Strawberries are loved by adults and children. It is grown in homestead and summer cottages, bred on large plantations. Strawberries and wild strawberries reproduce by seeds, dividing a bush, and a mustache. In case of root disease, cultivation from seeds is used to reproduce the variety you like. How to grow strawberries from seeds at home for seedlings, let us consider in more detail.

Sowing time

Strong seedlings are obtained when planting seeds in February or March. April is also a suitable month. According to the lunar calendar, plant in 2018, taking into account favorable days in:

• February - 3, 8, 13 and 16;
• March - 3, 7, 8, 30;
• April - 8, 14, 15, 16 and 30.

Astrologers say: favorable days for sowing berry seeds, when the moon is in the constellations of Pisces and Gemini. Experienced gardeners believe: strawberry seeds can be sown in the ground in March. Among other things, you should take into account the region of residence, specific climatic conditions. Sowing strawberry seeds for seedlings in 2018 is recommended according to the dates suggested above by month.

Timing from sowing to disembarkation

In order to properly plant seeds for seedlings, it is necessary to take into account when the weather conditions of a particular region allow planting strawberry seedlings in the garden. In different regions, the planting time for seedlings ranges from May to early June. Accordingly, the dates when it is necessary to sow seeds are shifted in one direction or another. For the planned harvest next year, the seedlings are planted in the ground on August 4-5. That allows you to use the seeds of the berries you like this season for germination.

The main condition is the choice of a sufficient period for growing a strong, formed bush from the seed.

Usually 3 - 3.5 months are spent on growing seedlings prepared for planting.

The timing of planting seeds, depending on the region

Planting strawberries with seeds for seedlings in an apartment should be carried out taking into account the climatic conditions of a particular region. The timing is chosen on the condition that by the time the seedlings are planted on the plantation, strawberry bushes will be fully formed. And the time before the onset of hot days after planting is enough for the seedlings to take root.

In the Moscow region, sowing in February is considered optimal. In the Siberian regions and in the Urals, they begin to plant strawberries in open ground due to late frosts in June, respectively, later they sow seeds for seedlings - in early March. Such sowing has the advantage - no artificial lighting is required, enough sunlight.

Variety selection

The advantage of growing strawberries from seeds is their long shelf life and the absence of transmission of viral diseases through the seed. Before purchasing seeds, you should decide on the desired result:

• obtaining a bountiful harvest;
• growing large-fruited varieties;
• collection of sweet berries;
• ripening of berries throughout the summer in remontant varieties.

In all cases, seeds must be selected from the best varieties from healthy, strong plants and large berries.

Quality seeds can be purchased at specialized stores. It will be a good idea to choose seeds of large-fruited varieties, which will make it possible to obtain plants superior in quality to those grown vegetatively. But these varieties require special conditions and more careful care. Smaller varieties of strawberries are easy to care for, they endure unfavorable weather conditions, frost. There are zoned varieties bred for specific climatic conditions.

Planting seeds

Planting strawberries with seeds for seedlings in an apartment includes several preparatory operations.

1. It is necessary to prepare a substrate from several components, it should be light and loose.
2. Seeds, regardless of whether they were purchased or collected on their own, require preliminary germination before sowing.
3. The collected seeds from the berries of hybrid varieties are not suitable for growing seedlings, they must be purchased in specialized stores.
4. Select and prepare containers for the substrate where the seeds will be planted.

Seedling soil

One of the components of successful cultivation of strawberries from seeds is properly prepared soil.

It is necessary to do the preparation in advance so that the soil is ready by the time of sowing the seeds. The mixture should not be too fertile, but light and crumbly. Let's consider several options:

• land from the garden bed, which was brought to the balcony in a plastic bag in the fall;
• sand mixed with humus;
• a mixture of forest, garden soil and sand;
• neutralized peat, humus, vermicompost in a ratio of 1: 1: 1;
• sand, non-acidic peat, vermicompost in a ratio of 3: 1: 1:
• turf soil, peat, sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1 with the addition of wood ash and rotted manure.

Any of the above substrates must be disinfected (to destroy harmful organisms, insect eggs, infections and weeds) in one of the following ways:

• steam over a saucepan with boiling water for half an hour;
• heat in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes.

