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Sow strawberries from seed when planting. How easy it is to grow strawberries from seeds for seedlings at home. Garden strawberry care

Growing strawberries at home is a laborious process. But only by planting the seedlings on their own, any summer resident can be sure of their quality and that the desired plant variety will grow. To obtain a large harvest of fragrant berries, you must familiarize yourself with the rules for choosing soil for planting and planting material, with their preparation for planting, with the conditions of detention, care and transplantation of seedlings to a permanent place.

Sowing dates

Sowing is necessary depending on the desired timing of the first harvest. If you plant strawberry seeds in February, then the bushes will bear fruit in the summer. When planting them in April, the bushes will only grow by autumn, but they will have time to get stronger and will delight with abundant fruiting next year.

In addition, the presence of additional illumination of the seedlings affects the time of planting the seeds of the plant. If the balcony is equipped with good lighting, then the sowing process can begin even in December. But in the absence of lamps, it is advisable to sow in March.

Seed selection

Strawberry kernels can be prepared by yourself or purchased at a gardening store. At home, from a large berry, you need to cut the pulp with seeds in strips and dry. Then put it in paper bags.

At the time of buying seed it is worth carefully studying the information on the package.

A well-known and proven manufacturer will not sell low-quality goods.
The variety must be suitable for growing in the region.
Must remain at least 1 year before the expiration date.
The choice of variety depends on the purpose of the cultivation. If breeding for your own consumption is supposed, then it is better to prepare seeds yourself. You can choose non-hybrid varieties: they have excellent taste properties. When growing strawberries for sale, you should pay attention to hybrid varieties. Their advantages include high yield and disease resistance.

It is interesting!
Some varieties have been bred that can bear fruit on the balcony all year round... However, they require proper care.

Soil preparation

The market for products for gardeners is quite wide: everyone can choose the substrate to their liking. Ready-made universal mixtures are sold that are suitable for the cultivation of any plants; you can purchase specialized soil suitable only for a specific culture.

Garden strawberries are capricious, therefore, it is advisable to take special soil for growing seedlings from seeds.

Experienced gardeners, taking into account long-term observations, skillfully make the substrate on their own. It is important that it is light, crumbly and simple.

The most common formulations are:

coarse sand and vermicompost in equal parts, 3 parts of non-acidic peat;
sand - 2 parts, 1 part of peat and turf land;
sand - 3 parts, soil from the garden and humus - 1 part each.

It is recommended to add a little wood ash and manure to the second composition for growing on the balcony.

In the soil mixture from the garden, there may be pest larvae. To disinfect the earth, you can use one of the following methods:

warm up in the microwave for 5 minutes;
steam in a water bath;
place in the oven for 30 minutes at 150 ° C;
process with a strong solution of potassium permanganate.

After the performed manipulations, the soil should be placed in a warm place for 15-10 days.

Selection of capacity

For growing seedlings on the balcony, containers can also be made independently or bought.

What can be used as a container for planting strawberry crops?

Plastic cups, cardboard packaging for juices or glasses for sour cream - when choosing such a container, it is important to make small holes from the bottom so that the water from irrigation does not stagnate.
Plastic boxes - a kind of mini-greenhouses are obtained. From plastic bottle you can cut arcs, stretch plastic wrap over them.
Peat tablets are very popular, convenient for growing strawberries from seeds, picking and planting in a permanent place.
Food containers - it is advisable to select containers with a transparent top. So a container with such a lid will be used as a miniature greenhouse.

Before starting all the manipulations with planting strawberries, it is important to fill the container with a solution of potassium permanganate for 30 minutes. This will protect against the occurrence of fungal infections.

Preparing seeds for planting

Before sowing seeds on the balcony, they need to be prepared. For the prevention of diseases, the seed must be disinfected: soak in a weak (1%) solution of potassium permanganate. You can use solutions of boric acid, hydrogen peroxide, copper sulfate or aloe juice.

Strawberry seeds should be wrapped in a small piece of cloth, wrapped with thread and placed in a solution prepared in advance for 15 minutes. Then remove the bag and rinse it with clean water several times.

The next important stage in seed preparation is stratification. It can be done in two ways.

