will talk about when to plant strawberry seeds for seedlings, how to grow strawberry seedlings at home and where to buy strawberry seedlings if you cannot grow them yourself. We will try to answer all the questions you asked us about this topic.
When to sow strawberries for seedlings in 2019- January: from 7 to 20, and the most favorable days– 15 and 17;
- February: 6 to 18, and the most favorable days are 6 and 7;
- March: from 7 to 20, and the most favorable days are 8, 14 and 15;
- April: 6 to 18, and the most favorable days are 10 and 11;
- May: 6 to 18, and the most favorable days are 10 and 16.
Never sow, plant or replant plants during the new moon or full moon - during these lunar phases all juices flow either to the top or to the rhizome, so the normal development of any crop in the future will be greatly hampered.
Soil for strawberry seedlingsThe soil for strawberry seedlings should be loose and crumbly, but not oversaturated with fertilizers.
We offer you several soil options for strawberry seedlings:
- three parts of compost or humus, three parts of garden soil and half of wood ash;
- two parts of turf land and one part each of peat and sand;
- three parts sand and five parts humus;
- one part coconut fiber and one part vermicompost or humus;
- three parts of peat and sand and four parts of vermiculite;
- three parts sand and one part each garden soil and humus.
After you thoroughly mix the ingredients, the soil should be disinfected - baked in the oven for 30 minutes at a temperature of 150 ºC, frozen or spilled with a strong solution of potassium permanganate. After disinfection, the soil is placed in a warm place for 2-3 weeks so that bacteria beneficial to the seeds appear and multiply.
You can buy seed material, or you can grow strawberries from the seeds you collected yourself. The only exceptions are hybrid varieties - their seeds do not transmit varietal characteristics from generation to generation, so you will have to buy new seeds each time.
Growing strawberry seedlings begins with disinfection of the seed. The seeds are placed for half an hour in a half percent solution of potassium permanganate, then rinsed thoroughly in clean water and begin stratification: put it on a moistened linen napkin, cover it with the same damp napkin, then roll a roll from this “sandwich”, place it in a plastic container, cover it with a perforated lid and keep it warm for two days, after which they put the container in a vegetable garden for two weeks refrigerator drawer. Don't let the napkins dry out– ventilate the seeds and sprinkle them regularly with water, and dry them a little before sowing.
The seeds will be ready for sowing when they swell, but try to prevent them from pecking, because when sowing small sprouts easily break off, and you will wait in vain for seedlings.
Place the disinfected soil for seedlings in a container washed with potassium permanganate solution, compact and moisten it, spread the seeds on the surface in rows at intervals of 3-4 cm using a damp toothpick and do not cover them - strawberry seeds germinate in the light. Cover the container with transparent plastic cover with small holes for air exchange and place in a bright and warm place where direct sun rays– the window sills of western or eastern windows are most suitable for such purposes.
There is another way of sowing seeds, which allows you to combine direct sowing with stratification of strawberry seeds. Disinfected seeds that have not been subjected to stratification are laid out in the manner just described on the surface of dry soil, which does not reach the edge of the container by 2 cm, and a layer of snow is placed on top of the seeds to the edge of the container, after which the container is covered with a lid and placed in the refrigerator for two weeks. IN vegetable drawer the snow will gradually melt and draw seeds into the soil, as usually happens in the garden in the spring. After two weeks, the container is moved to a windowsill under bright but diffused light, but the lid is not removed until the first shoots appear.
How to grow strawberry seedlings in tabletsStrawberry seedlings from seeds develop well in peat tablets. They are convenient because you don’t need to bother with preparing and disinfecting the soil, and you can skip picking the seedlings.
Peat tablets are placed in a container and filled with water so that they increase in size, after which the seeds that have undergone the disinfection and stratification procedure are placed into the tablets using a damp toothpick. To prevent moisture from evaporating quickly, cover the container with a transparent lid and then place it in a warm, bright place.
You will need to ventilate the crops daily and remove condensation from the lid to prevent mold from appearing on the substrate, but if you suddenly find it, remove the mold and water the area with a fungicide solution. Remove the covering as soon as the seedlings begin to develop their first true leaves.
Frigo strawberry seedlingsIN recent years A new practice has emerged of digging up developed annual rosettes of first- and second-order strawberries for the winter, storing dormant bushes with an open root system in sealed packages at a certain temperature and air humidity, and planting these rosettes in the garden in the spring. The advantage of frigo is that such strawberry seedlings quickly take root in the spring and grow, since during the winter proper storage normal plant biorhythms are not disturbed.
By choosing the timing of planting frigo at your discretion, you can get a harvest by the planned date. In addition, frigo strawberry seedlings take up little space during storage.
