Pine needles slightly acidify the soil, thereby promoting the growth of potatoes, strawberries and raspberries.

Needles as a remedy for pests

Pine and deciduous needles, due to the phytoncides and other biologically active substances released from them, well scare away potato pests - wireworm and bear, and also protect potatoes from scab and other fungal diseases.

How to use needles correctly? If in your garden the potatoes are harmed by the above insects and diseases, be sure to throw a handful of fresh or last year's pine or larch needles in the spring when planting it in the hole, then half a glass of wood ash and only then seed potatoes. Cover everything with soil. Loose needles will also create a kind of air drainage for the potato root system, which requires a lot of oxygen to form tubers. Do not forget also that wheatgrass thickets are the main breeding grounds for wireworms on the site, therefore, strive to completely remove them when weeding, try to change the place for potatoes every year. It has been proven that fresh and last year's needles are absolutely the same in their effectiveness, therefore, in addition to Christmas trees, fallen needles can be collected in the forest in the spring. It is easy to assemble, a standard fifty-kilogram polypropylene bag is collected with a rake in 10 minutes. For 100 square meters of a plot planted with potatoes, you will need about 2 - 3 bags of needles.

Needles are ideal material for mulching

Pine or larch needles are also effective mulching materials. It is generally recommended to cover the beds with onion sets with a layer of needles. The coniferous cover will not only retain moisture in the soil, prevent weeds from growing, but also, due to the release of volatile phytoncides, will prevent onion disease with fungal and bacterial diseases, and protect against insect pests. From about mid-May, close the beds with onions, garlic, radishes, lettuce and other moisture-loving crops with a coniferous cover, this will significantly reduce your costs for weeding and watering, as well as increase crop yields.

Do not use fresh needles!

Pine, spruce, fir needles increase the acidity of the soil, especially fresh ones. If you are suddenly thinking of using needles for mulching or pest control, let them pep in the compost heap.

The needles from the ground, already yellowed for a long time, as well as from the same tree that has defended its own, is quite ready for use.

For the same reason, needles are not suitable for all crops. Flowers will not accept the change in soil acidity very well. But fruits, sour berries love needles. It is well suited for mulching the soil around cherry bushes, blueberries, plum trees. Helps the growth of sunflower, onion, garlic and even eggplant.

ARE PINE NEEDLES GOOD FOR MULCHING?

Many gardeners living near forests are actively using in their plots pine needle mulch... However, pine litter is not useful for every soil and can cause significant harm in the form of acidification of the garden soil. Let's figure out how and under which crops it is better to apply this free and effective natural fertilizer.

In addition to the pine needles themselves, small pine twigs, cones and pieces of bark are also suitable for. Pine litter can also be periodically added to the soil to improve its texture and enrich it with organic matter. Thanks to this, the structure of the garden soil is radically improved - it becomes looser, more breathable, and moisture-consuming.

By the way, it is not so well suited for the role of mulch, since it tends to inhibit the growth of many crops. At the same time, it is quite possible to mix it with other organic matter (leaves, hay, straw, and so on) and send compost. Then, after rotting, spruce needles will have a beneficial effect on the growth and development of all plants without exception.

Pine needle mulch gives especially good results on plantings of garden strawberries (strawberries), flower and ornamental crops. It should be borne in mind that its constant use leads to acidification of the garden land. Therefore, to prevent this unpleasant phenomenon, it is recommended to annually add dolomite flour to the soil on the site (or once every two seasons in autumn).

Of course, there are plants that will benefit from shifting soil response in the garden to the acidic side. These are, first of all, rhododendrons, various "conifers" and garden berry crops such as blueberries and cranberries. For example, cypress trees, junipers and other blue conifers grow better and retain their color, and also burn less in the sun during the warm season. Roses also love pine mulch. For rhododendrons, it makes sense to embed pine litter in the upper layers of the soil - this technique perfectly contributes to the development of both young and adult plants of this culture.

Hosta variegated I also liked pine litter mulch

Most vegetable plants prefer a neutral, slightly acidic or even slightly alkaline soil environment. So if you plan to mulch tomato, cucumber or onion plantings with pine needles or other coniferous organic matter, be sure to first sprinkle the soil with sifted ash, and only then distribute the mulch without fear.

