Seed propagation of strawberries is troublesome and laborious. Not every even an experienced gardener will dare to take up this process. But it has its advantages. With the help of seeds, you can try to grow new varieties of berries or simply heal the plants.
True, you have to be patient. The germination of strawberry seeds is not always happy with the expected result. Seeds germinate for a very long time, or they may not sprout at all. The sprouts that appear will also cause a lot of trouble. They are so fragile and small in size that you can only pick them up with tweezers. And the rules of watering must be observed very strictly.
And yet, if you decide to do this, then start with small-fruited strawberries. Choose varieties that can bear fruit several times per season (remontants). This strawberry variety gives good yields, is less demanding in care and has a low price. On such varieties, you can gain experience, and then take into account all the disadvantages and mistakes and proceed to breeding large-fruited varieties.
Sowing dates of strawberry seeds for seedlings
Strawberry seeds can be sown any month from February to April. It will take a lot of light to grow seedlings. In February and March, natural light is clearly not enough, so you will have to artificially highlight the seedlings (about twelve hours a day). But on the other hand, the seeds sown in February will give their harvest in the coming summer.
Seeds planted in April will have better luck with natural light. Only here the fruits on these bushes will not appear this season. We'll have to wait until next year.
Soil preparation for strawberry seedlings
The soil for growing strawberry seedlings must be carefully prepared. The preparation includes spilling it with a manganese solution or using other methods of disinfection from pests and diseases.
To make the soil as light as possible, it should be sieved through a sieve. In such a crushed form, it will easily pass air and water, which is very important for the plant. For seedlings of this berry, there are several options for different potting mixes.
- Mix No. 1. It consists of ordinary soil from the garden (three parts), humus (three parts) and 0.5 parts of ash.
- Mix No. 2. It consists of peat and sand (three parts) and vermiculite (four parts).
- Mix No. 3. It consists of equal parts of humus and coconut fiber.
- Mix No. 4. It consists of sand and humus (three and five parts, respectively).
- Mix No. 5. It consists of peat and sand (one part) and sod land (two parts).
- Mix No. 6. It consists of humus and garden soil (one part each) and sand (three parts).
Seed stratification and sowing for seedlings
The seeds of the plant are as if dormant. Such "dormant" seeds will not be able to germinate by themselves due to growth blockers. They need to artificially create conditions that are similar to those in nature. This process is called stratification. You can't do without it. Stratification will help awaken the seeds and allow future seedlings to grow and develop normally.
Since stratification itself is considered a troublesome process, you can try to combine it with sowing. Traditionally, seeds are spread out on a damp cloth or on cotton pads and kept in the refrigerator for some time. Only after that, they are transferred to the ground (sown). But you can kill two birds with one stone and save a little time and effort.
First you need to prepare plastic containers (preferably with a lid), at the bottom of which there must be drainage holes. Then these containers need to be filled with special soil, without filling the last two centimeters from the top. The soil is lightly sprayed and then the seeds are sown evenly. Instead of soil, the seeds are covered with snow from above to the very top of the container. Then they cover tightly with a lid and put in the refrigerator for fifteen days.
Then everything will happen in the same way as it would happen in natural conditions. The snow will melt gradually, and the water that appears will carry the seeds into the soil. After about two weeks, the containers are transferred from the refrigerator to the windowsill. The lid remains closed for now. The seeds do not need additional watering yet, but the missing lighting will have to be taken care of. During this period, light is vital to the plant.
The first shoots appear at different times in different varieties. Some - in ten days, and others - in thirty.
Care of strawberry seedlings before planting in the ground
As soon as the first shoots have appeared, the plant needs additional air exchange. To do this, the lid on the container will have to be regularly opened for a short time. One of the significant points in growing seedlings is constant and moderate soil moisture. Drying out and waterlogging for this plant is simply destructive. If the lid on the container is removed, the moisture will evaporate very quickly, which is very undesirable.
In this case, a transparent plastic container with a lid for germinating seeds was not chosen by chance. She is a kind of device for monitoring the level of humidity inside herself. A slightly misted lid indicates normal humidity. Drops inside the lid are a signal of excess moisture, plants need urgent ventilation. A dry cover indicates the need for watering.
For watering, it is better to stock up on melt water. It is most favorable for this seedling. To avoid fungal diseases, the preparation "Fitosporin" is added to the irrigation water. The instructions on the package will help you mix it with water in the correct proportions.
Watering strawberry seedlings is carried out carefully. Do not use watering from an ordinary garden watering can - this will destroy the delicate sprouts. The most optimal watering tool is a medical syringe or a fine-jet sprayer. After three days after the appearance of young shoots, the lid is removed from the container. You won't need it anymore.
A picking of seedlings can be carried out when three full-fledged leaves appear on each plant. For convenience, experienced gardeners advise using tweezers when diving. This procedure will require endurance and patience, as the plants are very fragile and delicate. When planting seedlings in a separate container, make sure that the root does not bend, but is covered with earth. But the growth point cannot be sprinkled, it must remain above the ground.
With the correct picking, the seedlings take root well in an individual container, and its stem grows quickly. If you sprinkle the stem with earth, then very soon new roots will appear.
Further care of strawberry seedlings consists in maintaining moderate soil moisture and hardening. The plant does not need fertilizing before transplanting into open ground.
