Every gardeners know that strawberries breeds mustache. And wonder if you'll ever that strawberries from seed - it's real? Prominent experts point out that the cultivation of strawberries from seeds better suited for romantic strawberry direction, and not for his pragmatist. The famous American breeder Luther Burbank, who forty years engaged in the cultivation of the dugout, is skeptical of such a reception strawberry breeding, despite the fact that he has good experience in this area is quite respectable. He argues that when grown from seed strawberry "kids" do not repeat signs parents.

But the words of an American professor of Russian man is not a decree. Moreover, the problem of other breeders they breed new varieties, and we are quite satisfied with the cultivation of existing good varieties for their own pleasure. Moreover, the tendrils of strawberries sold in the fall and spring, are selling like hot cakes, and the desired seedling varieties find rather difficult. In our time, the number of nurseries that grow good varieties of strawberries has dropped dramatically. But divorced a lot of charlatans selling unsuitable for planting seedlings. Not every grower will be able to distinguish a high-quality seedlings of strawberries. Therefore, on the one hand, if you have no desire to run into unscrupulous traders, on the other hand, you are ready to solve interesting and complex problem, then try to do as a reasonable case - strawberry cultivation from seed.

The seeds of this culture can be bought at almost any time. Of course, the purchase of clean, high-grade quality seeds increases the chance to grow high-yielding strawberries. On the other hand, seeds are sold mostly remontant cultivars and hybrids. Normal changes of strawberries is not for sale. Most of your strawberry "plantation" will continue to shape a mustache conventional varieties, but a couple of beds, depending on the needs of the family can go to the remontant varieties and hybrids. In these beds, you can go home selection, please and surprise their loved ones. The fact that many varieties remontant possess both high yield and good flavor and taste.

Question buy remontant varieties of seedlings can be solved in a familiar way - buy it in specialty fruit nursery or garden center. However, in the planting season to buy a good large-fruited strawberry seedlings is quite difficult. The fact that its distribution is strongly constrained by the high cost of the seed. Grow their most farms simply not profitable, so this is a deficit of seedlings even in the largest garden centers. But seeds departments often offer up to ten or twelve names of such hybrids. Therefore, experts suggest to all fans of interesting experiments and innovation to grow strawberries from seed yourself.

Informed choices

In order not to be disappointed in the future in this business, seriously consider the selection of seeds. For this, there are some simple rules:

1. The simplest thing you can do - is to buy seeds of small-fruited beardless remontant strawberries. Its range is quite wide - from the usual krasnoplodnyh to zheltoplodnyh varieties. Retail packaging of the seeds of such a large strawberries, and their germination with the good. It reaches 80%, so you can expect to grow from one sachet fifteen to twenty plants. Very often experienced gardeners update strawberries, picking berries from bushes and then selecting and sowing their seeds. The results are very good.
2. Do not buy such inexpensive comparatively "well-known varieties of seeds," as Zephyr, Queen Elizabeth, Honey and others. These varieties at seed breeding their valuable signs do not convey. They propagate in a production environment only vegetatively. And you have such they may say "quality seeds" to grow in the best case, all the same small-fruited strawberry, and in the worst case - do not rise or increase non-bearing wild strawberries.
3. Collect the seeds of large-fruited varieties and hybrids, as opposed to small-fruited dugout is not recommended. Of course, if you do not dare to seriously engage in selection. Authentically proven scientific evidence that such seeds, for example, taken from neighbors or purchased on the market, it is possible to grow good fruit-bearing plants are full, no. Largely as a result they grow gustooblistvennye and vigorous, but weak fruiting strawberry bushes.
4. Experienced gardeners acquire high-quality seeds, and only hybrid strawberries. You should understand that quality seeds are expensive. So do not be surprised that their retail packaging is usually very small. In one bag you will find no more than five to ten seeds. Also, keep in mind that the germination of hybrid seeds is not very high, at times, no more than 25% in the conventional norm of 50-70%. As you can imagine, it also increases the cost, and costly significantly, the final cost of the seedlings.
5. Well, it is clear the acquisition of any seeds should be checked shelf life. And now we offer you expert advice, how to grow strawberries from seed.

What else is needed?