Generally speaking, the best option would be to use mixed mulching, when pine needles are combined in equal proportions with cut grass, fallen leaves or straw. And you can do even easier: sprinkle pine mulch not on bare soil, but on a dense layer of one of the above materials.

Pine and spruce branches are also suitable for a sub-winter cover of the soil to protect garden crops from mice, hares and heavy snow cover. And in combination with unripe compost or such, it will also protect cultivated plants from freezing in especially harsh winters.

Can pine litter be added to seedlings? Most experienced gardeners are negative about this question, although some of them (including myself) practice the introduction of chopped pine needles for seedlings. Or, as an option, you can use the needles in a mixture with other materials to create a drainage layer at the bottom of the seedling containers. This so-called "pillow" helps to maintain the optimum temperature in the root zone, and, in addition, the soil mixture does not cake, and maintains friability.

Nowadays, natural farming is gaining more and more popularity. In addition to a significant reduction in the volume of earthworks, the pleasure of obtaining high yields of various garden crops, this method involves the mandatory use of mulch. Various materials can be used as mulch. Needle mulching is used when growing many plants that are not afraid of acidified soil. Not green pine needles are used for these purposes, but brown ones that have long fallen.

Purpose of mulch

Mulch refers to any type of loose air and moisture permeable biodegradable material that is applied to the surface of the soil. Mulch application provides:

• keeping the soil moist for a long time;
• growth retardation of many types of weeds;
• maintaining optimal soil temperature;
• creation of humus with gradual decay;
• maintaining the vital activity of useful organisms inhabiting the upper layer of the earth.

Growing plants on soil covered with a layer of mulch gives incomparably better results than without it. The thickness of the mulch should be from 5 to 20 cm. The needles are laid out at some distance from the base of the plant. They only need to cover the heated ground.

If you rush to lay the mulch in the spring, then the ground under it will remain cold for a long time. The effect of such an application will be the opposite - a delay in the development of plants.

If in spring and summer the purpose of mulch is to protect the soil from drying out and growth of weeds, to accumulate heat, then in autumn it is to protect the soil organisms living under it from freezing.

Many natural materials can be used as mulch:

• coniferous litter;
• hay, straw;
• husk from seeds, buckwheat;
• shells from pine nuts;
• dry last year's leaves;
• sawdust and shavings;
• chips from the bark of trees;
• crushed cones;
• humus, humus, peat;
• freshly cut grass.

It is not easy to buy mulch made from natural materials; it is rarely on sale, even in specialized stores. Such materials are quite expensive, they require renewal after a year, as they decompose in the soil.

Currently, in addition to natural shelters, modern nonwovens are used:

• spunbond;
• agril;
• lutrasil;
• virotex.

They allow moisture to flow to the ground and retard evaporation. Their use is justified by the ease of acquisition and use. But to create real humus under such a shelter will not work. Such a cover will not provide nutrition for the plant.

When using completely free pine litter, which can be collected in pine forests in any quantity, gardeners receive not only mulch, but also a natural factory for the production of humus.

Raking the needles into bags, you can see white mycelium veins under the pine needles. These myceliums provide the soil with increased nutrition and protection. Fertility, both in the wild and in the garden beds, is created by soil dwellers who actively process a thick layer of needles.

Soil inhabitants - fungi, bacteria, small fauna that live under litter, help plants to digest and assimilate any organic matter. The productivity of plants under such conditions is optimal. After all, if there is no organic matter, no soil life, there is no nutrition for plants.

Pine mulch application

In the horticultural literature, you can read about the restrictions on the use of pine needles. It is acidic and over time, with continued use, acidifies the earth. Not all plants like this. Someone needs such land, someone suffers and gets sick in such conditions.

The way out of this situation is very simple. It is worth remembering which vegetables, bushes and trees like these conditions. Raspberries and blackberries tolerate acidic soil well. Slightly acidic soil is suitable:

• for an apple tree;
• pears;
• cherries;
• plums;
• quince;
• gooseberry;
• currants.

Medium acid soil is suitable for:

• for strawberries;
• potatoes;
• pepper;
• pumpkins;
• parsnip;
• sorrel.

