Fertilize Strawberries: How to do Homemade Compost?
If there is a fruit that catches for its texture and exquisite flavor, it is the fertilize strawberries and this result will be obtained from good management of its cultivation. This means that both the sowing process and the fertilizer strawberries process will be done according to the parameters of your needs.
Do you know which ones they are? If not, here we will tell you what you need and even how to prepare your own homemade compost that is easy and useful.
Go for it.
Why fertilize strawberries?
Strawberry planting is one of the most complexes at the fruit level because they have many nutritional requirements and climatic conditions.
As the issue that concerns us at the moment is that of fertilizer, it is worth knowing that a soil rich in nitrogen is key to its growth and production.
For this reason, the first phase of the compost will go through preparing the soil before transplanting, so that it can be strengthened.
Next, it will be necessary to provide it with other nutrients that help its leaves to be in optimal condition.
In the case of fruits, the fertilizer will seek to obtain strawberries of good size, with sweet pulp and an intense red color.
What does the strawberry plant need?
In order for strawberries to thrive properly they need a good amount of starting nitrogen.
In general, producers usually apply up to 80% of the total amount of nitrogen in this phase , compensating for the rest afterwards.
The phosphorus and potassium are the other two main elements to be applied.
Your measurements will go with 50% at the time of planting and the rest in the following fertilizations.
Strawberry plants are very happy with the presence of organic matter rich in nutrients, which can be incorporated through compost.
What are the main components of compost?
For a compost to be considered suitable for strawberry plants it will need nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium as the main elements.
These can be obtained through the manure of ruminant animals, preferably in a state of decomposition.
Some strawberry growers report that chicken manure, widely used in other fruit species , can be very strong on strawberries.
For this reason, that of cows or bulls is preferred, taking good care that it is dry to avoid spreading diseases .
What deficiencies can a lack of compost in strawberries have and how to detect them?
When the strawberry plant does not have the appropriate nutrients, symptoms such as the presence of yellow leaves begin to appear .
In fact, this is one of the main concerns of growers because it is often followed by a general weakening of the plant .
The main cause of this is due to a lack of nitrogen or potassium.
Another symptom that this same deficit produces is that the edges of the older leaves look burned , while the young ones are normal.
If the weakening occurs in the youngest leaves, it is most likely an iron deficiency .
The fruits will be affected in different phases, finding for example a reduced size when there is not a good amount of boron .
Observation of all these elements will be the primary action to take, but the accuracy can only be seen through soil studies.
If these were not made at the beginning, they can be applied at any time to make the corresponding correction.
The reason is that when the strawberry is affected by a deficiency, it must be fertilized regardless of the time of year.
How to make compost to fertilize strawberries step by step?
Getting a large and quality harvest of strawberries is not a complicated task if you use a quality compost made at home.
To achieve this objective, it will only be enough to follow these steps:
- In a deep plastic container you will have to incorporate 7.5 liters of running water.
- To this you will add a mug of beer of any brand, a cup of cold coffee leftovers and two tablespoons of liquid detergent. It is very important that the liquid detergent is not antibacterial.
- Afterwards, the plants will be placed with their roots immersed in the mixture and you will have to wait for about 10 minutes.
- When finished, change them to the selected planting land and proceed to sow normally.
This is an uncommon fertilizer but it must be applied to plants that are still small, so that they can collect the nutrients.
In addition, it allows them to be manipulated more easily and as the roots are not very large, they will not be damaged by work.
Remember that in any case it is not an action that you do and you forget forever.
It is also necessary to use a good substrate and continue with successive subscribers as the plant develops and bears fruit.
Also suggested:- Strawberry growing tips on how to strawberry plant in Winter or Fall
