After the strawberries are harvested, it is important to follow all the rules of care. Many summer residents make mistakes by not paying the plant the necessary attention. The health of the plant and the harvest next year depend on proper care.
In order for the plant to develop well, you need to follow simple recommendations.
Mustache trimming
It is important to trim the mustache, which begins to actively grow at the end of summer. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out the sanitary pruning procedure in mid-August. The remaining whiskers are buried in soil. This is done for further propagation of the plant.
Pest treatment
In summer, insects lay eggs on leaves. This may lead to problems in the future. After pruning, the area must be treated with Bordeaux mixture or Actellik. Processing is carried out in two stages. Repeated treatment is possible after 2 weeks.
Top dressing
In order to get a large harvest for the next season, it is important to apply fertilizers in a timely manner. Fertilizing of the crop is carried out according to the following scheme:
- immediately after harvesting, ammophoska is applied;
- after 2–3 weeks it is recommended to apply organic fertilizers. For strawberries, it will be useful to use mullein infusion or humus.
Experienced summer residents also recommend adding wood ash in early September. Such fertilizing not only acts as a fertilizer, but also reduces the number of possible pest infestations.
Trimming dried leaves
If you promptly remove all dried and damaged leaves, there will be much more flower stalks next year. Leaves should be trimmed with sharp pruning shears. Many people make mistakes and mow down the foliage. This can damage young leaves, causing damage to the bushes.
Tuck the soil
After the young tendrils are buried, it is necessary to thin out the old plantings. To do this, the area is carefully inspected and weak bushes are removed. Using a hoe, the soil is loosened and tucked under the bushes. This will preserve the plant in the future with a slight frost.
Laying mulch
The soil between the beds must be mulched. It is recommended to use sawdust or pine needles as mulch. This process will not only retain the necessary moisture, but also reduce the number of pests.
The strawberry harvest for the next year depends on proper and timely care. Timely pruning and feeding of bushes increases the number of ovaries and improves the taste of the berries.