Pine mulch helps the growth of sunflower, eggplant, onion and garlic.

From ornamental plants, hydrangea, rhododendron, all heather, roses love coniferous mulch.

In addition, acidic soil can be neutralized by sprinkling slaked lime on the beds in the fall - 50 grams per 1 sq. m. It is even better to deoxidize the soil with ash, which is a natural supplier of nitrogen.

Pine needles contain natural phytoncides that fight fungal and bacterial diseases. Also, needles include a huge amount of vitamins and minerals, which gradually pass into the soil.

Raspberries

Needle mulch allows you to grow luxurious crops using biotechnology, which was studied and described by the outstanding Russian land surveyor Alexander Kuznetsov. Its principle is that root microbes and fungal mycorrhiza provide nutrition to plants. Microbes and fungi do not live in the arable layer, only in overheated plant residues.

That is, covering the beds with raspberries with coniferous litter or any organic mulch, they create conditions for a favorable symbiosis between the plant, fungi and microbes. This symbiosis is a living biological product that enhances the breakdown of organic matter and improves plant nutrition.

Raspberry roots secrete substances necessary for the life of mycorrhiza, and fungi enrich the soil with nutrients. Pine mulch is a natural habitat of mycorrhiza.

Its presence allows you to increase the planting density from 5 shoots per 1 sq. m. up to 30-40 pieces.

At the same time, the weight of the berry increased from 4-6 grams to 10-12 grams. Fruiting of remontant raspberries instead of August begins in mid-July.

In the beds, which are mulched every year, the plants either do not get sick at all or the disease manifests itself weakly. With such agricultural technology, fertilizers, frequent watering, chemical preparations for persecuting pests are not needed.

Strawberry (strawberry)

Using Kuznetsov's biotechnology, strawberries, instead of ordinary berries weighing 40 grams, produced berries weighing 65 grams each. The harvest has increased 1.5 times. Mulch, among other things, plays the role of an antiseptic, strawberries do not suffer from any diseases.

Unlike straw mulch, pine needles will prevent slugs from getting close to berries. Mice will not settle in it either. The mulch layer should be at least 5-7 cm high.

Lingonberry, blueberry, cranberry

The cultivation of these crops is gradually becoming fashionable. Small plantations are established in fenced beds covered with peat. For the good development of plants, they are watered with acidic solutions. Sheltering such plantings with coniferous mulch is a mandatory procedure.

Onion and garlic

It is recommended to cover the beds with these plants with pine litter. The needles will not only retain moisture, interfere with the emergence of weeds, their phytoncidal properties will save plants from fungal and bacterial diseases. From mid-May, the beds are covered with a dense layer of pine mulch. At the same time, work on watering, loosening the beds is reduced.

It is very good to cover the roots of berry bushes, fruit trees, grapes and strawberries with pine mulch for the winter. Protecting from freezing wind and low temperatures, it prevents the roots from suffocating from lack of oxygen. Many other protective structures become winter quarters for rodents. The needles will prevent them from settling in the shelters built for grapes and roses.

Every farmer is familiar with the picture: on a hot day, a gardener runs with a watering can at the ready, trying to water the plants languishing from the heat. It's a shame that after a day or two the whole procedure will have to be repeated - the bare earth quickly evaporates water. It's another matter if it is under the mulching layer. Mulching is the surface covering of the soil with a variety of materials, both organic and inorganic.

In the wild, no one loosens the soil or fertilizes plants, but the height and strength of many grasses can be envied. This growth is facilitated by the annual natural mulching of the soil. Fallen leaves and wilted stems of plants cover it with a layer of organic matter, which rotts and fertilizes the earth, preserving fertility.

In our beds, we achieve complete order. To do this, we pull out all the weeds and carry them out of the garden. We do the same with crops that have completed their growing season. Those. every year, part of the nutrients contained in the soil and spent on the growth and development of cultivated and weed plants does not return to the soil. Her fertility is steadily declining. Observant gardeners back in the 17th century drew the appropriate conclusions and began to cover the ground with buckwheat straw. These were the first attempts at mulching the soil.

In modern horticulture and horticulture, the practice of covering the earth with various materials of organic and inorganic origin is widely used. Why is this done?