Specialists from the UK and the Netherlands, who developed this method of growing strawberries, have already completely switched to frigo seedlings, which are divided into three classes:
- class A - seedlings with a rosette diameter of 12 to 15 cm, usually forming no more than two peduncles;
- class A+ – seedlings with a shortened shoot with a diameter of more than 15 cm, forming 2-3 peduncles;
- class A+ extra - the diameter of this seedling is more than 20 cm, it has lateral horns and at least 5 peduncles.
Frigo seedlings also have disadvantages - it is difficult to determine the time of digging out rosettes and to maintain the temperature (from 0 to 1 ºC) and air humidity (90%) required for storage at home. The disadvantages also include the high cost of frigo, although gardeners claim that the price of seedlings is fully recouped due to its productivity.
Usually seedlings of remontant strawberries are grown from seeds, as well as those varieties that do not form mustaches. You can get strawberry seedlings at home and continue growing them in open ground. Or you can plant mature seedlings in a greenhouse and grow strawberries in it all year round. We will tell you how to grow strawberries in a greenhouse in a separate article.
Buy strawberry seedlings - is it worth it?If you have extensive experience in cultivating strawberries, you will probably be able to grow seedlings yourself. But for novice gardeners this can be a difficult task, so for the first time it is better to purchase seedlings from well-established manufacturers. Take a few tips from us to help you choose healthy seedlings:
- It is best to buy strawberry seedlings directly from nurseries or at fairs. Avoid purchasing seedlings on the market from private traders, because they will not be able to give you any guarantees, while nurseries will not risk their reputation for short-term gain;
- carefully examine the seedlings before purchasing: their hearts should be strong and elastic, the seedlings should have a well-developed root system, and there should be no damage to the stems, leaves and roots. Color y healthy seedlings light or bright green;
- the root collar must be at least 5 mm in diameter;
- There should be no more than three leaves on the rosettes, and there should be no spots on them. Inspect the undersides of leaves for pests.
Keep strawberry crops in a bright, warm place under a transparent cover. If there is no condensation on the inside of the coating, then the soil needs to be moistened; if there is too much condensation, it needs to be removed. Air the crops once or twice a day. Stratified seeds can germinate as early as 4-5 days, and mass shoots will appear in 2-3 weeks. The seedlings will need to be kept at a temperature of 23-25 ºC. After a week, to prevent the sprouts from stretching, the air temperature is lowered to 15-18 ºC.
The covering is removed when the first pair of true leaves develop on the seedlings, but this is done gradually, allowing the seedlings to adapt to environment. At this time, the crops are not watered, and the room temperature is maintained at 18-20 ºC.
Once you remove the cover, the seedlings will need even more light, so be prepared to provide them with additional lighting, and the air temperature at this stage of development should be between 10-15 ºC. Do not forget to regularly ventilate the seedlings, but make sure that they are not exposed to drafts.
It is best to use a pipette or medical syringe for watering, from which you can “water” each seedling at the root once a week. Water for moistening crops should be left standing for at least a day or filtered, at the same temperature as the air in the room, or two degrees warmer. Make sure that water does not get on the leaves of the seedlings, otherwise spots may appear on them.
Strawberry seedlings should not be over-watered, as this can lead to the appearance of blackleg. fungal disease, affecting plants during the seedling period. But the soil with crops should also not be allowed to dry out.
Watering the seedlings is carried out either early in the morning or in the evening, after sunset. As prevention against fungal diseases you need to water the seedlings 1-2 times with a fungicide solution (Planriza, Trichodermin or Trichopolum) with an interval of 2-3 weeks.
Illuminating strawberry seedlingsSince they begin to grow strawberry seedlings in winter or early spring, when daylight is still short, you will have to install it above the seedlings artificial source light - a phytolamp, LED or gas-discharge lamp or fluorescent lamp, which should work daily for 13-14 hours. After all, even at 12 noon, natural light in February is not as bright as in May.
Install a lamp above the seedlings at a distance of 20 cm, and for convenience, you can purchase a timer socket that will automatically turn on artificial lighting, for example, at 6 a.m. and turn it off at 11 p.m.—this will be enough daylight for your seedlings.
Picking strawberry seedlingsThey pick strawberries at the development stage; they have 3-4 true (toothed) leaves, but this only applies to seedlings growing in a common container. Before picking, water them well, remove them from the soil by the cotyledon leaves (in no case by the stem!), pinch off their central root and transplant the seedlings into separate cups, where they will grow until planted in open ground. After transplanting, the seedlings are carefully watered.
If you sowed seeds in tablets, then as soon as the roots of the seedlings begin to grow through the mesh, plant them directly in the tablets in separate cups.