To restore useful properties, the mixture is kept before use for up to 3 weeks.

Capacity

For sowing seeds, use small containers or boxes with a transparent lid. You can sow the seed one at a time in separate cups (made of peat, plastic) or peat tablets.

Seed preparation

Berries for collecting seeds are selected from well-developed healthy bushes, without damage. The seeds are taken from the middle part or closer to the sepal, where they are larger and have a high germination potential. A layer of pulp is cut off from the berries, laid out on a paper napkin until dry. The dried mixture is ground to free the seeds. Finished dry seeds are stored in a sealed glass container.

Three months before sowing, the moistened seeds are placed in a cold place of +2 - 4 ° C for stratification, placed on a damp cloth so that they do not dry out. The seeds are periodically mixed and then dried. Before sowing, the seeds are germinated. The process begins by placing the seeds in melt or rain water for two days. Swollen seeds are laid out on a paper napkin, placed in a plastic bag, placed in a warm place.

Seed germination contributes to the successful cultivation of seedlings.

Planting process

It is quite possible to grow strawberry seedlings from seeds at home. Sequence of operations:

• a drainage layer (expanded clay, fine gravel) with a thickness of 1 - 2 cm is poured on the bottom of the tank;
• on top of the drainage a layer of fertile soil (10 - 15 cm);
• the soil is compacted;
• watered;
• the seeds are laid one at a time, not sprinkled with soil, but only by pressing them into the soil.

The soil should be kept constantly slightly moist. After the emergence of shoots on the 20 - 25 day, the container is transferred to a lighted place with a constant temperature at the level of +20 - 25 ° C.

Growing in peat tablets

You can grow strawberry seedlings in peat tablets by sowing one seed at a time. Sprouted seeds are used for this purpose, which is a guarantee of the appearance of a sprout. The seeds are placed in a container, kept in the refrigerator for two weeks, then transferred to a warm place of + 20 ° C. Check, ventilate every day until sprout appears.

Peat tablets are poured with water until completely absorbed. Placed in a pallet. Spread the hatched seeds into the grooves, pressing lightly. Close with a film or lid, put in a warm, lighted place. The tablets must be wet, if they dry, add water to the tray until they are absorbed, pouring out the excess. The seeds must remain moist so that the emerging roots receive moisture.

Creation of favorable conditions and planting care

Another rule that guarantees success is taking care of the seedlings. After the emergence of sprouts, they begin to slightly open the lid of the container to get the seedlings accustomed to room conditions after the humid microclimate of the container. Gradually exposed to the sun, leaving for 1 - 2 hours, then left on the windowsill for the entire time. It is necessary to inspect the seedlings, when the roots are exposed, it is required to add earth so that they do not dry out.

Sometimes mold appears, whitish or green in color. It is carefully removed with a toothpick, the seedlings are ventilated. It is advisable to treat the soil with an anti-fungal preparation. To prevent condensation from the lid from falling on delicate sprouts, wipe the container lid, removing moisture. In April, the time comes for hardening. The containers are taken out into the greenhouse or glazed veranda, first for several hours, then left overnight. Reducing the night temperature to +5 - 7 ° C promotes hardening.

Backlight and temperature

Natural lighting in winter and early spring with the sun's rays is not enough, you have to use additional lighting. When the seedlings begin to germinate, they install round-the-clock lighting for three days. Then they maintain constant illumination of seedlings 13-14 hours a day. Incandescent lamps are not suitable for these purposes due to the unsuitable radiation spectrum. They take fluorescent, gas-discharge, LED or special phytolamps, placing them at a distance of 20-25 cm from the plants. The temperature must be maintained at +20 - 25 ° С, this is the optimal value for strawberry seedlings.

Watering

When tender seedlings appear, they proceed to watering at the root using a pipette or syringe. Water is taken thawed, settled or filtered, with a temperature of 1 - 2 ° C above room temperature. You can even water it with boiled water. It is necessary to maintain the moisture content of the soil, to prevent stagnation of water.

