How to plant and grow strawberries from seeds yourself?

The yield of strawberries, like any other garden plant, depends on the quality of the seedlings. Therefore, it is very important to plant seeds, carefully monitor their watering and feeding. Planting strawberry seeds is becoming more and more popular, but since this plant is very moody, sowing strawberry seeds for seedlings requires very close attention.

The right knowledge about growing strawberries from seeds

Before growing strawberry seedlings, you should arm yourself with the necessary knowledge so that the seedlings sprout together, the seedlings remain strong and do not overgrow, and are transplanted into the ground on time.

To grow strawberry seedlings, you should know:

• Sowing time... When is the right time to sow strawberries for seedlings? They begin to sow it in late February - early March. At this time, while the seedlings are still at home. Caring for her will be permanent and complete. With the beginning of the gardening season, in late May - early June, the seedlings will already get strong enough to plant on a permanent place of growth.
• 
  Soil preparation... In order to grow strawberry seedlings, it is necessary that the type of soil should be mixed - fertile, and at the same time light. These qualities arise from the mixing of the following ingredients: peat, sand and turf. On 50% of the sod land, 25% of the remaining components are added.
• Differences in seeds:
  1. There are many varieties of small-fruited strawberries on the seed market. Their cost is not very high, so they are available to the average consumer;
  2. For planting strawberry seeds for seedlings, you can use seeds of your own production, which are collected from varieties that are not hybrids. Then the offspring will be the same in quality as that of the parent bushes. But before planting them, it is necessary to conduct tests, and choose the best varieties and specimens;
  3. In stores, varieties of large-fruited strawberries are also presented, but their cost is quite high. However, the desire for strong and healthy plants with large and tasty berries attracts gardeners and gardeners.

Preparing and sowing strawberry seeds, and increasing germination

Planting strawberries with seeds for seedlings requires preparation. It includes activities such as pre-germination. This allows you to control the germination of seeds and screening out rejected ones.

Water for soaking is used either rain or melted snow, and it must be changed several times a day.

This contributes to the destruction of germination inhibitors that slow down the growth of the embryo. The seeds are laid out on toilet paper or filter cloth in a thin layer, on plates, which must be put in a plastic bag to create a special humid microclimate. This structure must be installed in a warm place, accessible to the sun's rays. When pecking strawberry seedlings from seeds, you need to start the planting process.

You can grab the seeds that have hatched with a toothpick or a sharpened match. The container for seedlings can be a common box, plastic cups or peat pots, in which loose soil should be the filler. Convenient for use is cassette seedlings of strawberries, in which there is no need to measure the distance between seedlings. The seeds sown in the container should be moistened and refrigerated for a period of several weeks, and only then can they be exposed in a warm place.

The sowing process can be done in two ways:

1. The prepared soil must be poured into a container, leveled and compacted with a plank. Then grooves are cut into which the seeds will need to be placed using a wet match or tweezers. The distance between the seeds should be at least 2 cm. If several varieties of seeds are planted in one container, then the rows should be signed.
2. A layer of snow about 1-2 cm thick is applied to the soil poured into the container. The hatched seeds with strawberries are laid directly on it. In this case, the law of physics works, when the snow melts, it goes into the water and draws in the seeds with it. If a certain amount of seeds remains on the surface, they can be sprinkled with earth on top.

Further, the care for both options does not differ. In order to exclude soil erosion during watering, it should be done from a spray bottle. After thoroughly moistening the soil, the containers must be covered with cellophane or glass to reduce moisture evaporation. But don't forget about airing. Which must be carried out periodically.

The main care for germinated seeds is sufficient light. Moreover, it should be borne in mind that there should be more light at a higher temperature. This applies to rooms in which the sun's rays penetrate and heat only one side of the container facing the window. For better lighting, you need to use special lamps that simulate sunlight. And of course, the more heat and light, the more the moisture will evaporate, and therefore it is necessary to ensure that the soil with the seedlings does not dry out.

Planting strawberry seedlings in a permanent place of growth

As the seedlings grow, it is necessary to carry out some activities so that the sprouts are strong and strong. Periodically, you need to dig in the shoots and shorten the overgrown root system. If the seeds were planted in a common container, they must be planted in separate pots so that the roots do not intertwine with each other.

Two months later, after growing strawberry seedlings from seeds, you need to think about the time to transplant the sprouts into open soil. But before that, they need to be hardened so that the plants do not start to hurt from the unusual climate. In advance, they begin to take out containers with seedlings to the open air and leave first for several minutes, and then hours.

Planting options may differ, it can be done at the end of May, but then in greenhouse conditions, i.e. under cellophane. Well, if planted in June, then in open ground, without any heating.

A bush of strawberry seedlings is ready for planting in open ground if it has at least three leaves, two of which must be well developed, and the third may be in its infancy.

We already know how to plant strawberry seedlings correctly. The next step is to land in open ground. To do this, you need to make depressions in the soil up to 10 cm deep, which should be several centimeters more than the height of the glass.
If the seedlings are in a plastic cup, then it is better not to shake them out. And cut on the side and gently get the entire sprout with the root system.
Well, if the seedlings are in a peat cup. Then it must be soaked before disembarking. After lowering the sprout into the hole, the earth gently sprinkles the growth roots and compresses from above.

If the landing in open ground was carried out in early spring. Then the gardeners will be able to taste the berries from the new harvest this summer. Although it will not be as abundant as in subsequent years. In general, seedlings can be planted until the end of summer, i.e. August. Of course, there will be no harvest this year, but next year all efforts will be rewarded with abundant fruiting.

Video: planting strawberry seeds for seedlings