Sometimes gardeners carry out not one, but two pickings - the first at the stage of development of 2-3 leaves and the second when the seedlings already have 4-5 leaves. They do this mainly because the seedlings develop too quickly, and weather conditions will not allow the seedlings to be planted in the ground on time. In this case, picking can preserve strawberry seedlings, preventing them from overgrowing and even somewhat slowing down their development.
After picking, caring for the seedlings consists of watering, loosening the soil and fertilizing.
Fertilizing strawberry seedlingsStrawberry seedlings at home do not need feeding until picking, but after this procedure, fertilizers containing mainly potassium, phosphorus and only a small amount of nitrogen are added to the soil every 10-12 days. Strawberries prefer water-soluble fertilizers - Kemira or Mortvorin with the addition of a two percent solution of microelements and iron chelate.
Diseases of strawberry seedlings and their treatmentAt good care Strawberry seedlings do not suffer from diseases, but with chronic waterlogging they can be affected by blackleg - rot of the root collar of seedlings, which manifests itself from the beginning of seed germination to the stage of development of 2-3 leaves. Against the background of high humidity, within 4-6 days the base of the stem turns black, softens, breaks, and the seedling lies down.
If the disease is widespread, pick up healthy seedlings in separate sterile containers into disinfected soil, place them in a warm place and protect them from direct sunlight. As soon as they take root, the temperature can be lowered, and a fungicide (Fitosporin, Baktofit or Maxim) must be added to the water for the first watering.
It is inspiring that seedlings growing in peat tablets practically do not suffer from blackleg, since the tablets are disinfected and impregnated with fungicide.
Sometimes, at home, seedlings can get powdery mildew, and then a whitish coating appears on its leaves and stems, which gradually darkens and becomes dense and brown. Affected plants stop growing and die. The cause of infection may be:
- excessive fertilizing with nitrogen fertilizers,
- sudden temperature fluctuations,
- air humidity.
In the fight against powdery mildew on strawberry seedlings, use solutions of biofungicidal preparations prepared in accordance with the instructions - Alirina-B, Fitosporin, Gamaira or Planriz.
In conditions of low humidity, strawberry seedlings can be occupied by spider mites, which make small punctures in the leaves of the seedlings and suck out the cell sap through them. In addition, ticks carry incurable viral diseases, for example, mosaic. They destroy pests with an acaricide solution - Aktary, Aktellika, Karbofos, Fitoverma.
Planting strawberry seedlings in open groundTwo weeks before planting seedlings in open ground, they begin to harden them - gradually accustom them to the conditions in which the strawberries will grow in the garden. During the day, the seedlings are taken out to unheated room first for half an hour, daily increasing the duration of such sessions.
A day or two before planting strawberry seedlings in the garden, transfer the seedlings to a balcony or veranda, where the air temperature will be about 10 ºC.
Planting strawberry seedlings in open ground is carried out after return frosts have passed and when the soil warms up to 12 ºC - from mid-May to mid-June. Strawberries are undemanding in terms of soil composition, but grow better on black soil fertilized with wood ash. Peat soils are not suitable for cultivation. It’s good if onions, garlic, legumes, root vegetables or green manure grew on the plot before the strawberries.
Before planting strawberries, the soil should be prepared - dug up, freed from wireworms, May beetle larvae and cereal weeds.
To plant seedlings, choose a cloudy day or after sunset. Deep and wide holes are placed in a row at a distance of 30-50 cm from each other with row spacing 40 cm wide. The soil removed from the holes is mixed with fertilizers in the following proportion: per bucket of soil - 2 cups of ash, a bucket of compost (humus) and a bucket of Strawberry Pink (Rosaceae) Herbaceous Growing seedlings
After this article they usually read
Growing strawberries is interesting for many summer residents, because there are many ways to ensure good harvest and significant ease of care. But it often happens that, due to various reasons, strawberries grow poorly, bring small harvests, and even reproduce poorly. Naturally, this leaves a negative imprint on us, and the desire to grow strawberries from seeds or by regular transplantation gradually disappears. But you shouldn’t despair, because you just need to improve your knowledge and put into practice the recommendations of experts, how the situation can improve.
Today we want to answer the question and tell you how to grow garden strawberry seedlings from seeds with your own hands. In essence, it is not so difficult, but there are also factors that affect germination.
We grow strawberry seedlings with our own handsWe want to immediately prepare you for the process, since the correct algorithm will require some attention and patience. If you're ready, you can start!
When to sow strawberry seeds?Seeds should be sown at the end of February, or at the beginning of March, in order to transfer the seedlings to open ground before the heat begins.
Later sowings are also possible, but in this case the seedlings may not have time to get stronger and then replanting them in the ground will be inappropriate; they will have to be kept in boxes until next spring.
An excellent way to grow - at home, in the same peat tablets!
What strawberry seeds should I sow?For sowing you need to select quality material, which can be bought in specialized stores, on the market or online.
