How to Grow Organic Strawberries in Your Backyard

There Are Many Advantages to Growing Organic Strawberries in Your Backyard

Introduction

If you are looking for a way to grow strawberries in your own backyard, here are some tips to get you started. Read about Plant spacing, fertilization, and pests to grow organic strawberries.

After you plant, you can start picking strawberries! There are many advantages to growing organic strawberries in your backyard.

You will enjoy the delicious flavor of organic strawberries, and you will be able to use organic seeds to create your own recipes.

Growing Organic Strawberries

The Environmental Working Group, a group of scientists and policymakers, ranks foods based on residue levels. The group recommends organic produce, and strawberries are no exception.

Organically grown strawberries have no synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides.

For many reasons, organic strawberries are better for you than conventionally grown ones. Read on to learn more about organic strawberry growing. We have included a short video on organic strawberry farming below.

The best way to combat pests, diseases, and weeds is to practice crop rotation. You can begin crop rotation after harvest, but it depends on the severity of the problem.

To prevent problems, learn about the biology of pests, and use crop rotation to interrupt their success. If weeds are a big problem, sow green manures in your strawberry bed. These crops will improve soil and reduce the need for off-farm fertilizers.

Pests

Slugs and birds are common strawberry pests. Birds can easily eat the leaves of your strawberry plant, so you should consider using deer repellents.

You can also use predator urine. Other effective deterrents include shiny bird tape and aluminum foil. If you don't want to use chemicals, you can try barrier methods such as bird tape. But for the most part, the problem remains.

Here Are Some Natural Pest Control Solutions:

• The First Step in Organic Strawberry Production is to Prepare the Soil

• The Soil in the Strawberry Patch Must Be Sanitized Before Planting As It Can Harbor Disease-Causing Fungi and Pathogens

• Make Sure to Avoid Overwatering

Plant Spacing

When planting organic strawberries, you will need to plant the strawberry plants at least 18 inches apart, although some types will produce a small number of runners. Plant spacing will vary, and you should refer to the tags on your plants for specifics. Here are some strawberry planters to help you get started.

Strawberries should be spaced at least 18 inches apart to promote vigor. Also, be sure to leave the crown of your strawberry plant exposed to light. Because strawberry plants are susceptible to rot if they are buried, they should be spaced as close as possible to prevent this problem.

Before planting your strawberries, amend the soil with an organic fertilizer to ensure that the ground is healthy and rich in nitrogen. This is particularly important since strawberries need high levels of nitrogen in their soil to survive.

Blood meal and organic compost are excellent ways to improve soil quality. For best results, use these amendments for strawberries. You can also add organic compost to your soil to make it more fertile. For optimal results, plant strawberries in sunny locations in your garden.

Fertilizing

For the first growing season, you will need to provide your organic strawberries with a healthy supply of nitrogen. Fertilizing organic strawberries is not difficult, but the amount of nitrogen needed will vary according to the variety. The most common organic fertilizer is composted manure.

This type of fertilizer is rich in nitrogen, which the plants need for good growth. Besides compost, you can also use other organic fertilizers, such as fish products, cow manure, or bone meal.

You should fertilize organic strawberries with a 10-10-10 fertilizer to get the maximum benefit from your crop. Apply the fertilizer in the spring, but make sure that you choose a suitable one for the location of your strawberry plants. You can also mix the leaves with the soil to use as a natural fertilizer.

The recommended dose is 450 grams per 100 square feet of growing space. Afterward, apply a layer of mulch on top of the berries and wait for the growth period to end.

Postharvest handling

After harvest, proper postharvest handling is essential to ensure the quality and quantity of your fruit. Postharvest handling involves cooling the berries to remove field heat. You can do this by harvesting your strawberries early in the day while the temperatures are still cool.

You should also pre-cool the strawberries before shipping them. Here are some tips for postharvest handling. Keeping the temperature at 40 degrees F helps to protect your berries.

In an organic plasticulture system, strawberry growers must rely on soluble organic fertilizers that can be applied through drip irrigation lines. Farmers must consider the solubility of these products and their ability to filter through a fine mesh.

In addition, the amount of the product that emerges from the system may be lower than the amount injected in the soil. If you have to use chemical fertilizers, consider foliar and side-dress applications.

Costs

A new study commissioned by the University of California Cooperative Extension shows the costs of producing fresh-market organic strawberries. The study assumes conventionally grown strawberry transplants, but organic strawberries are also cultivated.

Yields of organic strawberries are about four thousand eight-pound trays per acre. The cost of labor to harvest and pack berries is about $3.50 per pound, according to the study. The yield is dependent on labor shortages.

Organic strawberries have higher costs than conventionally grown varieties, with a representative unit price of $20.00 to 24.00 per tray on California's Central Coast.

Conclusion:

Growing strawberries can be a pretty easy process, but it is important that you stay on top of it. Hope this article was informative for you to learn the best way to grow organic strawberries in your backyard.

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