The need for the procedure

Mulching the soil, the gardener receives undoubted benefits.

• The evaporation of moisture is reduced, thereby reducing the frequency of watering.
• Loose soil, which does not compact under the mulch layer, is well aerated, creating a comfortable environment for the root system.
• Weed growth is significantly reduced, there is no need for weeding.
• The temperature regime is stabilized, as the soil heats up and cools more slowly.
• The conditions for the life of earthworms and beneficial microorganisms are improved, therefore, the fertility of the soil increases.
• Organic mulch, rotting, increases the humus content in it.
• In winter, the soil freezes less, in spring it is ready for processing and sowing earlier, if you move the mulch layer from the garden and let it warm up. Mulching strawberries in autumn saves the superficial root system of plants from freezing. In the same way, all plants are mulched, the roots of which can suffer from frost in winter: roses, grapes, and in regions with a harsh climate and fruit trees.
• All pathogens located on the surface layer of the soil are reliably isolated from plants.
• The soil under the mulch layer is not subject to erosion.
• In flower beds, mulch can also play a decorative role, emphasizing the individuality of flower arrangements.

The downside of this procedure can only be called its laboriousness. But if you count how much time the farmer is free for other pressing matters, then it's not a pity to work hard.

You need to start mulching the soil in late spring, when it has already warmed up, but has not yet lost the moisture accumulated during the melting of the snow.

Sometimes it can be difficult to find enough organic matter to cover all the beds. Let's try to broaden the horizons of the gardener and help him find mulching materials where he did not expect.

What materials are used for mulching?

Any material that allows moisture and air to pass to the roots of plants can be used as mulch.

Sawdust, shavings, chips

Often, gardeners use floor or completely rotted sawdust for mulching, fearing to use fresh ones. But they are quite suitable for these purposes, if not mixed with soil. In this case, the loss of nitrogen, which the farmer fears, does not occur.

But if doubts remain, you can prepare sawdust for mulching as follows.

• Spread a large plastic wrap on a flat surface.
• Pour 3 buckets of sawdust into an even layer.
• Sprinkle them with urea in the amount of 200 g, distributing it evenly.
• Pour out a bucket of water.
• The layers are repeated.
• Cover the sawdust on all sides with foil.

After 2 weeks, the prepared mulching raw materials can be safely used. There will be no nitrogen loss, even if the sawdust is mixed with the soil. The best results are obtained by combining them with semi-rotten compost.

For mulching, it is best to use medium-sized particles. Sawdust that is too fine has a tendency to cake. You can use production waste from any species of wood, except for oak, but those obtained by sawing chipboard or fiberboard are categorically unsuitable - they contain harmful substances.

Sawdust from coniferous trees is especially good for mulching strawberries or carrots. The phytoncides released by coniferous wood scare off many pests. They are not liked by slugs, snails, weevils, carrot flies. The berries on the mulched beds are always clean and easy to pick. When mulching a strawberry plantation with fresh sawdust, it is good to spread a double layer of newspapers under them. The thickness of the mulching layer is from 3 to 5 cm.

Wood shavings or wood chips are more suitable for mulching the trunks of trees and plants in flower beds. The mulching layer should be located no closer than 10 cm from the trunk. Its thickness is up to 7 cm for fruit trees and up to 5 cm for flowers. It is better to let the shavings and chips lie down for about a month before use, so that the harmful phenols contained in the wood are weathered.

When using wood waste as mulch, it must be remembered that they affect the acidity of the soil. Coniferous waste acidifies it, so it is better to use them for those plants that are comfortable in acidic soil.

Cut grass

This is a perfectly suitable material for mulching. You need to mow the grass before flowering so that weed seeds that can ripen do not clog the beds.

Features of mulching with cut grass.

• Before use, the grass is slightly dried, fresh - it can rot.
• Before mulching, the beds must be freed from weeds and watered.
• The grass is not laid close to the plants, the stems should have free space.
• Layer of herbal mulch - 5 to 7 cm. As it dries, the herb should be added.
• On perennial plantings, the grass is left for the winter. From the beds on which annuals grew, it is removed.