Hybrid varieties of large-fruited strawberries are often chosen, of which there are great opportunity get strong and healthy plants, the performance of which is even much higher than those propagated vegetatively. But often we use our own seeds, which is also good. Here you just need to select them from the best varieties, with healthy plants and large, shaped fruits.
Soil for sowing garden strawberry seedsFor sowing, you can prepare two types of soil, and here you will have to choose which one is more convenient for you.
The first option is vermicompost, coarse sand and non-acidic peat, 1:1:3.
The second option is turf soil, sand and peat, 2:1:1. It doesn’t hurt to add a little rotted manure and wood ash to the soil, which will have a positive effect on the quality of the mixture.
Due to the presence of numerous microorganisms in the soil, and even in manure, as well as insect eggs and some infections, it will be necessary to steam it for about half an hour in hot steam, for example, even over boiling water in a pan. After steaming, the soil will need to recover, and this will take several weeks. Therefore, we recommend starting the preparation process in advance in order to meet the given deadlines.
Preparing strawberry seeds
To increase the chances of germination, it is necessary special training garden strawberry seeds. To do this, the seeds are soaked in natural water - rain or snow - for three days. After soaking, seeds with destroyed germination inhibitors are laid out on a layer of filtered paper, slightly moistened, placed on a plate and placed in plastic bag, which must be placed in a bright and warm place, but not in the sun. Soon the seeds will hatch, and then they will need to be transferred to a box with soil, very carefully, using a toothpick or a match.
The prepared soil is poured into a small wooden box and leveled, small grooves are made in it to place the seeds. The seeds are laid out in grooves in 2 cm increments using a match or small tweezers. If you are landing different seeds, install a beacon with the name of the variety opposite each furrow so that in the future you will know where and what is growing.
Now the seeds should be moistened with a spray bottle and covered with film.
Sowing strawberries in the snowAnother interesting way, which is close to natural. It significantly reduces the risk of seeds being buried, which is not recommended, and also has a positive effect on germination.
On ready substrate The snow is laid in a layer of only 1-1.5 cm, and the seeds themselves are placed on top of it. The snow melts and the seeds fall evenly onto the soil, after which there is no need to correct them. Just cover the seeds plastic film or glass, open daily for ventilation and moisture, if necessary.
How to care for strawberry seedlings at home?
Strawberry seedlings need light and even, moderate watering to top layer the soil did not dry out.
Also, soon you will need to pick, when two leaves appear, and pinch the long roots of young plants.
Planting takes place in pots or boxes, according to the 8x8 cm pattern. Next, again, careful watering, which will not destroy the top layer of soil.
Planting in open groundAfter germination, you need to wait 6-7 weeks and transfer the plants to open ground. But before this, you should harden off the young plants by taking them outside for a couple of hours every day and placing the boxes in the shade. Thus, the seedlings will get used to the sun, light gusts of wind, and changes in the general climate.
Seedlings that were forced out in early spring can produce some yield after being planted in open ground. If the seedlings were grown in summer time, it should be planted in the ground before the end of August, and it will produce a harvest the following year. Such seedlings will need to be insulated for the winter.
Why don't garden strawberry seeds germinate?It also happens that when planting seeds, only partial shoots appear, or there are none at all. There are many reasons for this, but the most important ones are: improper care.
- For good germination, stratification, soil prevention, and selection of quality seeds are necessary. But what happens next is also important.
- Boxes with crops must be kept under glass, slightly moistening the top layer of soil. Before germination, the boxes should be kept in the dark, and only after germination should they be placed in a brighter, warmer place.
- Optimal temperature for seed germination - about +18°C, but if it is warmer, germination will slow down, and some seeds will not yield results at all.
- Don't panic if not all shoots emerge at once. It is common for some to sprout after 2 weeks, and the rest of the seeds to germinate to the surface after a month. At this point, you need to remove the film from the boxes and install them in a well-lit but cool place, with a temperature of about +15°C.
- It should be remembered that thickened plantings also interfere with normal development, and therefore you need to pick out young plants in time and plant them strictly according to the scheme.
Proper agricultural technology for strawberries is the main factor for a positive result, but site experts are confident that the quality of planting material and soil plays a significant role, as well as the regional affiliation of the site where ready seedlings will be grown.
Reviews and commentsOksana Dmitrievna 10/23/2014
Hello! I share my interesting experience of obtaining a rich harvest. I got it interview with Doctor of Agricultural Sciences Mikhail Chursin and inspired by the article, I decided to use his recommendations, and you know, I was right... All summer we ate cucumbers and tomatoes from the garden, and also prepared some for ourselves and our family for the winter. For those interested, here it is
Growing strawberries from seeds is not easy, but it is exciting. It is important to follow several rules in order to get a flowering and fruiting bush.
