Strawberries are considered a capricious crop - its yield is directly proportional to the amount of time given to it and the quality of care. Without proper care, the productivity of the bushes and their immunity to diseases are reduced. Experienced gardeners know that pruning strawberries in the fall is an important part of plant maintenance.
Strawberry care: all the pros and cons of pruning in the fall
When pruning strawberries, it is important to follow the instructions carefully so as not to harm the plant.
There are no unequivocal opinions about the autumn crop pruning. Supporters and opponents of such a step justify their views on the following arguments.
Pros and cons of the procedure: table
| pros | Minuses |
| Strengthening the root system. At the same time, there is an accumulation of nutrients in the underground part of the plant | Pruned plants begin to bear fruit a few weeks later, increasing the green mass in the spring. |
| Low exposure to cold weather in winter. Shrubs cut in autumn are better able to withstand frost, since most of the nutrients remain in the roots. | Accidental removal of generative buds is possible with insufficient experience, which affects the productivity of the damaged bush |
| Renewal of the aerial part of the plant. This increases the period of fruiting. | This is a great stress for plants, as a result of which weak bushes suffer losses in yield. |
The crop's response to pruning in the fall may depend on the characteristics of the berry variety.... In the absence of such information, an experiment can be carried out - send several plants for wintering without removing leaves and in the spring compare their yield with cut specimens.
How to trim strawberry bushes: instructions with photos
The procedure is carried out in late August or early September. It is necessary for each bush to release a few more young leaves and go with them for the winter. A well-sharpened pruner is used, since when removing leaves and whiskers with your hands, you can damage the plants. It is best to do this in dry weather in the morning or evening, avoiding the bright daytime sun.
Cutting sequence:
- Remove damaged, dried and diseased parts. They must be burned to prevent the spread of pathogens. If the bush is damaged by fungal diseases, it is allowed to remove all leaves.
Get Rid of Diseased Greens to Stop Disease Spread
- Leave stems 10 cm long. In this case, the growth point remains guaranteed to be intact.
You can not leave too short stems: this can destroy the plant
- Remove excess mustache if you do not plan to reproduce the plant. Leave 2-3 first shoots from the mother bush.
Now the nutrients will remain in the roots of the plant
- Plants huddle - this step allows you to increase the yield.
Hilling allows all strawberry roots to contact the soil
- Plants are treated with "Oxyhom", "Horus", "Topaz" preparations to prevent the development of diseases and feed them with nutrients. Read more about the timing and methods of autumn feeding.
Top dressing helps to increase the strawberry yield
- Repaired varieties are not completely pruned, as this greatly reduces their productivity.Only late peduncles and leaves damaged by diseases can be removed.
Repaired strawberries can give berries before the onset of frost
Correct pruning of strawberries: video
The procedure should be performed only when necessary. For example, many bushes are damaged by pests and diseases. Or if in winter most of the vegetative mass freezes, which in spring has to be harvested, and there is no need to pick berries too early.