Top dressing

With the appearance of 4 true leaves, the seedlings begin to feed. Fertilizers containing nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus are used:

• "Solution";
• "Aquarin";
• "Kemira Lux".

When preparing solutions, it is necessary to take into account the concentration, making it two times less than that indicated in the instructions.

Top dressing is carried out after ten to fourteen days, alternating fertilizers.

Picking

After the appearance of three real leaves, the seedlings dive into other containers (boxes), maintaining a distance between them of 4 - 5 cm. Or they are planted in separate cups one plant at a time, be sure to install a drainage layer at the bottom of the container and make holes in it. The soil in the containers is moistened, a small depression is made, gently transferring the seedling with a match or a toothpick to a new place. It is necessary that the outlet with the leaves is just above ground level.

Diseases and pests

Well-sprung seedlings begin to fall together, this is a black leg, a disease that leads to the death of plants. A disease detected at an early stage has a chance to be cured, but it is better to take up new crops. With insufficient temperature and excess moisture, root rot appears, which leads to the fall of the seedlings.

Healthy plants must be transplanted into new soil, having treated before this with a light pink solution of potassium permanganate. Irregular ventilation of the greenhouse with excessive watering leads to the appearance of mold. Diseased seedlings are removed, healthy seedlings are subject to processing and transplantation. To prevent fungal diseases, it is necessary to water the seedlings 1 - 2 times with a fungicide solution, for example, "Planriz", "Trichodermin", "Trichopol". In room conditions, with insufficient soil moisture and dry air, spider mites may appear. They feed on the sap of growing leaves, which leads to yellowing of the leaves, weakening of the shoots.

The appearance of a thin web or small dots on the back of the leaves indicates the presence of a pest. Insects must be destroyed, since they, in addition to mechanical damage to seedlings, carry viral diseases. For spraying seedlings, drugs are used: "Aktara", "Fitoverm", "Karbofos", "Aktellik". With insufficient soil cultivation, diseases characteristic of strawberries in the open field may appear.

Possible growing problems

The first thing that can happen: seedlings do not appear. When buying seeds, you must carefully study the description of the variety on the package.

1. The simplest reason is that old seeds have lost their germination.
2. It happens that the seedlings fall. This happens due to insufficient soil moisture or black leg disease. Humidity must be constantly maintained at the proper level evenly throughout the entire thickness of the soil, avoiding stagnation of water in the sump.
3. If you remove the cover from the greenhouse ahead of time, the plants may die from the dry air in the apartment.
4. Excessive moisture also causes seedlings to fall.
5. Seedlings stretch strongly, interfering with each other, which happens when there is a lack of light.
6. Too thick sowing and high temperatures also lead to stretching of the seedlings, and at low illumination, the plants die.
7. The expected result may not be obtained due to the ingress of pollen of a different variety on the plant from which the seeds were taken.

Planting strawberries with seeds for seedlings in an apartment is a painstaking task. But the result - sweet large berries grown in their own garden, will be a reward for patience and time spent on growing.

High-quality strawberry seedlings of productive popular varieties are not the cheapest pleasure. To book even one new bed, you will need at least fifty bushes. Buying them in proven nurseries is not the most budgetary option.

Purchased seedlings are not always fresh and of good quality. It is not even necessary to talk about the conformity of the variety to the declared name. There is one more problem that seedling implementers prefer to shyly keep silent about.

With vegetative propagation (rosettes), seedlings are inherited by all diseases not only of the mother bush, but also of the entire garden. It is impossible even to imagine which of them the soil is contaminated with, and you are buying all this as a supplement.

There is nothing left but to sow seeds and grow strawberry seedlings at home. Positive aspects of this solution:

1. minimum financial costs,
2. with a successful outcome, a whole bed will be obtained from a bag of seeds,
3. the quality of seedlings depends only on you,
4. the seedlings are fresh and healthy,
5. you can even get the seeds of your favorite berry variety yourself.

Concerning the latter. Indeed, you can choose seeds from purchased berries, the taste of which you have appreciated. Cut off the top layer of the berries with a sharp knife, rinse and dry. And then, everything is the same as for packaged seeds from the trading network of large agricultural firms.