Sowing in the snow. Fill the container with a substrate, cover it with snow on top: a layer of 1-2 cm in a compacted form. Sow the seed on the snow, cover with foil and refrigerate. The snow will melt and the grains will sink into the ground.
Refrigerated stratification. Place the seeds on a damp cloth, wrap in a plastic bag, leave in the refrigerator for 7 days. At temperatures from +4 to + 5 ° C, the process of awakening and preparation for further growth starts.

Stratification is needed to ensure quality and simultaneous emergence.

Sowing in a container

To grow strawberries on the balcony, you need to fill a suitable container with soil, level, slightly compact, moisten, make small grooves. Using a sharpened match, tweezers or a toothpick, it is necessary to spread the plant seeds at a distance of 2 cm from each other. They should be pressed a little against the substrate, but not covered with them from above.

For convenience when planting in one container of planting material different varieties you can attach the name of the variety in front of each groove.

After transferring the seeds to the ground, it must be moistened with a spray bottle, covered with plastic wrap or closed with a container lid. Make sure to make small holes on the surface of the container. It is advisable to place the container in a warm and lighted place, but not on the windowsill itself - the grains will dry on it before they germinate.

Landing in peat tablets

The cultivation of strawberries on the balcony in peat tablets is considered the most in a convenient way... It is worth considering the process of planting material in special washers, inside which is placed compressed peat enriched with fertilizers.

Place washers in a container, pour well with water, let it swell.
Place 2-3 seeds in the recess in the tablet, do not sprinkle with soil.
Cover with foil, put in a lighted and warm place.

The first shoots will appear in 2-3 weeks.

Seedling care

When the first shoots appear, they should be ventilated daily and moistened with a spray bottle. After a month, the cover must be completely removed. After three leaves grow, the seedlings must be dived. The main thing for seedlings on the balcony is sufficient watering.

When the bushes of the plant consist of 6-7 leaves, the seedlings can be transplanted into open ground. The process must necessarily take place on a cloudy day.

Strawberries are a healthy and valuable berry. Growing plant bushes on the balcony is troublesome, but you can be sure of the quality of the resulting seedlings.

When breeding strawberries, it is important to follow the recommendations described above, and gradually adhere to the rules for planting the crop.

Growing strawberries from seeds at home is carried out by both experienced gardeners and beginners. The fact is that the seedling method is considered to be simpler and more convenient than the seedling method. With the seedless method, seeds should be sown in the fall to wait for the first shoots next year. At home, strawberries can be planted for seedlings at the end of winter, so that in June, in the form of a seedling, it will already move into open ground. How to grow strong and healthy seedlings, which will calmly survive the landing on the site, we will tell further.

The sowing time of strawberry seeds directly depends on the variety you choose. There are early, medium and late varieties, each of which suggests its own approximate planting date. When growing strawberries at home, you should focus on February or early March. Seeds planted during this period will have time to sprout by the time they need to be moved to the garden.

The timing of sowing strawberries depends on the availability of lighting equipment

If you prefer to plant seeds earlier, in the first half of winter, then you should take care of buying fluorescent lamps in advance so that the seedlings have enough lighting in the absence of the sun. In theory, with artificial lighting, you can grow strawberries any season.

Seed preparation

Seed preparation is an optional step, but it will simplify the further growing of seedlings and save you from many unpleasant surprises. In order for strawberry seeds to quickly adapt to the soil and begin to grow, it is necessary to start germinating them in advance. Germination is carried out in several stages:

There are several ways to germinate seeds. The one above is just one of many. Alternatively, you can use moistened gauze and a plastic bag. The seeds are placed in cheesecloth, placed in a bag and also placed in a warm room for a couple of days.

The main thing is to provide a moist, warm environment that will contribute to the early hatching of the seeds. Stratification, in turn, involves immersing seeds in a wet state at low temperatures.

How to select seeds?

You can get seeds in two ways - by buying in the store or by collecting them from your own strawberries. When buying seeds, be guided by trusted manufacturers to avoid low-quality goods. If you select seeds yourself, then following tips you may find useful:

Choose for sowing only those seeds that were collected from bushes that were distinguished by their rich harvest and good health;
Most best seeds in ripe strawberries they are in the middle part, as well as at the base. Such seeds have the most developed embryo and, most likely, will not cause you any problems when placing them in the ground;
In order to make it easier to remove the seeds, cut out the layer of pulp you need from the berry and dry it by placing it on a sheet of paper. The dried pulp will easily separate from the seeds if you rub it a little in your hands;
It is advisable to store the seeds in a glass container.

