Strawberry is one of the most commonly grown soft fruit crop in the World. It is a herbaceous perennial species renewing aboveground parts every year. The fruit of varieties that bear fruit once in the summer in traditional soil cultivation usually ripen at the beginning of summer and are harvested for a period of about three weeks. For the planting of such plantations, fresh dug green plantlets are most often used. They are dug-out directly from the nursery, shortly before planting. The best date for planting of strawberry plantations from such plantlets is early autumn (after September 15 in the northern hemisphere). In this period there are favourable conditions for the rooting of plantlets – lower temperatures and more frequent precipitation than in the summer. Too late planting in the autumn is subjected to the risk of freezing plants in the winter. Strawberries planted in autumn, practically do not bear fruit in the next year. The first full fruiting takes place only in the second year after planting.
Proper soil preparation prior to planting, organic and mineral soil fertilization and the right planting technique – these are the conditions necessary for a good adaptation of plantlets after planting to field and further development of plants. The effectiveness of cultivation can be increased by appropriate bio-stimulation of plants and foliar plant nutrition.
In the autumn, foliar treatments are aimed primarily at:
In the period from the start of vegetation in the spring to the end of the summer, the treatments are mostly aimed at:
- development of leaves and “crowns” of plants
- stimulation of setting of a large number of strong flower buds for the next year
- maintaining the proper condition and health of plants.
Foliar nutrition with macroelements is complementary, but it allows to effectively mitigate the effects of insufficient availability of nutrients from the soil. It is also necessary during periods of increased demand of plants for some of the nutrients. The purpose of foliar feeding of plants planted in autumn of the previous year is to obtain properly grown, healthy plants, capable of yielding a large fruit yield in the next growing season. For the proper plant growth and development, optimal supply of plants with nitrogen (N) is necessary. Soil fertilization with this nutrient can be supplemented with foliar nutrition using PLONVIT® NITROMAG or PLONVIT® NITRO. Nitrogen is effectively used by plants when the availability of other important nutrients is ensured.
It is therefore recommended foliar feeding of plants with other nutrients, in particular:
Before the next winter dormancy period the condition of the plants should be strengthened by supplying them with potassium, boron and zinc, by foliar applications – PLONVIT® KALPRIM, AMINO ULTRA® BORZIN, MIKROVIT® BORON, MIKROCHELAT™ Zn-15.
The good condition of plants throughout the growing season determines the yield of strawberry. Even short-term nutrient deficiency may have a negative impact on plant growth and yield. Therefore, it is necessary comprehensive assessment of the requirements of the plants at any stage of their development. This will allow them to be fed properly and bio-stimulate them.
INTERMAG’s wide range of products, allows you to develop your own individual foliar fertilization and biostimulation program, considering local soil conditions, crop intensity, stage of plant development and availability of various products.
All of these discussed actions significantly affect the yield increase and its quality parameters.