When to plant?

When growing strawberries in a greenhouse, it doesn't matter when to plant the seedlings in a permanent location. Young plants will grow well regardless of the calendar time.

On a garden bed of open ground, seedlings of garden strawberries should be planted at least a couple of months before the onset of cold weather. In the year of planting, the main thing is to prepare the garden for the next harvest, and not collect more berries here and now.

It is quite possible that the planted young bushes will bloom. These flowers should be cut off - the bush should root well before the onset of cold weather, only in this case it will delight you with berries next year.

What is needed besides patience

To successfully grow seedlings, you need

1. quality seeds,
2. suitable soil mixture,
3. growing conditions (temperature, illumination, humidity).

And you will have to be patient, since strawberry seeds do not differ in germination speed. In order for seedlings to appear guaranteed, even branded seeds must be stratified. Only after this treatment can you sow strawberries for seedlings. The stratification process replaces wintering of seeds in natural conditions. After a rather long “hibernation” in the cold, the seeds begin to actively “wake up” under the influence of heat and light.

Stratification methods

Stratification should not be ignored, otherwise all efforts and expectations may be empty.

The easiest way

Place the strawberry seeds in the refrigerator on the vegetable shelf on a moistened napkin about a month before the planned sowing. Your only job is to keep an eye on the humidity. The napkin should never dry out! The easiest way to do this is to place it in a food sealed container or a zippered plastic bag.

During this month, you need to decide where you will sow the prepared seeds.

Depending on the number of seeds, choose an option:

1. planting box (there are a lot of seeds),
2. peat tablets (as an option - cassette containers, peat pots).

With a small amount of planting material, it is easiest to use the second method.

When you carry out stratification, it is better to sow strawberries for seedlings in prepared tablets. Given the size of the strawberry seeds, even tablets with a diameter of 20-25 mm can be used, this is quite enough for germination.

In any case, you still have to take care of preparing the soil mixture. Even when using tablets, one day there comes a time when the roots of the seedlings germinate through the shell of the tablet and it must be planted in a container with soil.

Growing soil

For growing any seedlings, there is a general rule - the composition of the soil should not be abundant in organic matter. A seedling will form a powerful root system only in a soil poor in composition, due to the vital need to “search” for food by roots.

From the proposed options, choose an affordable one, the main requirement for the soil is flowability and the ability to retain moisture.

1. Compost or matured humus, garden soil, wood ash (6: 6: 1).
2. Vermiculite, sand, peat (4: 3: 3).
3. Coconut substrate, compost (1: 1).
4. Sand, compost, garden soil (3: 1: 1).
5. Sand, compost (3: 5).

Fill the seedling utensils with the prepared moistened soil mixture: cassettes, pots or a larger container for a large number of seeds. There should be a distance of 1-2 centimeters to the upper edge of the dishes. This will come in handy to cover everything with glass or film.

The prepared seeds (after stratification in the refrigerator) are carefully laid out, practically without burying them into the soil. This is a very significant refinement, as they require light to germinate.

Since for growing strawberries in a garden, sowing for seedlings should begin in January-February, you will have to use artificial additional lighting - daylight hours are still too short.

Light mode

For most small seeds, including strawberry, light is needed for germination. The total duration of daylight hours for this should be 12-16 hours. A fluorescent lamp at a distance of about 10-15 cm from the seedlings is quite enough.

Seedlings of strawberry seedlings, according to all the rules, appear no earlier than 2-3 weeks after sowing. But if you treat the seeds before sowing with germination stimulants like "Epina" or treat the soil with a solution of effective microorganisms (EM-solution), you can expect the emergence of seedlings in 10 days .

At the end of winter, when they begin to sow strawberries for seedlings, make it a rule to light up the seedlings until 20-00.

Round-the-clock illumination will not improve the quality of seedlings, but, on the contrary, can have a depressing effect. Even small seedlings have biorhythms that do not need to be knocked down.

We sow "in the snow"

Practice shows that the process of stratification and seeding can be combined. To do this, gently spread the seeds with a toothpick on a layer of snow (about 2 cm), which lies on top of the soil. Place everything in the lower compartment of the refrigerator.