Before proceeding with the selection of seeds, the gardener must understand that different varieties of strawberries differ in the method of fruiting and, accordingly, in the amount of the crop brought. There are non-repair and remontant strawberry varieties, as well as neutral day varieties. We will talk about each of the designated groups below.

Also, in more detail about and the features of its cultivation, you can read on our portal.

Soil preparation

Strawberries can be attributed to unpretentious plants that are ready to yield crops even on not the most nutritious and "friendly" soil. But if you want to grow large and juicy berries, you need to take care of the good composition of the future potting mix. The finished soil must have the following characteristics:

Sod land is included in the "recipe" for most mixes for strawberry seedlings.

In order to prepare a soil mixture for growing seedlings, you will need the following ingredients:

Sod soil;
Sawdust;
Ground dolomite;
Ash;
Humus.

For ten liters of peat, there are three tablespoons of dolomite and one glass of ash. It is also allowed to add rotted manure. All the components described are thoroughly mixed until a homogeneous mass is obtained.

Disinfection

One of the most simple ways soil disinfection is steaming. To steam the soil, take a large saucepan, fill it a quarter with water and put it on fire. Place a colander filled with soil on top and cover the pot with a lid. As soon as the water begins to boil, hot steam will appear, which will rid the earth of any pathogenic bacteria, algae and fungal spores. The duration of the procedure is one hour.

You can also warm up the earth in the oven and in the microwave, but the last two options roughly affect the soil and destroy not only harmful, but also beneficial bacteria. Steaming is considered one of the most gentle disinfection methods.

Sowing seeds for seedlings

When the soil and seeds have been thoroughly processed, it is time to start the most important thing - to planting. If you have already sowed other seeds, then the process of sowing strawberries will not surprise you with anything new:

Take the container and disinfect it. Seedling cassettes, wooden boxes or single pots can be used as containers. If you are not going to carry out a pick, immediately use separate containers so that the roots of the growing strawberries subsequently have enough soil;
Pour expanded clay or crushed brick in a two-centimeter layer at the bottom of the container. The drainage will remove excess liquid from the soil and protect the strawberry roots from rotting. Note that drainage will not be effective if there are no holes in the bottom of the container;
Cover with soil and tamp it down with a scoop. Since you will later cover the seeds with another layer of soil, the soil should not fill the entire container. Measure from the upper border a couple of centimeters and focus on this mark when filling;
Dig several narrow rows in the soil, half a centimeter deep and moisten them with a spray bottle;
Using tweezers, position the seeds in the dug rows and cover them with a layer of soil one centimeter thick;
Cover the seedlings with glass or place in a plastic bag and place in a warm place where the temperature does not drop below twenty-five degrees to speed up seed germination.

As soon as the first shoots appear (after 20-25 days), the glass or bag can be removed and the temperature lowered by a few degrees. As a preventive measure, it is recommended to treat the seedlings with a weak solution of potassium permanganate once every two weeks.

By the way! If you are planting different varieties of strawberries, do not forget to make name plates. This little thing will be very useful to you later, when you will transplant seedlings to the garden, and will not allow you to get confused in the varieties.

Peat tablets

For growing strawberry seeds, you can also use peat tablets, which are compressed peat. To make the tablets straighten, you need to place them in a container, fill them with water and let them regain their real size (they should swell, soaked in moisture). There is one seed per peat tablet. For convenience, you can place the tablets on a tray and also cover with a lid or put in a plastic bag for early germination.

By the way! Advantage peat tablets is that you can transplant strawberries into the garden without removing the roots from the tablet. At first, peat will serve as an additional fertilizer for the plant.

Picking

A pick is carried out when at least two or three true leaves appear on the seedlings. At earlier stages of plant development, picking can lead to the death of strawberries, since it is a difficult and stressful event. As a new "place of residence" for strawberries, both pots and simple plastic cups are suitable. The main condition is that the diameter of the container must be at least five centimeters.

As with wooden boxes, in a new container, you will also need to make holes, and cover the bottom with a drainage layer. The soil mixture should have the same composition as before, then the adaptation of the plant will be most painless for the strawberries. Seedlings should be carefully planted in the pre-moistened soil.