Growing strawberries from seedsFor a long time, strawberries have migrated from gardens and vegetable gardens to window sills and loggias in ordinary apartments. Most often, remontant plants are grown at home. garden strawberries(often called strawberry). You can choose plants to suit almost any taste and color, and seedlings are obtained by growing from seeds.
Seeds from trusted agricultural companies can be bought in stores. Another option is to collect seeds from the fruits of your garden beds, however after open pollination between several varieties you will get hybrid plant with special qualities.
Strawberries are often planted in flowerpots or hanging pots
Seed collectionYou can collect strawberry seeds only from varietal bushes, not from hybrids. Otherwise, your young plants will not retain their maternal qualities.
Video: how to collect strawberry seeds Preparing the soil for seedlings
Most often, strawberry seedlings are grown at home, much less often - directly in the garden. The seedlings appear small and tender; in open ground they may die.
For strawberry seedlings, the easiest way is to use ready-made universal soil from the store. Usually there are no pathogenic microflora in it, and the composition of the soil is quite suitable for growing strawberries.
There are special soil mixtures for strawberries on sale, but you can use universal primers peat-based
Proportions of components for self-study soil:
- 1/2 part of turf land;
- 1/4 part peat;
- 1/4 part sand.
It is useful to add a little wood ash and vermicompost to this mixture. The soil must be steamed in an oven or steam bath for about 30 minutes to destroy weed seeds, eggs or insect larvae. The sterile soil must be left to rest for about 3 weeks; it is advisable to add beneficial bacteria to it by watering it with Baikal EM1 or Siyanie.
Baikal EM1 contains beneficial bacteria that help the plant absorb nutrients from the ground
Sowing seeds for seedlingsStrawberry seeds are slow to germinate. On the bags, manufacturers indicate the germination period from 1 week to 2 months. This process can be accelerated by pre-soaking or stratifying the seeds.
Seeds collected or purchased in a store are soaked in rain or melted snow water for 3 days. You will have to change the water 2 times a day. During this time, the seeds will swell. They are laid out in plates on damp paper napkins, wrapped in a plastic bag and placed in a warm place, making sure that the napkins do not dry out. Hatched seeds can be planted in individual peat tablets or in rows in boxes.
During germination, seeds must be constantly kept in a moist environment.
Stratification is the long-term holding of plant seeds at a certain temperature to accelerate their germination. Strawberry seeds can be stratified either soaked or already planted in boxes.
Stratification of soaked seedsWet seeds are poured into small saucers and covered with film, then they are placed in a cool place with a temperature of 2–4 0 C, ideally on a refrigerator shelf. Once a week, the seeds need to be checked: ventilated and added water if necessary. Seeds in this state can be stratified for 3 weeks to 3 months.
For stratification, seeds are placed on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
Stratification of planted seedsThe planted seeds are moistened and, covered with film, also put in the refrigerator. The box can be kept at a temperature of 2–4 0 C for about a month, and then transferred to a warm place. Usually after this the shoots appear together.
Bubbling seedsAnother way to increase seed germination is bubbling. This is the process by which seeds are kept in warm water with air. The most simple circuit- lower the tube from the aquarium compressor into a liter jar of warm melt (rain) water. The seeds should be placed in a gauze bag or poured directly into a jar (if one variety), turn on the compressor for 2 days. It is important that the water temperature is about 25 o C. After bubbling, the seeds are slightly dried and sown as usual.
Hard-germinating strawberry seeds are bubbling for 2 days
Sowing seeds in boxesYou can sow strawberries both in boxes and in peat tablets.
Sowing seeds in the snow Sowing seeds in the snow is one of the easiest ways to obtain seedlings.
When the snow melts, the seeds are slightly pulled into the soil; you no longer need to sprinkle them.
When to sow strawberriesStrawberries from seeds require heat and sun. In addition, it grows for a long time - it needs about 5 months before the flower stalks begin to develop, so it should be sown in February. Good seedlings Strawberries will grow only when the air temperature is above 23 0 C and the daylight hours are 12–14 hours. Therefore, in February she definitely needs illumination with phytolamps. If there are no such conditions, then plant strawberries in March - April.
Care after landingBoxes with planted strawberries should be kept in a warm place; the seeds can germinate both in the light and in the dark. Check and ventilate the greenhouses at least once a day, removing drops of condensation from the film. Depending on the freshness of the seeds, manufacturer and pre-treatment, shoots can appear either in a week or in a month.
Seedling careAfter the first shoots appear, the boxes must be moved to the brightest place, under phytolamps or to a south window. It is better not to remove the film for now - too dry air in the apartment will destroy young tender shoots in a few hours. Therefore, it is better to take trays with transparent lids. You need to water with a syringe or spray with a spray bottle, because young seedlings only slightly cling to the soil with their roots.