Bark of coniferous trees

This durable material has all the properties you need to become mulch. In addition, it is very decorative and will decorate a flower garden, being a good restrained backdrop for bright flowers.

Most often, the bark is crushed, but if the garden design requires it, large pieces can be used. Excellent for mulching larch bark. Thanks to its bright, but not obtrusive color, it looks good in flower beds.

When mulching with bark, you need to put a layer of thick paper or a little mowed grass under it. The thickness of the bark layer is from 5 to 7 cm. When mulching with this material, it is necessary to add nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers to the soil, since the bark reduces their content in the surface layer.

Needles, coniferous needles

Those who have pine trees growing on the site are lucky. They do not need to go to the forest to stock up on needles - an excellent mulching material for many garden and ornamental crops. For rhododendrons and conifers, pine needle mulch is a godsend. Roses, hydrangeas and other acidophiles also love her. In the garden, pine needles can be used to a limited extent - only for those plants for which the increased acidity of the soil will not be a problem. These are: potatoes, tomatoes, pumpkins, cucumbers, carrots, salads. You can mulch with coniferous litter and strawberries, but do not do this annually or combine mulching with the introduction of ash. This also applies to other cultures.

Spruce litter is less suitable for mulching, since it can slow down the development of many plants.

Straw

This material is able to create an excellent mulch layer. Lay it in a layer up to 15 cm, leaving space around the stems of the plants. Loose material compresses quickly. As a result, mulch with an optimal thickness of up to 6 cm is obtained. Straw rotting slowly, drawing nitrogen from the surface layer, so nitrogen-containing fertilizers will have to be applied more often. Over time, the straw layer will have to be added, and to maintain looseness and shake up a little.

For which crops is straw mulch best suited?

• Basil. When mulched with straw, its taste is improved.
• Blackberries mulched with this material can give a threefold increase in yield.
• Raspberries respond well to straw mulch, but you need to consider the possibility of regrowth of new shoots.
• Yields of currants and gooseberries are increasing, the bushes are becoming healthier, and there are fewer pests on them.
• Winter garlic. The heads are larger and of better quality. The beds are mulched in the fall after planting. In the case of mulched garlic, the tips of the leaves will not dry out in spring.
• Potato. When using straw, you can generally do without weeding and hilling. On such a potato there is always less Colorado potato beetle, since it is difficult for it to overcome the mulching layer and come to the surface after wintering. Mulch potatoes with straw immediately after germination.
• Cucumbers. Mulching in the open field gives a good result. This method is not suitable for a greenhouse - plants can get sick with powdery mildew.
• Tomatoes and other nightshades. Straw protects them from anthracnose and leaf spot diseases.

All of the above about mulch with various organic materials is true for all types of soils, except for clayey soils. There is a separate rule for them.

The thickness of any mulch layer for clay should not be more than 2 cm, otherwise it will adversely affect the growing conditions of plants.

In addition to organic mulching, synthetic materials can also be used.

Mulching with synthetic materials

It has all the advantages of organic mulch, except for one thing: synthetics cannot enrich the soil with nutrients and humus.

Film

For mulching, a film not thinner than 30 microns is suitable, and for perennial crops it is better to choose a film with a thickness of up to 60 microns. An important point is the light transmission of the material. The more light it lets in, the more active the weed will grow. Ideally, it is best to use a black film that fully reflects the light.

Mulching films are produced in several types:

• black is an excellent choice for regions with a temperate climate; in the south, the roots of plants under such a film can overheat;
• two-layer - black bottom, white top - ideal for any climate, they provide an optimal temperature regime in the root zone, and the weeds under them do not survive;
• multi-colored - silvery, orange, red.

Tomatoes mulched with a red film give tomatoes that have a rich and bright taste.

In order for mulching with film to be effective, certain rules must be followed.

• The earth needs to be dug up, fertilized and be sure to align well.
• The bed is formed and moistened.
• Cover with a film that is pulled tight and fixed well.
• Holes are made at the right distance, and the plants are planted.

Special fabrics

These include: agrotex, spunbond, agrospan, lumitex, lutrasil, agril. Compared to films, they have certain advantages: they can pass moisture and air. To prevent weeds from developing, black synthetic fabrics are chosen. They are used in the same way as mulching films.