Video - Strawberry picking

Planting strawberries in open ground

The timing of planting strawberries in open ground depends both on the selected variety and on the climatic conditions of your region. It is necessary to take into account in advance the time that the strawberries will need to ripen and the time of the fall in temperature. Many gardeners choose to replant seedlings between mid-April and early May.

Important! A couple of weeks before transplanting seedlings to the garden, it is advisable to start hardening them by taking them to Fresh air... As you approach the date of transplanting, strawberries should feel confident outside both in the shade and in the sun.

Soil preparation

Both seedling and garden soil need preliminary preparation. In order to put the soil in order before planting seedlings, you need to take several simple steps:

Fertilize the soil with mineral fertilizers a few days before replanting strawberries;
Dig the area intended for sowing onto the bayonet of the shovel;
After digging, add humus to the soil. One bucket of humus falls on 1 m 2.

Important! In no case do not use fresh manure for fertilization - it will easily burn the roots of a fragile seedling.

A cloudy day is best suited for transplanting seedlings. If cloudy days are not foreseen, schedule planting in the evening.

Immersion of seedlings

Step 1. Make several small holes corresponding to the number of seedlings. It is advisable to observe the grouping by variety when planting strawberries.

Step 2. When planting seedlings, make sure that root system was not overcrowded or overly ruined. So that the planting material does not stop growing, the base of the heart must be flush with the ground.

Step 3. To make sure the seedling has been replanted correctly, gently pull on one of the leaves. If the strawberries remain in their place and do not pull out of the soil, then the planting was completed successfully.

Step 4. To make the soil settle and grab the roots of the seedlings, water it immediately after planting the strawberries (regardless of the current weather conditions). Watering is done at the root, it is recommended not to touch the above-ground part of the plant.

Step 5. Mulch the soil by covering it with a two-centimeter layer of humus.

Strawberry pests

Table 1. Pests of strawberries

Disease	Description	Control methods
	The dimensions of these worms do not exceed one millimeter, therefore, it is not so easy to consider them. It is easier to recognize their presence by changes in the strawberry - its young leaves begin to curl, the cuttings are deformed. Stems thicken when affected by a nematode. Strawberries become overly brittle, which ultimately leads to no harvest	Once nematodes are found, all that remains for the gardener is to dispose of the plant as quickly as possible. The appearance of this pest can be prevented only by preliminary disinfection of the seeds before planting.
	Strawberry mites are very agile and move quickly through all bushes if not identified in time. They are able to overwinter at the base of leaf petioles and become more active by the beginning of the growing season. As a result, strawberry leaves wrinkle and acquire an oily sheen. At the same time, the berries ripen very small	In order to avoid meeting with a tick, seeds should be disinfected before planting. Infected bushes are treated first with colloidal sulfur (at the stage of green leaves), then with Neoron - one and a half weeks before flowering
	The mite envelops the strawberry leaves in a barely visible garden cobweb, as a result of which the leaves quickly acquire a yellow tint and rapidly lose moisture	In order to get rid of spider mite, you need to process the infected bushes with Karbofos. Spraying is done after harvest. At the end of the treatment, cover the strawberries with a film (so that the solution is better absorbed) and remove after three hours
	Aphids are a type of pest that can be seen with the naked eye. Beetles, about two millimeters in size, are usually localized on the lower areas of leaves and stems. The main harm from aphids is that the honey finger secreted by it clogs the leaves, increasing the likelihood of fungal diseases.	In the fight against aphids, garlic proved to be excellent. To prepare a solution of garlic, dip a few heads into three liters cold water and insist throughout the week. Pour the resulting composition into a spray bottle and process the affected bushes

Growing strawberries, also called garden strawberries, gains in last years increasing popularity. And this is not surprising, because the fruits of this widespread culture are not only extremely tasty, but also can bring some profit. There are several ways to get strawberry seedlings, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. But planting strawberries with seeds for seedlings still deserves special attention.

If you visit the dacha only on weekends, then you may well sow strawberries in late February or early March. The fact is that in winter there is always time for thorough care of the seedlings, and in this case you leave the plants in the garden even before the drought (which is especially important if the summer is hot in your region). It is also possible for home cultivation, but more on that later.