The snow will not melt immediately, after 2-3 days. As it melts, the water will suck the seeds a few millimeters into the soil. If some of them remain on the surface after 2 weeks in the refrigerator, leave them in this position. After 2 weeks, cover the seedling container with foil or glass and put it on the backlight in a warm place.

Usually, seedlings appear a month after sowing, another 2 months are needed to grow the seedlings up to 4-5 leaves (the more, the better), when it can be planted in a permanent place. It turns out that at least three months will be required to obtain a young seedling. Knowing this, it is easy to figure out when to sow strawberry seedlings.

Strawberries for seedlings for open ground are sown in March, if it is not possible to use additional lighting. The duration of daylight hours is already sufficient for growing full-fledged seedlings.

You can clearly see the process of planting strawberry (strawberry) seeds in the video below.

The approach to growing seedlings of remontant strawberries is somewhat different. Since this variety of strawberries is most often cultivated in greenhouse conditions, there is no strict time limit for planting in a permanent place. The conditions for growing it are close to ideal, therefore, they begin to sow remontant strawberries for seedlings when the time for replacing vegetative bushes with young ones approaches. This can be done at any convenient time.

As for the cultivation of strawberries in Siberia, the greenhouse culture in this case is no different from other regions. It will not be superfluous to remind that only zoned varieties should be sown. Experimental plantings of young “southerners” will not survive the winter.

For growing in open ground in Siberia, the same terms of sowing strawberries for seedlings are acceptable, the only difference is in planting in a permanent place within an acceptable time frame so that the plant can successfully root.

Advice to Siberians Young plantings of strawberries require protective shelter, even if the planted variety has a special Siberian frost resistance. Do not forget that only zoned varieties will overwinter without problems and bring a decent harvest.

Growing strawberries at home is a laborious process. But only by planting the seedlings on their own, any summer resident can be sure of its 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 preparing them for planting, with the conditions of keeping, care and transplanting 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.

When buying seed, you should carefully study 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 the 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 yields 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, so 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 each of peat and sod 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 ground, 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. Arcs can be cut out of a plastic bottle, and a plastic wrap can be pulled 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.

1. 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.
2. 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 different varieties of planting material in one container, 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 window sill itself - the grains will dry on it without having time to germinate.

Landing in peat tablets

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

1. Place washers in a container, pour well with water, let it swell.
2. Place 2-3 seeds in the recess in the tablet, do not sprinkle with soil.
3. 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.

With a lot of experience in gardening, gardeners have a hard time growing strawberry seedlings from seed. Seeds do not sprout for a long time, the seedlings are whimsical, and when oversaturated or lack of watering, they die. But cultivation of strawberries with seeds is sometimes just necessary.

Choosing a variety of strawberries for seedlings

Growing strawberry seedlings on your own starts with choosing your preferred varieties. Gardeners will have to choose strawberry varieties that are suitable for certain climates and soils. Information about these features is usually placed on seed packages to producers.

Also, when choosing, it is important to take into account the complexity of growing a variety. At the moment, a huge amount of seeds of various varieties of strawberries are sold in the garden centers. It is best for novice gardeners to pay attention to unpretentious varieties with medium berries, which do not differ in complex agricultural technology and can be successfully grown by a person who does not have solid knowledge in the field of agriculture. Experienced summer residents who are familiar with the intricacies of how to plant strawberries with seeds for seedlings from scratch can master the production of planting material for large remontant varieties and capricious hybrids.

Preparing strawberry seeds for seedlings

Germination. On the eve of planting, strawberry seeds are soaked for several days in a saucer with rain or melt water, which is recommended to be changed twice a day. Due to this, the destruction of the inhibitors with which the seeds were impregnated to increase the shelf life occurs.

At the end of the soaking period, the seeds are lined with a thin layer on the surface of a moistened sponge or toilet paper. The excess water in the saucer is drained off and placed in a sealed plastic bag. In such conditions, the seeds are on the shaded part of the window sill before they hatch. Sprouted seeds are subject to immediate planting in a seedling container. Stratification. This procedure will speed up the process of emergence of friendly strawberry shoots. It consists in placing seeds for a month's storage in a refrigerator. At the end of the freezing period, they are moved to a warm place (about 20 C), where they are left until the first shoots appear.