Inorganic mulch

It is most often used in flower gardens and serves as a garden design element. Any crushed stone or gravel, ceramic chips and synthetic plastic granules are used for it. The main functions of inorganic mulch are weed control, moisture retention and temperature control. When using it, you need to remember that stones can be very hot in the sun, but at night they give off heat to plants for a long time.

Mulching the soil is not a whim, but a vital necessity, without which the work of a gardener can turn into hard labor. The comfort that mulch creates for plants significantly increases their yield. Namely, this is what every farmer strives for.

" Strawberry

Mulching strawberries is an agricultural technique that makes it easier for the gardener and prevents crop diseases. A good knowledge of the technology and timing of laying mulch, the characteristics of materials will help to solve many problems of plant care and increase yields. In this article we will talk about how to mulch strawberries, how you can sprinkle the beds and why you need it.

Proper development and fruiting of plants is impossible without regular soil formation. The decisive role in this is played by the surface layer of the soil. It is he who is most exposed to adverse factors. Rains wash away minerals, wind and temperature drops lead to desiccation and freezing.

These conditions are unfavorable for the activity of living organisms of the soil, which are an important link in the formation of humus. They move into deeper layers, and the soil loses its fertility.

Mulching - covering the soil surface under the plants with organic and inorganic materials. This protects her from all adverse factors. Increases the reproduction of living organisms, earthworms and beneficial insects, which together with organic acids form a fertile layer.

The mulch does not allow sunlight to pass through, which makes it difficult for weeds to grow. The denser the material and the higher the mulch layer, the more effective the protection against weeds. The thermoregulatory property of mulch protects plant roots from freezing, overheating and the effects of frost.

A layer of mulch reduces the evaporation of moisture from the soil, which reduces the need for watering. It complicates the entry of viruses and fungal spores to the roots of strawberries, reducing the incidence of late blight of roots, rhizoctonia, verticillosis. Ripe berries do not come into contact with the soil, the percentage of rotting is practically excluded.

During the decomposition process, all the nutrients necessary for strawberries are formed in the organic mulch. They slowly enter the soil throughout the growing season, maintaining mineral exchange between the roots and the aboveground part of the strawberry.

Before choosing a material for mulch, you need to decide on the purpose of the event. Depending on the material chosen, mulch can be a source of nutrition for strawberries, protect against diseases, or simply create a favorable environment in the soil.

Terms of mulching strawberries

The soil under the plants should not be under a high layer of mulch all year round. She needs to warm up in the spring. Otherwise, the growing season of the crop will be greatly delayed. Strawberries are mulched only after the appearance of flower ovaries.

Mulching can also be done during the summer. Regardless of the term, the soil and plants must be prepared before laying the material:

• loosen the soil;
• remove weeds, diseased leaves, excess mustache;
• water abundantly;
• make seasonal feeding.

The term for winter strawberry mulching is the end of September, when the plant is preparing for dormancy. During this period, mulch is used as a thermostat. This is protection against severe freezing of the soil in a snowless winter, damage to roots during thaws.

It is not enough to lay mulch; in the summer you need to monitor its condition. Organic materials need to be regularly agitated and rotting areas replaced. The material should not fit snugly against the stems of the bushes, there must be a gap of 1-2 cm for aeration of the roots.

Selection of materials and rules for mulching

This review presents materials that have all the necessary qualities for mulching strawberries. After evaluating their advantages and disadvantages, you can choose the optimal mulch for individual conditions and purposes.

Straw

Straw is the recognized leader of all materials suitable for strawberries. Only dry material is used for mulching.

Straw contains fiber that is difficult to decompose, which protects it from rapid decay. For the same reason, it is a poor source of nutrition, in addition, it draws nitrogen from the soil. To compensate for the loss of mineral and provide the bushes with food, straw is combined with compost or rotted manure.

The straw attracts rodents as a refuge and is scattered by the autumn wind. Therefore, during the autumn work, it is collected and disposed of, and in the winter, mulching is carried out with a suitable material.

The optimal straw layer for loose soils is 15-20 cm. After a few days it will settle down to 5-7 cm. On heavy clay soils, cut straw is used, laid in a layer of no more than 3-5 cm, renewing the surface every 15 days.

