How to prune strawberries and why you need it
Aromatic, beautiful and tasty strawberry is one of the most favorite summer berries, both among children and adults. Happy owners of private plots always try to plant at least a couple of beds in order to enjoy a natural product. It is quite unpretentious in care, but there is one important point: it is important for plant health to know how to cut strawberries. Of course, this is not a tree or even a shrub with strong shoots that need regular pruning. The perennial plant winters well outdoors, but is also exposed to low temperatures. It also retires in the winter and may even partially disappear. How will pruning help here and when and how is it done?
Why prune strawberries
- pruning bushes older than 3 years will rejuvenate the plantings;
- thickened beds give small berries and poorly developed rosettes, and after pruning, the bushes grow stronger;
- in the event of a disease or pest attack, pruning the foliage will stop the spread of the fungus and the reproduction of insects.
As for the whiskers, they pull juices from the bush, preventing the strawberries from fully preparing for wintering. They should be left only in one case - for breeding... If this goal is not worth it, the mustache must be cut out throughout the season.
How to trim strawberries
There are three ways to do timing pruning:
- In summer, after the end of fruiting.
- In autumn, but no later than a month before the onset of frost.
- In the spring, when the beds dry out.
It is advisable to completely remove the foliage only during summer pruning. In the fall, only the largest leaves are removed, diseased and dry. The rest should not be touched, otherwise the bush, instead of preparing for wintering, will begin to grow new foliage. Accordingly, in the spring, strawberries will have a lot of frozen leaves, which must be removed to prevent diseases. In addition, pests can hibernate in it. But the young leaves that have appeared from under the dead wood are even harmful to cut. There is a risk of destroying the flower stalks and remaining in the current season without a crop.
Thus, it is advisable to adjust the pruning time to the climatic conditions. In the south, autumn pruning will not harm strawberries. But in the central lane it is better to wait until spring. The deciduous mass will serve as additional mulch and will keep the outlet from freezing.