Soil for strawberry seedlings

The main properties required for soil for strawberry seedlings are lightness and water permeability. To achieve the desired quality, some gardeners advise sifting the potting mix through a sieve. The following mixtures are best suited for strawberry seedlings:

• Option 1: 3 parts of garden soil, 3 parts of humus or compost, 1/2 part of wood ash.
• Option 2: 4 parts vermiculite, 3 parts peat, 3 parts sand.
• Option 3: 1 part coconut fiber, 1 part humus or vermicompost.
• Option 4: 3 parts sand, 5 parts humus.
• Option 5: 2 parts of sod land, 1 part of sand, 1 part of peat.
• Option 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 calcined, or frozen, or spilled in advance with a solution of potassium permanganate.

When to sow strawberry seedlings

The most optimal time for sowing strawberry seeds for seedlings is from mid-January to early March. So in winter you will have time to thoroughly care for the seedlings, and you can plant and leave them before the onset of the dry season (important for regions with hot summers). If the sowing is later, the seedlings may not have time to grow to such an extent that they can be transplanted to a permanent place in the current season, and they will have to winter in pots or boxes.

Strawberry seedling care

The first shoots can appear in 3-4 weeks. Before that, you need to ensure that the soil is always moist. This is a very important point of care when growing strawberry seedlings. Before the appearance of greenery, the planting should be shaded. After germination, strawberry seedlings should be provided with sufficient lighting, but at the same time, tender seedlings should be protected from direct sunlight.

You can speed up the appearance of green sprouts by covering the home bed with foil. Do not forget to ventilate the crops every day. If you provide them with favorable conditions and proper care, then the results can be seen in a couple of weeks. Winter strawberry seedlings will need to be artificially illuminated so that they are illuminated for at least 12 hours a day. When the plants have 3 pairs of leaves, they should be planted in separate cups or pots. To fill up the soil in them with garden compost, but without ash. Instead of the latter, it is good to add a complex fertilizer that includes nitrogen, potassium salt and phosphate. After planting, strawberry seedlings are watered under the root with water at room temperature.

Watering strawberry seedlings

When laying a new bed, young sockets are well watered - at least 0.5 liters per bush. It is better to water the newly planted plants with a watering can with a long and thin spout and a small pressure of water so that the soil is not washed out from the roots. For the quickest survival of the outlets, the garden is watered 2 times a day for two weeks, and then every other day so that the seedlings can gain green mass.

Picking strawberry seedlings

The process of picking strawberry seedlings is no more difficult than that of other plants. The only difficulty is that the seedlings are small and tender. Half an hour before the pick, water the seedlings with a small amount of water with the addition of the HB-101 stimulator, which will make it easier to transfer the transplant (only 1 drop of the drug is needed for 0.5 liters of water.

The process of picking strawberries from seeds:

• Prepare planting pots: fill them with soil and lightly water 1 tsp. water.
• Use the materials at hand to make a depression.
• Get the seedlings out of the school. If they grow sparsely, then use small forks, grabbing not only the plant, but also a clod of earth. In the case of thickened plantings, pull out several at once and separate them, gently freeing the roots, which can be rinsed with water. Place the seedlings in the groove, straightening the root so that it does not curl upwards. Too long roots can be carefully trimmed with scissors and pinched with a fingernail. Watch the heart of the plant (the place where the leaves appear) - in no case should it be covered with earth. Compact the soil around the root. If the ground is dry, pour another 1 tsp. water, or better - a solution with HB-101 or another growth stimulant.

• Place the unpicked seedlings in a mini-greenhouse, covering the cups with strawberries with a transparent lid or placing the box in a plastic bag - this will help create a favorable microclimate for the seedlings so that they do not dry out and grow faster. Place the seedlings in a bright place, but not in direct sunlight. Keep the temperature at least 25 ° C to prevent the roots from rotting.
• Air the greenhouse 2 times a day, remove the condensation that forms, or spray the strawberries if it is very dry.