If you live in suburban area throughout the summer and are able to pay due attention to planting care, you can sow strawberries in March or June. Even later sowing is allowed if the summer is not hot. But at the same time, the seedlings, most likely, will not have time to grow enough before the end of the season to transplant to a permanent place. This means that he will spend the next winter in pots or boxes.

Stage No2. Determining the varieties

So, if you plan on getting healthy and robust seedlings, don't use the first strawberry seeds that come along. There are several proven, so to speak, options, we will consider each of them in more detail.

Small-fruited remontant strawberry(both hybrids and varieties) are sold in almost every specialty store. It is relatively cheap, so you get the opportunity to experiment with new products every year and choose only the best options for yourself.
Large-fruited garden strawberry is also popular, but at the same time it is quite expensive. But the seedlings from such seeds are strong and healthy.
DIY seeds... Obviously, they need to be collected not from F1 hybrids, but from varieties - only in this case the quality of the offspring will be in no way inferior to the parent plants.

Below is a more original way to collect strawberry seeds at home.

Video - An original way to collect strawberry seeds

Stage 3. Preparing the soil for seedlings

Ready-made soil for seedlings can be purchased at the store without any problems, but experienced gardeners still prefer to prepare the soil mixture with their own hands. Let's look at two popular ways to do this.

Seedling soil is an important element of success

Method one... Take sand, peat and sod soil in a 1: 1: 2 ratio, add a little complex mineral fertilizer(as an option, you can replace it with rotted manure and ash). But note that the soil contains a lot of weed seeds, all sorts of bacteria, insect larvae / eggs. To get rid of all this, steam the soil for half an hour over a saucepan of boiling water. After that, insist it for another 3 days to restore microbiological properties.

Method two... Take vermicompost, peat and sand (necessarily coarse) in a ratio of 1: 3: 1. Another possible variant- peat with sand in a ratio of 4: 1.

Soil prices

soil for plants

Stage 4. Preparing seed

Thanks to seed germination, you will be able to monitor the germination process in the future. To do this, soak the seeds in rain or melt water for about 2-3 days and change it daily 2 times. Because of this, the germination inhibitors in the seed, which slow down the growth of the embryo, will be destroyed. After this period, spread the swollen seeds on wet toilet or filter paper, previously laid on a saucer, in a thin layer. Then place it all in a plastic bag and transfer it to a warm, lit place (but away from direct sunlight, otherwise you will need frequent watering).

Note! Take the seeds that have hatched one at a time with a toothpick or a sharpened match and plant them in a container with loose sifted soil.

There is another preparatory procedure - stratification... It contributes to getting stronger, more friendly and healthy seedlings. To carry out stratification, take a container with wet sown seeds, place it in the refrigerator and keep it there for 21-28 days, then put it in a warm place for subsequent germination.

Stage 5. We sow strawberry seeds for seedlings

Video - How to plant strawberry seedlings in the fall

Most gardeners prefer to pre-grow seedlings and only then transplant plants into open or greenhouse ground. Planting strawberries with seeds for seedlings is an important process on which the yield of a crop depends.

What the timing depends on

It is known to often sow strawberries or strawberries for seedlings in January. But this is, rather, an established opinion, because the sowing time can vary. It could be January, February, or even December. In principle, you can choose any month. But to determine when to sow seeds, you should rely on the following factors:

what sort of seed will be used. It depends on this parameter when the germination of the first shoots occurs;
how often do you visit the country;
when it is planned to plant seedlings in the ground (autumn or spring). The harvest will depend on the selected season.

You can also use the lunar calendar to determine the optimal time for landing.

Whatever method of selection is determined as the main one, you still need to take into account the varietal characteristics of the species, as well as the climatic conditions of the region in which the cultivation will be carried out. This is the only way to define required period for work, and get at the end of the season good harvest berries.

When to sow strawberries for seedlings

It is important for novice gardeners to know when to plant strawberry seedlings. We have already found out that seedlings of any type of strawberry can be obtained at different times.

You can sow purchased or harvested planting material both at the end of February and at the beginning of March. Since you need to plant the seed at home, it does not matter if the snow has melted from the fields to determine the timing of this procedure.

It is best to sow seeds in winter, since during this period you can spend more time caring for the plantings, thereby ensuring yourself a bountiful harvest in the future. In this case, the seedlings will be planted in the soil before drought. This is especially true in regions with hot summers.

