Growing strawberries is a complex and painstaking process. Success in obtaining juicy and sweet berries that have a beautiful appearance and are full of vitamins lies in organizing proper watering. Consider this issue in more detail.

Is it possible to water strawberries

Determining whether it is necessary to moisten the earth on strawberry plantations will help understanding the structure of the root system of the plant. A feature of the root system of garden strawberries is its location in the surface soil layer. For this reason, a plant cannot receive moisture from deep layers of the earth.

Strawberries are hygrophilous, and the surface of the garden, especially on hot days, dries quickly, so the berry needs regular and abundant hydration. Build a schedule of irrigation based on environmental conditions, soil type and features of arrangement of beds. For example, a berry planted on agrofiber is watered less often - its surface dries longer than on open-bed beds.

Did you know? Strawberries are the only berries whose seeds are not located inside, but on the surface of the fruit. There are up to 200 pieces per 1 copy.

How often to water strawberries to get a plentiful harvest

Humidification of garden strawberry beds begins in late April under dry spring conditions. The frequency of irrigation depends on weather conditions: heavy rainfall or lack thereof. So, in the spring for strawberries, the optimal irrigation interval will be 7 days.

From the beginning of May to the end of July, when the weather is stable and stable, irrigation is carried out every 2-3 days. On especially hot days, it will be necessary to moisten the earth on the plantation with strawberries every other day. From August to September, the plant can be nourished with moisture 1-2 times a month. In October, water-charging irrigation is carried out.

It is equally important to provide the plant with a sufficient level of moisture when planting . So, for each young seedling, 0.5-0.7 liters of water is needed when the roots are deepened into the holes. Then they are watered 2-3 times every day for 2 weeks. This will improve survival. After 14 days, watering is reduced, taking a break of 1-2 days. If you continue this care, then the rosettes of the plant will quickly grow and will develop correctly.

Important! In one place, strawberry bushes can grow no more than 4 years. After this period, they should be transplanted to a new prepared bed. In determining the frequency of strawberry irrigation, consider the peculiarity of the location of the site: under the sun or in the shade. Humidification of plants that are on the solar bed is carried out more often than those that grow on shady areas of the garden. It is worth giving preference to planting berries in places where there is enough sunlight. This is due to the fact that as a result of complex physicochemical reactions, they ripen more juicy and sweet berries, enriched in fructose, sucrose.

Irrigation rates for strawberry plantations:

Environmental conditions	Watering frequency	Amount of water per 1 m²
Hot, dry weather	Daily	7-10 l
Warm weather with little cloud	Daily	6-7 l
Low air temperature and dry weather (autumn, spring)	3-4 times a week	5–7 l
Warm and rainy weather	Stop watering to prevent the development of plant diseases.	-

The moisture content of light soil types in the area where garden strawberries are grown should be 65–70% during fruiting, and after harvesting - 60–65%. The moisture content of heavy soil strawberry plantation should be 80%.

Did you know? Although strawberries taste sweet, they contain less sugar than sour lemon.

In spring

After the snow melts, garden strawberries “wake up” from hibernation, so you can begin to care for strawberry plantations . To begin with, remove garbage (last year’s mulch residues, branches, leaves), cut off rotted, dry or damaged parts of the bushes, remove weeds, loosen the ground and pick it closer to the bushes. Then check the moisture content of the soil. If there is enough moisture, then irrigation is not required, because excess water, as well as its lack, can lead to lower yields.

Under dry spring conditions, the first hydration is carried out in late April. The recommended norm is 20–25 liters of water per 1 m². No matter what type of soil your site is, it should be saturated with moisture to a depth of 25 cm.

In spring, irrigation should be carried out by sprinkling. Thus, you wash away the dirt from the leaves of strawberries and contribute to a more intensive development of both the green mass and the rhizome of the plant.

In April and early June, the plants are fed, following these rules:

1. When using solutions that are poured under the root of the plant, you must first spill the beds with clean water. An exception is the first watering with hot water. The sprinkling method with the addition of substances does not require preliminary wetting under the root.
2. Irrigation or sprinkling should be carried out in cloudy weather.
3. Root top dressing during moistening of the soil is carried out in the morning or in the evening, according to the general rules of watering the plant.

Strawberry dressing, combined with watering, is carried out in certain periods using the components indicated in the table:

The substance and its norm	Period and method of use	Effect
Copper sulfate - 1 tsp. on 10 l of water	Apply after the snow has melted. A hot solution (about + 65 ° C) is poured over the entire surface of the bed to completely wet last year’s foliage	Infections and fungal disinfection
Potassium permanganate - the amount is determined by the color of the solution: it should be dark raspberry	Watering the beds with a hot solution 14 days after the snow melts. Need to shed every bush. Solution temperature - + 65 ° С	Pest disinfection
Iodine - 1 tbsp. l. / 1 ​​l of water Boric acid - 2 g / 1 l of water Manganese - 2 g / 1 l of water	During the formation of peduncles, they are watered both on leaves and in beds	Prevention of rot, stimulation of the formation of more peduncles
Boric acid - 1 tsp. on 30 l of water	Used during the beginning of flowering for foliar bait or sprinkling	Disease prevention, stimulation of plentiful flowering
Iodine - 20 drops per bucket of water with a volume of 10 l	Sprayed by sprinkling method when the first ovary of fruit appears	Prevention of the appearance of rot on the fruit

From the moment when flowering begins, sprinkling is replaced by watering under the root . This is necessary so that moisture does not get on the leaves and flowers and does not interfere with the pollination of the plant by bees. Humidification is done every 7 days, pouring 10-12 liters on each 1 m² of plantation. If the spring turned out to be hot, then the frequency of irrigation is increased to 2-3 times a week, but if possible it is not worth pouring strawberries.