Strawberry shoots are very tender, it is better to leave the shelter for the first time
Picking seedlingsIt is advisable to pick seedlings after 2–3 true leaves appear. A week before this, the seedlings need to be accustomed to room air, to do this, begin to open the lid of the greenhouse for a few minutes or leaving a slightly noticeable crack. Every day the crack is increased and then the lid is removed completely. Be sure to keep an eye on the soil: if it dries out, the plants will die.
Seedlings ready for picking should have 2–3 true leaves
For picked seedlings, individual pots with a volume of 200–250 ml are suitable; you can take universal soil, but add 0.5 liters of vermicompost to 10 liters of substrate.
The first time after picking, you need to carefully watch the seedlings. If the room is dry and hot, you need to spray the leaves with warm water.
To relieve stress in plants, you can add HB 101 to the water (1 drop per 0.5 l).
Feeding seedlings2 weeks after picking, you can start feeding strawberry seedlings. At this time, seedlings should be actively growing, so it is better to use fertilizers with a predominance of nitrogen. Can be used both liquid and water-soluble dry mineral fertilizers. Frequency of use: 1 time every 7–10 days.
Fasco - fertilizer for young plants, the composition is dominated by nitrogen
Caring for strawberry seedlingsThe main care of strawberries before planting in the ground or flower pots consists of watering, fertilizing, and spraying.
Good strawberry seedlings have powerful leaves and developed roots
Planting seedlings in open ground3–4 months after germination, seedlings can be planted in open ground or on permanent place in flowerpots - for indoor growing. Plants are planted in open ground from mid-May, or after the temperature during the day is about 20 o C, and at night 15 o C. Before planting, the seedlings need to be hardened; for this, during the week they are taken out into the open air for several hours (first 0.5 hours during the day, then for 1–1.5 hours, then left for a longer period).
If it is not possible to do hardening, then strawberry seedlings can be placed in a greenhouse or hotbed. It is very important to harden off plants that have grown without access to sunlight. After planting unprepared seedlings in a garden bed, tender leaves can get scorched under the bright sun.
Transplant process:
It’s not for nothing that garden strawberries are called strawberries. To prevent rapid evaporation of moisture from the soil, the bushes are mulched with cut straw. This also helps protect the crop from rot.
Video: planting strawberry seedlings in the groundAlternative ways to plant strawberry seeds
In addition to planting in pots, strawberry seeds can be grown in peat tablets and in a snail.
Video: planting strawberries in a snailVideo: planting strawberries in peat tablets
Which varieties are best for growing from seeds?
Before the start of the season, ask yourself the question: where and why will you plant strawberries.
- container growing at home or on the balcony: you will need remontant varieties and hybrids with different sizes berries;
- cultivation in open ground: varieties or hybrids of ordinary large-fruited strawberries;
- growing in a greenhouse for sale: varieties of large-fruited, high-yielding remontant strawberries.
In addition, there are varieties that do not produce whiskers or produce few of them. Some varieties bear fruit not only on the mother plant, but also on rosettes formed on the tendrils.
Alpine varieties and hybrids of strawberriesAlpine varieties are distinguished by small berries, mainly with the aroma of wild strawberries. Most often they are without mustache, but varieties have appeared that produce a small amount of mustache. Alpine strawberries bloom and bear fruit all season long; they are more adapted to shady places and are successfully grown on loggias, balconies, apartments, as well as on alpine roller coaster in open ground.