It is also necessary to plant in the winter months if you can visit the dacha only on weekends. In this case, it will be possible to keep the plants healthy until your arrival. Otherwise, planting seedlings will give a weak effect and the plants may simply not wait for you and wither. They may even die.

If you live in a suburban area during all the summer months and will pay due attention to planting, then you can perform this procedure in March or even in June.

If the region is characterized by a cold summer from year to year, then the sowing of planting material can be performed much later. However, the plants will not have enough time to grow (form a real leaf) to be planted in a permanent place of growth. Therefore, a young bush will winter at home in a box or pot.

Thus, to plant young plants in summer, you need to sow seeds in February or March. If it is necessary to grow seedlings for the next year, then the sowing of seeds is carried out in the fall.

With the correct implementation of the necessary manipulations (for example, the distance between the seeds must be observed), you can grow a strong bush that will quickly take root in a new place.

It is worth noting that when the plants form several true leaves, they should be planted in separate pots.

When to sow strawberries for seedlings

It is also important to know when to sow strawberry seeds for seedlings. The timing of when the seed can be sown is almost the same as that of strawberries.

Strawberries can be sown in winter or in early spring as well as in the fall. In the first case (January, February), the harvest can be obtained in the same year. Moreover, the harvest will consist of small amount small berries. Good fruiting will be observed only in remontant varieties.

With an autumn planting, it will be possible to feast on delicious berries only next year. Here the seeds are sown in April and May. Planting young bushes in the soil can be carried out already at the beginning of August.

Thus, when to sow strawberries for seedlings, each gardener determines independently.

In order for an apartment or house to become an optimal place for growth and development for seedlings of these berry crops, experienced gardeners recommend adhering to certain rules and tips. Only correctly carried out sowing will allow you to get healthy and vigorous seedlings. Otherwise, there will be nowhere to put weak plants, except perhaps to throw them away, since they still will not take root in a new place.

to accelerate germination, a diaper is put on top or glass is placed on the container in which the seeds were placed. When the first sprouts begin to appear, you need to remove the glass and diaper;
when the first shoots appear, their watering should be regular;
when growing seedlings in winter period plants need to be supplemented to recreate natural light conditions. Additionally, you can illuminate the bushes with any lamp. But in this case, it is better to consult with an expert and buy a phytolamp, which will give light that is optimal for these berry crops;
landing in the ground is performed before the formation of the mustache. Usually, the bushes are ready for transplanting when several true leaves are formed.

Knowing when to sow strawberries and strawberries with seeds for seedlings, you can ensure yourself an excellent harvest - as when growing in conditions open ground, and in the greenhouse.

Video "Growing strawberries and strawberries from seeds"

This video will show you how to grow strawberries and strawberries from seeds at home.

Not all summer residents run the risk of planting strawberries with seeds. And this is understandable. No matter what the manufacturers of planting material write on the colorful packaging, growing strawberries from seeds is a painstaking business. Seeds sprout for a long time, and often disappear completely; seedlings look fragile and small, you need to dive with tweezers; it is impossible to over-moisten the seedling soil, and even more so it cannot be overdried ... So many worries! Still, growing strawberries or strawberries from seed has its advantages. And if you want to improve your berry health, try new exquisite varieties and are not afraid of any obstacles, go for it! And we will help you the right advice… First of all, we recommend paying attention to small-fruited varieties of remontant strawberries. They are less capricious than strawberries and are cheaper, and the chances of getting excellent seedlings are much higher. In the future, having gained experience, start growing large-fruited varieties.

You can plant strawberries for seedlings both in February and in April. Everything will depend on your conditions. Whoever is ready to transfer the lightest windowsill to strawberries or to supplement the seedlings for 12-14 hours a day can confidently sow seeds in early February and have the right to expect the first harvest of berries this season. Well, for those whose windowsills are already captured by peppers and tomatoes, it is not forbidden to plant strawberries in March or at the very beginning of April. Most likely, such bushes will not be able to bear fruit this season, but next year they will show themselves in all their glory.