In preparation for the planting of strawberries zagotovte everything you need for planting. For starters purchase ground. For these purposes, a conventional approach, the so-called universal primer recommended for the cultivation of seedlings of flowers and vegetables. do not forget to buy, along with the ground and means for processing of the pathogens of plants, such as "black leg".

As the seedlings dug quite delicate, they are at least the first time, need to be protected from the dry air of the apartment. Therefore it would be a good idea to purchase or make room mini-greenhouse, which is a vessel for planting with a transparent cover. For watering seedlings in the first month of purchase a spray bottle, and for subsequent pick - 5-8sm diameter cups. Do not forget to stock up on water-soluble and complex mineral fertilizers, for quality without fertilizing seedlings in a period not to grow.

Clean - the guarantee of health

The first thing you should do before sowing seeds - is to protect the seedlings, eliminating soil pathogens from fungal diseases. Strawberry seedlings are very tender, so in the first week of life may be lost from the "black feet" - a very common plant diseases. To save them from it at home, you need to water the ground abundantly hot saturated solution of potassium permanganate. It is also possible to use for this special preparations.

Such watering is recommended to spend a couple of days before planting. During this time the soil dries out a bit. If the sow immediately after wetting, there is a risk that seeds and seedlings may rot. When the primer dries, shift it into the prepared container planting.

Go for landing

Since strawberry seeds are very small, they do not need to pre-soak. To put them, compacted soil lightly with your fingers and then spread out over the surface of seeds. Top sprinkle them with a thin thickness of not more than two millimeters, a layer of clean sand or peat. To better seed in contact with the soil, sprinkle lightly with an atomizer top soil, being careful not to dislodge the seeds and do not dilute the mulch layer. Then immediately close the seed box cover and put near the battery or any other source of heat. For friendly and quick germination optimum temperature of 25-27 ° C. Light seeds to germinate is not required.

First days

The first shoots in such conditions can be seen in a week. As soon as you notice the first shoots, crops, move the container without removing the lid on very bright place. Mass grows strawberries, usually two to three weeks, although there are hybrid seeds that germinate only after 28-35 days.

The first seedlings of strawberries appear when the window is relatively "dark" season. Strawberries are also very photophilous plant, so the cultivation of seedlings its supplementary lighting - extension of daylight hours to 12-13 hours - gives a remarkable result. Supplementary lighting will even help to make up for lost time, if you for some reason, a little late with the sowing. Light should be included in the evening. The best option is fluorescent lamps. Even better - special lamps for plants, because they have in their emission spectrum of ultraviolet light, so necessary for the plants. But if you do not have these lamps, it is the replacement of conventional incandescent lamp.

There is another crucial and delicate time for growing in the home every seedling. Seedlings should be aired and tempered. If you remove the protective cover immediately after emergence, the tender shoots can quickly dry out under dry room air. Especially if you keep them under the lights.

This does not save any spraying or frequent watering. If the container is not opened, it increases the risk of rotting plants or mold. Therefore it recommends partially lifts the lid of the box or make it more vents. Typically, the lid is removed completely after a couple of weeks after the mass emergence of seeds. At first the strawberries watered only by spraying from a spray.

Nutrition and education

A month and a half after emergence seedlings stop supplementary lighting. By this time the plants are already building up for two or three leaves, which are not yet very similar to trifoliate strawberry leaves. At this time, it's time to dive into the prepared cups plant.

For this purpose, too, take the universal soil for seedlings. And disinfect a few days before the transplant and needed it. Digging and need to prick with a thin peg. This should be done carefully so as not to damage the long, thin roots. Transplanting plants, bury them slightly before cotyledon leaves. Picks finished, sprinkle the plants from the sprinkler. In the first two, or even three days, you may notice some podvyadanie leaves.

After two or three weeks after the pick to accelerate the growth of seedlings take root fertilizing, which use complex liquid fertilizer. The solution is to feed it is desirable to make twice the recommended weaker.

At the will of the

Strawberry seedlings planted in containers or in the garden at the usual time - 10-20 May, depending on weather conditions. Your seedlings that time zavyazhutsya first flower stalks, which, no matter how sorry you must vyschipnut. We told you how to grow strawberries from seed. Now it's up to you!