Important! In order to reduce the rate of evaporation of moisture, gardeners mulch the beds with strawberries, sprinkling them with sawdust, pine branches, straw. Mulch allows you to reduce the frequency of watering by 1.5 - 2 times.

During fruiting

In early June, the first ripe fruits appear on the beds. Experienced gardeners even manage to collect several crops. It turns out they have it due to competent watering and timely fertilizer plantation.

To achieve a high yield and get berries saturated with useful vitamins and minerals, watering during the fruiting period should be done 1-2 times a week. In extreme heat, about 25 liters of water should be poured onto 1 m² of area where strawberries are planted. In addition, monitor the condition of the mulch and prevent the formation of dry crust on the beds.

In the autumn period

After the last harvest, strawberry bushes also need moisture, both in spring and summer, as they begin the recovery period and plant the next season. Often, gardeners forget about the moisture of the plant, as it begins to rain in the fall. But moisture from precipitation is not enough, so you should continue to care for the strawberry plantation until frost. Important! In autumn, the last water-loading irrigation should be carried out with top dressing before the onset of the first frost. In September-October, humidification is carried out 2-3 times, pouring about 20 liters of water per 1 m². At the last watering, make sure that the ground is not too wet . This can lead to the death of bushes, especially during sudden frosts.

Features and types of irrigation

There are several types of soil moisture on strawberry plantations: from a watering can, hose, drip and sprinkling. If your garden strawberry occupies a small area of ​​the garden, then the manual method is suitable. In order to save time and effort on irrigation, a drip irrigation or irrigation (sprinkling) system should be installed.

Manual watering

A classic tool for watering strawberries is a garden watering can.

The disadvantage of this method is the high cost of time and effort. The hose will help to reduce them slightly, but at the same time, the water consumption will increase significantly due to the fact that not only the basal area of ​​the bush, but also the aisle will be moistened. In addition, you need to monitor the temperature of the water. It should be the same as the air temperature. It is extremely undesirable to lay the hose directly from the well or column to the garden strawberry bed, because this can lead to the death of plants.

Important! When manually watering strawberries during flowering and fruiting, pour water under the root.

Drip irrigation

The organization of humidification of beds with strawberries using the drip irrigation system is the best option for both beginner gardeners and experienced ones . This method of moistening plantations of wild strawberries can be internal and terminal, adjustable and not. Its peculiarity is that water gets directly to the roots of the plant, so drip systems are used both during flowering and during fruiting.

• Drip irrigation has several advantages:
• It provides significant water savings - it consumes 2 times less water than with other types of irrigation.
• Provides the ability to independently determine the dosage of water: if necessary, the amount of water can be increased or decreased.
• Allows you to arrange regular watering without human intervention.
• Simplifies the irrigation process as a whole and helps to combine it with top dressing.

By installing drip irrigation on a strawberry plantation, you don’t have to worry about plants getting less moisture or, on the contrary, there will be an excess of it.

Sprinkling

Another name for this watering method is sprinkler. Install a sprinkler system stationary or make taking into account its movement on a site. To organize this type of humidification, you need to purchase special sprinklers (sprinklers). They can be circular, rotary, fan, swinging. With their help, you can water both a small and a large area. In addition, you can set timers and sensors, which will automate the process of watering plants.

The main disadvantage of sprinkling is a significant water consumption . In addition, it is not worthwhile to irrigate with this method during the flowering period: water will wash away pollen and yield will decrease.

How to make drip irrigation of strawberries with your own hands

In order not to carry full buckets of water, many gardeners install drip irrigation systems. Professional farmers are also adherents of this method of irrigation, since it provides plants with moisture for a long period and at the same time protects them from its overabundance. By organizing drip irrigation, you will protect garden strawberries from sunburn, pollen washing off, and the surface of the beds from drying out and forming a crust.

Video: do-it-yourself drip irrigation

You can make a drip irrigation system with your own hands, while spending a certain amount on the purchase of special items and a little time. But in the future you will significantly save precious hours of your day off or vacation, as well as money for paying water bills in the summer.

Selection of tools and materials

Before proceeding with the installation of a drip irrigation system, the site should be properly planned. Take a piece of paper and sketch a future plantation. This will help to calculate the number of components. The main requirement for the organization of a plot for garden strawberries is the length of the beds is not more than 100 m, while the drip tape is placed in the aisle, since watering will be carried out immediately on two lines of plants planted on one tubercle.