Good day to all readers!

Each of us knows a berry like strawberry and values ​​it for its benefits and taste. Strawberries are commonly referred to as large-sized garden strawberries. Breeders have developed many new varieties with different tastes, aromas and shelf life. Each variety has its own sowing dates, usually the manufacturer indicates them on the package.

Some people think that growing strawberries in seedlings is too troublesome, but this planting method pays off. You get healthy, strong seedlings (subject to all the rules) of exactly the variety you need.

Don't be afraid to grow strawberries from seeds. Its planting material is highly light sensitive and germinates easily. In the first year after planting, you can get a small harvest, and in the future it will be more abundant. The best recommendations of specialists for growing at home were given to remontant varieties of garden strawberries. ... They sprout amicably and grow easily on the windowsill before landing in the ground.

These species allow harvesting throughout the summer. As soon as the first berries are ripe on the bush, the plant begins to bloom and form fruits again. The only drawback of remontant strawberries is their low resistance to frost. As a result of breeding work, varieties resistant to cold were bred:

• "Autumn fun";
• "Holiday";
• "Makovka";
• "Ruby pendant".

Before choosing seeds for planting strawberries, you need to decide what you want from the variety. For some, size is more important, for others - taste, while others need the harvest to last longer. The climatic features of your region can be considered an important factor. The amount of precipitation and the duration of summer play a role. If there is strong humidity on the site, varieties are suitable:

• "Chamomile";
• "Grenada";
• "Fairy".

On sale there are zoned crops that were bred for certain climatic zones. There are also universal plants. For example, Festivalnaya strawberry bears excellent fruit and yields large yields in various climates. Try experimenting and growing on your site.

If novice gardeners have decided on the choice of a variety, it remains to find out when it is best to sow seeds for seedlings. Planting times may vary. Strawberries can be planted in December, January, February. To accurately determine the timing, the following factors must be taken into account:

1. Seed variety. Look on the packaging for how long it should take before the first shoots appear.
2. How often do you visit the garden to provide the berries with full care.
3. When it is planned to plant seedlings in the ground - in spring or autumn.

Most often, seeds for seedlings begin to be sown in January. One way or another, it is necessary to take into account the capabilities of the variety and the climatic zone in which the cultivation will be carried out. Correct determination of the timing of sowing seeds for seedlings will allow you to get an excellent harvest in the future. Many people use the recommendations of the lunar calendar, which is also justified.

Planting dates for strawberries in the Moscow region

The optimal time for sowing strawberry seeds for seedlings in the Moscow region is January-February. Of course, one must not forget that at such an early date, young seedlings can only be grown with illumination. By the time of landing in open ground, the bushes will have time to fully form. In addition, in this case, they will have time to settle down before the onset of heat.

It is important that the seedlings are strong even if you rarely visit your summer cottage. Young plants may not survive your weekly absence.

If you plan to live at the dacha all summer, the quality of the seedlings does not really matter, because she will be provided with proper care.

In Siberia, in the Urals

The weather conditions in Siberia and the Urals are characterized by long periods of frost and short summers. Frosts can be observed even at the end of spring, therefore, strawberry seedlings are planted in open ground no earlier than early June. For both regions, the sowing dates for strawberry seedlings are shifted to early March. Such a berry will bear fruit in late June - early July. Advantages of sowing in March - seedlings develop well without long additional lighting. The sunny day is already long enough.

Lunar calendar recommendations for sowing strawberries for 2019

The main rule of planting any crops according to the lunar calendar: never plant or transplant plants during the new moon and full moon phases. During these time intervals, the juices of the plant are poured to the crown or roots, therefore, there is no need to talk about the normal development of seedlings in the future.

Growing strawberries from seeds is a tricky business. The seed must first be stratified in the cold. If you take into account the phases of the moon when planting, the seedlings will turn out to be more hardy and strong. With winter sowing, the bushes will have time to harvest in the current season, the strawberries planted in April will be able to please you with the harvest only next year.

The following dates will be favorable for sowing in 2019:

• in January - 7-20, the best days are 15 and 17;
• in February - 6, 7, 9, 11, 12;
• in March - 7-20, the best days - 8, 14, 15;
• in April - 7-17.