Table: popular varieties of alpine strawberries| Name | Description |
| Alexandria | The berry weight is from 3 to 5 g, very aromatic, juicy, dark red. The bushes are dense and do not produce whiskers. |
| Ali Baba | Beardless strawberries, fragrant berries, can grow up to 5 g, color is bright pink. The plant is wide due to its ability to bush quickly. |
| Baron Solemacher | Bushes up to 20 cm high, not producing whiskers. The berry is sweet, aromatic, weighing up to 4 g. |
| Snow White | Strawberries with an unusual berry color - white, with the smell and taste of pineapple. The bushes do not produce tendrils, are densely leafy, but small. |
| Forest fairy tale | Medium-sized bush that does not produce whiskers. It is distinguished by very abundant flowering and fruiting. Weight of berries - 4 g. Color - red. |
| Ruyana | Beardless strawberry, distinguished by tall peduncles. Berries from 2 to 5 g, red, aromatic, very tasty. |
| White Soul | Compact bush, no more than 15 cm high, with creamy white conical berries. Ripe fruits have a pineapple flavor. |
| Alpine dream | Suitable for both open ground and potted culture. Very early, bears fruit throughout the warm season. The berries are aromatic, quite large, up to 3 cm in diameter. |
| Regina | Early remontant strawberries, ready to bear fruit all summer without interruption. You can get up to 500 berries from one bush. |
| Yellow miracle | Remontant variety of beardless strawberries. Berries yellow, fragrant, weighing up to 3 g. The bushes are very compact, no more than 25 cm high. |
| Fragrant surprise | Under this name, a mixture of beardless remontant varieties of alpine strawberries is sold. The pack contains both red and white berries, which are not inferior to each other in taste. |
Strawberry Yellow miracle is a remontant variety of beardless strawberry The Alexandria strawberry has juicy, aromatic berries The Regina strawberry bears fruit all summer The Baron Solemacher strawberry bush does not produce a mustache The Snow White strawberry has an unusual berry color for the crop - white The Ruyan strawberry is distinguished by its tall peduncles
Varieties of ampelous strawberriesAmpelous strawberries are distinguished by the presence of mustaches. In addition, each tendril is immediately ready to bear fruit. If you plant such strawberries in high hanging planter, then the hanging mustache, with berries and flowers, gives the impression of curly hair. Such varieties are very demanding on nutrition, especially in limited space pot - they need fertile soil and constant feeding.
Many varieties of ampelous strawberries have pink petals, which is very unusual and beautiful.
Table: varieties of ampelous remontant strawberries| Name | Description |
| Elizaveta, Elizaveta 2 | A remontant variety, the bush is very large, wide, and can grow up to 50 cm in open ground. The berries are large, up to 40 g, red. The variety is productive. |
| Temptation F1 | Strawberries of Italian selection, remontant, large-fruited, can be grown in open and closed ground. The berries are large, weighing up to 35 g, and tasty. During the season, the bush produces up to 20 flower stalks, from one plant at good conditions up to 1.5 kg of berries are collected. |
| Aroma of Summer F1 | A remontant variety with a large number of tendrils that bloom even without rooting. The bush is up to 30 cm high. Up to 1.3 kg of berries can be collected from the plant per season. |
Garden large-fruited strawberries (strawberries) are also perfectly grown from seeds. Many varieties are brought from abroad, but it is important to take into account their winter hardiness.
Table: varieties of large-fruited strawberries for growing from seeds| Name | Description |
| Zarya | Remontant variety of beardless strawberries. The berries can grow up to 18 g and have a beautiful ovoid shape. The bush is up to 25 cm high, insensitive to changes in daylight hours. |
| Gigantella | Dutch variety with huge berries, up to 100 g. The color of the fruit is bright scarlet, the taste is sweet, with hints of pineapple. The bush is large, reaching a height of 50 cm. Not remontant. |
| Holiday | American variety, spreading bushes, berries up to 30 g, round-conical, red. Not repairable. |
| Cinderella | A domestically bred variety, the bush is compact, vigorous, and productive. The first berries weigh up to 40 g, subsequent ones - up to 23 g. The variety is not remontant. |
| Lyubasha | Large-fruited remontant strawberry. The bushes are powerful and spreading. The berries are conical in shape, weighing up to 22 g. Sweet, red in color. Doesn't give a mustache. |
| Tristar | Remontant large-fruited variety. The berries weigh up to 30 g, conical, dark red, very sweet. The bush is compact. Requires a lot of power. |
| Yoke | Remontant variety of large-fruited strawberries. Bush up to 20 cm high, compact. Berries up to 25 g, red, sweet, aromatic. |
| Geneva | Large-fruited remontant strawberry, forms few whiskers. The first berries can weigh up to 50 g. |
| Marshmallow | Non-repairing high-yielding variety bred in Denmark. It is distinguished by tall and strong peduncles that do not fall to the ground under the weight of the berries. The average weight of the fruit is 20 g, but there are also larger ones. One adult bush can produce 1 kg of berries per season. |
| Lizonka F1 | Large-fruited, early ripening, high-yielding hybrid. The flowers are of an unusual bright pink color, the berries are red, weighing up to 30 g. |
| Scarlet Light F1 | Large-fruited remontant strawberry that can be grown in a pot. Plant height up to 35 cm. Red berries with nutmeg aroma. |
Zarya - remontant strawberry Gigantella produces berries of 100 g 
The first Geneva strawberries gain weight of 50 g. One adult strawberry bush Zephyr can produce 1 kg of berries per season. Tristar strawberries require high-quality nutrition.
From seeds it is currently gaining particular popularity. This is quite easy to do, and watching the growing season is exciting.
Choosing varieties and sowing timeFrom seeds? First you need to decide on the optimal varieties for sowing. Small-fruited hybrid varieties - great way experiment by planting a new subspecies every year. You can also use your own seeds, but you need to collect them not from hybrids, but from the main varieties.