Arrangement of a drip irrigation system in your area, start with the preparation of materials. You will need:

1. Water tank with a capacity of at least 200 liters. The capacity volume is selected taking into account the area of ​​the area to be watered and the irrigation norms for the plant.
2. Drip tape. It is a tube made of polyethylene with a diameter of 20 mm and a wall thickness of 2 mm. It is sold in linear meters, and the length you need will depend on the length and number of beds. It is permissible to use a conventional hose, making holes in it. The main condition is that it must be flexible.
3. Plastic pipes (act as highways) with a diameter of 32 mm.
4. Coupling for connecting the pipe to a water source.
5. A plug installed on the other end of the main pipe.
6. Angles and fittings to connect parts of the system.
7. Connectors They come in two types: with and without a tap. It is better to buy with a tap, because it will stop the flow of water to a separate bed. In addition, there are connectors with and without preload. The first are more reliable.
8. Rubber seals and washers.
9. Filter. It will help cleanse water from mechanical particles.

Video: selection of materials and installation of drip irrigation from "A" to "Z"

To install the strawberry drip irrigation system, you need to prepare the following tools:

• adjustable wrench to tighten fitting nuts;
• a drill for drilling holes for connectors with a drill of the corresponding diameter;
• a small hacksaw that will help cut the PVC pipe;
• sharp knife to cut the tape;
• tow.

Did you know? The brighter the strawberries, the more vitamins they have. Although in nature there are quite white berries of this culture, which in the presence of nutrients are in no way inferior to varieties with red fruits.

Production Phase

After you have bought all the necessary elements of a drip irrigation system and prepared tools, you can proceed with the arrangement:

1. Install the tank. It should be 2 meters above ground level. This will ensure proper water pressure in the system.
2. Make a hole in the tank for the pipe. To do this, step back slightly from the bottom of the tank and drill a hole, then install a tap. After that, attach a piece of the main pipe perpendicularly to it.
3. Lay the pipe along the beds and mark the connections with the connectors (they should be opposite the beds). Fasten in some places if necessary. Install the plug.
4. Drill holes for the connectors and install them. Carefully drilling a hole, strip it and mount an elastic band into it, then install the connector.
5. Connect the drip tape. It can be pre-cut into the necessary pieces or unwind the bay and cut in place. The end of the tape must be tucked and wrapped with electrical tape. When laying the drip tape, the irrigation holes should be at the top. If necessary, then fix it on the bed with wire staples.
6. Connect the system to a tank of water.

The average time for irrigation of a strawberry plantation using a drip system is 25 minutes, on especially hot days it is increased by 5–7 minutes. In the southern regions, the system’s operating time is 45 minutes. Humidification is carried out in the summer from 3 times a week on sunny days. For northern regions, the interval between irrigation should be no more than 6 days.

Important! At the first start-up, the drip irrigation system is turned on for 6-12 hours. Further watering is carried out as necessary.

Step-by-step watering instructions

Brief recommendations for moistening the soil on strawberry plantations:

1. Water preparation. The water temperature for watering garden strawberries should be +18 ... + 20 ° С. You need to take only clean, standing water. Do not use water directly from the well. This will lead to the formation of rot, the development of diseases and lower yields.
2. The choice of the optimal irrigation method: manual, drip, sprinkling. When determining the method of soil moisture, consider the season (spring, summer, autumn), as well as the period of development of the plant (flowering, fruiting).
3. Determination of the need for feeding. If necessary, apply fertilizer during watering. It is not recommended to feed the plants “dry”: the effect of their use will be reduced several times.
4. Moisturizing. Doing it is better in the morning. If you irrigate the soil on the beds in the evening hours, there is a risk that the plant will be invaded by slugs, which will not be very beneficial for the crop.
5. Loosening of soil after irrigation or rain. This will provide air access to the roots of strawberries, which is also important to get a good harvest.

Tips for beginner gardeners

If you are only trying your hand at gardening and planting strawberries for the first time, then listen to the advice of experienced gardeners:

1. Provide abundant hydration of garden strawberries during the fruiting period, since it depends on how juicy, fragrant and healthy the berry will be. In addition, this period coincides with the hottest months of the garden season.
2. Thinking of arranging drip irrigation, remember that it must also be carried out carefully so as not to disrupt the fruiting process and get several crops during the season.
3. Не допускайте соприкосновения плодов с влажной почвой. Так вы убережёте ягоды от грибка и сохраните их красоту и целостность. Сделать это можно при помощи специальных подставок или просто посыпав грядки хвоей.
4. Поливайте кусты и после сбора урожая, но следите за температурными изменениями окружающей среды. Полив и первые заморозки — несовместимы.
5. Совмещайте полив с подкормкой. Так вы получите желанный и обильный урожай, а клубника сохранит силы для дальнейшего плодоношения и роста.

Поливать клубнику нужно обязательно, а как правильно это делать — подробно описано в статье. Выполняя наши рекомендации и придерживаясь основных правил увлажнения грунта, вы обязательно получите отличный урожай полезных и вкусных ягод.