If you sow seeds for seedlings at different numbers, the seedlings will be weak and unviable. Favorable days according to the lunar calendar should also be taken into account when transplanting plants into open ground.

Unfavorable days:

• January - 6.21;
• February - 5.19;
• March - 6, 21;
• April - 5, 19;
• May - 5, 19;
• June - 3, 17;

Many gardeners have long adopted the lunar planting method, and they did the right thing. Experts confirm that there is indeed a connection between the phases of the moon and plant growth.

Growing strawberries on your own from scratch is considered troublesome, especially for inexperienced gardeners. Still worth a try. With the acquisition of the skill in the future, you will be able to grow on your site exactly the variety you want. It is not always possible to purchase the seedlings you need. In addition, a variety substitution is not excluded during the sale.

Seed preparation

Strawberry seeds are considered tightly similar and require preliminary preparation before planting. A few days before planting, they are soaked in melt water, which is changed twice a day. This will get rid of the chemicals that the seeds were treated with prior to sale. After this procedure, the seed is laid out on the surface of a damp cotton pad or napkin and put into a plastic container with a lid. A plastic bag will work as well.

Then the seeds are placed in a shaded place on the windowsill and wait for their germination. After the sprouts appear, they immediately start planting. To get friendly shoots, you can pre-stratify the seeds. To do this, they are previously placed in a refrigerator for 1 month, after which they are transferred to heat and wait for the emergence of sprouts.

A soil mixture for sowing strawberry seeds is prepared from turf, peat and sand. The sod should be twice as large as the rest of the components. Before sowing seeds, the soil must be prepared.

3 weeks before planting, the soil is steamed in a water bath, or calcined in the oven to get rid of unwanted microorganisms and insect larvae. The subsequent period is necessary to restore the microbiological properties of the soil.

1. For sowing, the soil mixture is placed in planting boxes and slightly compacted.
2. On the surface of the soil, shallow grooves are cut with tweezers or the blunt side of a knife.
3. With the same tweezers, the seeds are placed in the grooves at a distance of 2 cm from each other.
4. If several varieties of strawberries are sown at once, the grooves should be marked with marked tags.

Due to the small size of the seeds, many people practice them under sowing under the snow. In this case, the seeds are simply laid out on the surface of the soil, and then sprinkled with a layer of snow 1-2 cm thick. The snow mass will melt and carry the seeds into the soil, which will thus be at the required depth.

The use of peat tablets will significantly simplify the sowing of strawberry seeds. In addition, such seedlings do not require picking in the future. You just need to place peat tablets in a container with water, and when they are saturated with moisture and swell, a seed is placed in the center of each tablet. It is recommended to drain the excess water from the container. If the peat tablets sag over time, a little water must again be added to the bottom of the container.

After planting the seedlings, it will be necessary to create a greenhouse effect; for this, the container is closed on top with a film or a transparent lid. After that, the container is placed on a light windowsill until the first pair of leaves appears. Watering is carried out by spraying the soil from a spray bottle.

Every day, for a short time, the lid is slightly opened to provide ventilation for the plantings. When condensation appears on the film or lid, it is removed. Otherwise, the seedlings may be affected by mold or rot. If this happens, the affected plants are removed, and the rest are treated with a fungicide solution.

When the first pair of leaves gets stronger, the strawberries dive from the seed box into separate pots with a diameter of 9 cm. Too long roots can be pinched. Further watering should also be done carefully so that the soil does not erode and the roots are not exposed. Once every 2 weeks, seedlings are fed with mineral fertilizers and gummates.

In March, the seedlings begin to harden, taking them out to the balcony in warm weather. Lower temperatures (3-5 ° C) will have a beneficial effect on its further growth. Position your plants out of direct sunlight. In open ground, seedlings are planted in early or late June, depending on the region.

Growing strawberries from seeds: video

With the correct cultivation and care of seedlings, you will be assured of an excellent harvest. You just need to comply with the planting dates, provide the bushes with warmth and light. You can taste the first berries this year, and in the future, strawberries will bear fruit even more abundantly.