The time for sowing seeds depends on the area and the ability to care for them. If you are doing personal plot only on weekends, then sowing can be done in April. The most important thing is to get there before the drought sets in. If constant care for plantings is possible, the optimal time for sowing is May-June.
Soil preparation
Before planting seeds, the soil should be carefully prepared and processed, since it often contains insect larvae and eggs, weed seeds and various microorganisms. It is optimal to steam the soil for half an hour over a pan of boiling water. This must be done three weeks before sowing so that the soil has time to restore its lost properties.
Seed preparation
Experienced gardeners who know how to grow strawberries from seeds so that germination is maximized and the fruits themselves are large and fleshy are advised to carefully prepare the seeds before sowing. They should be soaked for several days in rain or melt water. At the same time, the water needs to be changed every day. Soaking allows you to break germination inhibitors. The swollen seeds should be spread out thin layer Place on a plate covered with soft paper and place in a bright place. In this case, direct sunlight should not fall on the seeds, as they can dry out all the moisture. The hatched seeds are planted using a match in a box with prepared soil.
Sowing
So, how to grow strawberries from seeds at home? We fill the box with pre-prepared soil, compacting it thoroughly. We make grooves in the soil and place the seeds there at a distance of a couple of centimeters from each other. For watering, it is better to use a spray bottle to prevent the seeds from being washed away and dislodged. It must be remembered that strawberries grown from seeds at home require abundant watering at all stages of the process. The box must be covered with film or glass to reduce evaporation, but the sprouts must be opened and ventilated every day.
Planting seedlings
Two months after the first shoots appear, the seedlings are ready for planting. Before this, it is recommended to harden them by placing the box in shady place in the garden so that the sprouts get used to the sun. The time for planting seedlings depends on the initial sowing. Thus, strawberries sown in winter can be planted under film already in May. However, summer planting is optimal. In this case, by the end of August, individual plants can produce their first harvest.
As you can see, the answer to the question: “How to grow strawberries from seeds?” simple enough. It only takes a little hard work and patience, and then juicy and ripe berries will delight the whole family.
If you like berries, then you can plant plants in pots or on the plot. Growing strawberries from seeds at home is not a difficult task if you know the basic rules. It is important to prepare the material for planting and carry out all the necessary manipulations regarding care.
Strawberries with seeds - planting and careBefore describing the process of planting seeds, it is interesting to familiarize yourself with the advantages of growing strawberry seedlings at home.
To grow strawberries from seeds at home, many use remontant varieties, since they bear fruit from late spring until the first frost. It is worth noting that the berries of these types are not too sweet, which is a definite disadvantage. Many gardeners note excellent quality strawberry fruits, the seeds of which were brought from China. There are varieties to get not only red, but white or yellow berries.
How to get strawberry seeds from berries?Strawberries are covered with small seeds, which can be collected traditional way it won't work. There are other methods on how to get strawberry seeds at home:
Preparing strawberry seeds for sowing as seedlings In order for sprouts to emerge from seeds faster, a method is used that involves cold hardening. It is due to the fact that in the forest the first shoots can be seen after the snow melts. Stratification of strawberry seeds at home can be done in two ways:
To make sure that the seeds will germinate, it is recommended to soak them, for which follow the diagram:
There are several ways to grow seeds, but they come together general rules landings:
By using it, you can simplify the germination process. In addition, in the future there will be no need to dive. Growing strawberries from seeds at home is done as follows:
Planting strawberries with seeds in a snail A popular method is to germinate seeds in snails, for which you can use a piece of laminate. The process goes like this:
When to plant strawberry seeds for seedlings? Experienced gardeners say that the most optimal period for planting seeds begins in mid-January and lasts until early March. The bushes will have time to grow so that they can be planted in open ground before the dry season. If you delay the planting of strawberry seeds for seedlings, the seedlings will not have time to grow enough to be transplanted this season and then they will have to overwinter in pots at home.
How long does it take for strawberry seeds to germinate?There is no single version of when the seeds will germinate and sprouts will appear, since everything depends on the germination of the seeds and the method of their preparation. Seeds germinate best after stratification. When describing how many days it takes for planted strawberry seeds to germinate, it is worth indicating the average period - 2-3 weeks. If no preparatory operations have been carried out, then this time can increase to a month.
Why don't strawberry seeds sprout?There is always a risk that the sprouts will never appear above the ground. There are several reasons for this:
Experienced gardeners share tips to help speed up and improve seedling growth:
Strawberry seedlings from seeds at home On initial stage the seeds need close attention, otherwise the seeds will not germinate and the idea will be a failure. Caring for strawberry seedlings from seeds includes the following features:
After the bushes have already grown and there are four normal leaves on them, then you can pick. The simplest option is the transshipment method.
