Planting strawberry seedlings (Strawberry planting guide) – Planting strawberries in the fall

2022年10月6日

How to grow strawberry plants in mulching cultivation. Last time, I prepared the soil for strawberries. About three weeks have passed since then. This time, I will plant Houkou-wase strawberry seedlings. (Houkou-wase strawberry is a japanese june bearing strawberry.)

The planting time for strawberries might change a little depending on the variety, but mid-October is common. The planting time is around mid-October, and the harvest time is around May the next year, so the growing period for strawberries is about 8 months. The Houkou-wase strawberries I’m growing this time also have their best planting time around mid-October.

Strawberries have a long growing period, so some people might think they are hard to grow. But they don’t take as much work as you might think. Houkou-wase strawberries are a strong variety that resists disease, so I think they are easy to grow.

After planting the seedlings, the cold winter season comes. During this time, the strawberries grow slowly because they go into dormancy, and pests are rare, so taking care of them is fairly easy.

How to plant strawberry seedlings (Ways to plant japanese june bearing strawberries)

To plant the strawberry seedlings, first, make holes in the planting plot. (I use a mulch cutter to make the hole.)

The spacing between strawberry plants is about 30cm (1 foot). If you don’t have enough space, it’s okay to make the spacing a bit smaller, but if it’s too small, pests and diseases can occur more easily. (This happens because the airflow becomes poor with very small spacing.)

When making planting holes for strawberries, using a mulch cutter is helpful. After making four holes in the mulch for four seedlings, the strawberry planting preparation is done.

Check the depth and size of the planting holes. Let’s put the strawberry seedlings in their pots into the holes. This will help you see how deep and wide the holes need to be.

Make sure the depth of the hole matches the height of the soil in the pot. A hole that is too deep is not good. Depending on the soil’s drainage, moisture, and air flow, planting the seedling too deep can increase the risk of root rot and poor growth. If the hole size is not right, use a trowel to adjust it.

Fill the hole with water up to 80%. Strawberry seedlings should be planted after the water has drained away.

Filling the planting hole with water is an important step in planting. Vegetables grown from seedlings, like strawberries, often have very little soil in their pots and the soil is usually dry.

It’s like the seedlings are “thirsty”. If you fill the planting hole with water before putting the seedling in, it helps the plant grow better. When the seedling’s roots take well to the soil, we say it has “taken root" or has a “good survival rate".

Handle strawberry seedlings gently during planting to prevent them from breaking or getting damaged. The way to plant seedlings is to first pinch the stem of the seedlings between your fingers, and turn over the pot.

Gently remove the strawberry seedlings from the pot and plant in the hole. Try to avoid breaking the soil around the seedlings as much as possible.

Tips for planting strawberries (The direction of the strawberry runners and the depth of the crown)

Let’s take a close look at the strawberry seedlings to be planted. Strawberries have runners, which are vine-like structures.

Strawberry fruits tend to develop more on the opposite side of the runners. When planting strawberry seedlings, we make sure to orient the runners towards the inside of the strawberry bed. We do this because it is easier for harvesting and cultivation management when we orient the side where strawberries bear fruit (opposite to the runners) towards the pathway.

Strawberry runners are simply long stems from a mother plant that grow into new baby plants.

Strawberry planting tips, After planting the strawberry seedlings, return the previously set aside soil and fill the gaps around the hole. While doing so, taking care not to bury the strawberry crown. (Crown is located at the center of the strawberry seedling.) The roots should be covered, but the crown should be right at the soil surface.

Strawberries have a growing point in the crown, from which leaves and runners emerge. Therefore, if the crown is buried in the soil, the strawberries will not grow properly. This is very important：Crown should remain above the soil. Let’s plant the strawberry seedlings slightly shallow.

How to plant strawberries：Finishing (Remove soil from the mulch and water the strawberry plants)

Any excess soil from planting strawberries should be dropped beneath the bed. If the leftover soil comes into contact with the leaves, it can potentially lead to diseases. Let’s keep the surface of the mulching film clean.

Water in newly planted strawberries very thoroughly. (To establish the strawberry plant in the bed.)

Water the base of the plant, not the leaves. If you pour water from above, soil can splash onto the leaves, which can cause disease. Water directly on the leaves can also damage them. So, always water at the base of the plant.

The strawberry planting is now done. (This finishes the planting of the japanese june bearing strawberries.)

Following is the video for how-to. English subtitles are available.

Planting strawberry seedlings (Strawberry planting guide) – Planting strawberries in the fall – YouTube