Soil preparation for strawberry seedlings

The main properties required for soil for strawberry seedlings are lightness and moisture permeability. In order to achieve the required quality, some summer residents advise sifting the soil mixture through a sieve. The following mixtures are best suited for strawberry seedlings:

Method 1: 3 parts of garden soil, 3 parts of humus or compost, 1/2 part of wood ash.
Method 2: 4 parts vermiculite, 3 parts peat, 3 parts sand.
Method 3: 1 part coconut fiber, 1 part humus or vermicompost.
Method 4: 3 parts sand, 5 parts humus.
Method 5: 2 parts of turf, 1 part of sand, 1 part of peat.
Method 6: 3 parts of sand, 1 part of garden soil, 1 part of humus.

In order to disinfect the soil as much as possible, it is either frozen, or calcined, or pre-watered with a solution of potassium permanganate

Seed stratification and sowing for seedlings

That is why gardeners do not like to tinker with strawberry seedlings so much! Because of the famous stratification, which in this example cannot be bypassed in any way.

Stratification is the organization for seeds of conditions for germination, close to natural. The strawberry seeds that we have in stock are, roughly speaking, dormant. And the growth blocking works in full force - special substances that counteract the germination of seeds before the onset of favorable conditions. The gardener's task is to artificially recreate everything the necessary conditions so that they “wake up from hibernation” faster and start growing.

How to stratify strawberry seeds? You can go the well-established way and keep the seeds for a week on a damp cloth in the refrigerator, and then gently sow into the ground. Or you can “kill two birds with one stone” by combining stratification with sowing.

Strawberry seeds are most comfortable to sow in plastic containers with a lid, having previously made a number of drainage holes in their bottom. This container is covered with soil mixture, not reaching the edges for a couple of centimeters. They slightly moisten the soil so that small seeds do not fall too deep, and then evenly distribute the seeds over the surface. They are not covered with earth, and the two or two and a half centimeters remaining to the top of the container are filled with snow. Close the lid of the container and take it to the refrigerator for two weeks.

In the refrigerator, the snow will gradually melt and go into the soil, carrying the seeds along. This is almost what happens in natural conditions in the spring. This is exactly what we wanted!
At the end of the stratification period, the container with the planted seeds is transferred to the windowsill. You don't need to open the lid yet, watering is usually not required either (there is usually enough moisture from melted snow). But it is not forbidden to make additional lighting.

After 10-15 days (in other varieties in a month), the first shoots appear.

Care of strawberry seedlings before planting in the ground

With the emergence of shoots, the box lid must be periodically opened (or holes must be made in it). It is not recommended to open young seedlings immediately and permanently in order to avoid rapid evaporation of moisture. Constant moisture (but not waterlogging) of the soil is one of the important points in growing strawberry seedlings.

When sowing seeds in a transparent plastic container with a lid, it is extremely convenient to monitor the moisture level. If the lid of the container seems a little fogged up, everything is fine; and if there is so much condensation that they collect in drops on the lid, it means there is an excess of moisture in the soil, and it is necessary to ventilate the seedlings; if the lid is dry, it's time to water.

Strawberries are watered very carefully: either with drops on the walls of the container, or from a fine-jet sprayer, or with a medical syringe. The most best water for watering - thawed. If there is concern about fungal infections that may be dormant in the soil, you can add Fitosporin to the irrigation water, diluting according to the instructions.

Somewhere in 3-4 days after germination, the lid can be opened permanently.

With the appearance of 2-3 true leaves, strawberry seedlings dive into individual pots. The process is not the easiest, because the plants are still tiny, fragile, with an elongated stem. Many people use tweezers to gently hold each blade of grass. When diving, you need to control so that the root does not bend up. First, the seedling is covered with earth to the same depth, later, when the seedlings take root in a new place, add earth to the cotyledon leaves, without filling the growing point. The entire long stem of strawberry seedlings will be buried underground and give out additional roots.

Some gardeners simply "huddle" the sprouts, raking up the soil so as to cover the long stem, leaving the growth point and leaves above the ground, and picking is done later, with the appearance of 3-4 pairs of true leaves. In this case, the seedlings will be much stronger, but there may be a problem with the interlacing of the roots. The roots of the seedlings can become so intertwined with each other that you will have to rinse them with water and gently (using a fork) untangle them.

After picking, caring for strawberry seedlings is reduced to constant monitoring of the moisture level. In addition, you can harden the seedlings by taking them out into the open air at stable positive temperatures. There is no need to fertilize strawberry seedlings until they are planted in the ground.

We wish you success and big harvests!