How to mulch strawberries with needles?

The advantage of needles is a high content of phytoncides and bactericidal substances. It is a powerful defense against diseases and pests. The substances contained in coniferous materials improve the taste of strawberries.

The tannins of the needles gradually acidify the soil. Therefore, it is used in slightly acidic soils or slaked lime (50 g / 1 m2) is added before mulch is laid.

In regions with hot summers, it should be taken into account: needles weakly protect the soil from overheating. The needles lie on the ground in a loose layer, through which weeds easily germinate. In practice, it has been proven: to protect against weeds, you need to lay a layer of 30 cm. It is difficult and impractical.

Weathered and slightly yellowed pine needles are used for mulch. They are laid in a layer of 3-5 cm. In the spring, the old mulch is renewed or buried in the ground during weeding.

Hay, fresh grass and green manure

Is it possible or not to cover the berry with hay or fresh grass? These botanicals contain readily biodegradable fiber and provide abundant nutrition to strawberries. But only for a short time.

Rapid decomposition leads to depletion of the thin layer of mulch and rotting of the lower layers of the high one. When decaying, plant waste becomes the reason for the poisoning of strawberries with decay products.

Hay is suitable for temporary. To create a favorable environment in the soil, they will have to be laid out with a layer of 7-10 cm and replaced with fresh mulch every 15 days. It is very labor intensive. Before laying, the cut grass is dried, the plants with abundant ripe seeds are removed. The optimal layer is 3-5 cm.

Tree bark

For mulching strawberries, the bark of pine or larch of a small or medium fraction is used. They contain little tannins, so there will be no acidification of the soil. It is the most durable mulch material and is also suitable for winter mulching. It will last up to 5 years.

The bark protects the soil well from overheating and freezing, gives an aesthetic appearance to the garden, but retains moisture relatively worse. More frequent watering will be needed. The required layer of mulch is 5-7 cm.

Sawdust

Sawdust decomposes slowly, so you should not consider them as a source of food. For the same reason, sawdust can last up to 3 years. The rough surface of such mulch complicates the movement of slugs and snails, there are fewer of them.

Sawdust strongly absorbs moisture, until this happens, there will be no water flow to the roots of the plant. Therefore, the amount of watering should be increased, but the need for this rarely arises.

For mulching, overlapping newsprint is spread on the surface of the soil, sawdust is laid on top with a layer of 5 cm. The sawdust is suitable for use in summer and winter.

How to use cardboard correctly?

Cardboard can be used to regulate the optimal environment on the ground surface. To do this, in the spring, large pieces of cardboard are overlapped between the bushes, leaving holes only around the bushes. The edges and joints of the cardboard are fixed with heavy objects.

Watering and feeding is carried out through the holes. To feed the strawberries during the summer, a 3-5 cm layer of compost can be spread under the cardboard.

Spandbond as mulch

This is a geosynthetic material produced using special technology. It does not transmit light, maintains temperature and moisture in the soil. Irrigation and fertilization can be carried out through the spandbond.

Notable firms:

• Agrin (Ukraine);
• Agrotex (Russia);
• Lutrasil (Germany);
• Agil (France);
• Plant-Protex (Poland).

For mulching strawberries, choose a black material with a density of 60 g / m2.

Before planting strawberry seedlings, it is spread on the surface of the beds and cuts are made in the places of future holes. The edges of the spandbond are secured with hairpins or heavy objects. For mulching already planted plants, agrotextiles are spread between the rows, covering the soil surface around the bushes as much as possible.

Spandbond can be used all year round. It is resistant to putrefactive bacteria, mechanical stress and low temperatures. Service life 3 years.

How to mulch a berry with a film?

For mulching strawberries, use a black film with a thickness of 30 microns. The service life of the film is up to 3 years. Thinner material can be used for one season. For hot regions, manufacturers offer films with a white surface and a black backing. It simultaneously reflects the sun's rays and retains moisture.

The technology for laying mulch from a film is similar to that of spunbond. Only watering in this case is organized microdroplet under the film or watered locally through the holes.

A mixture of different mulch materials can be of great benefit to strawberries. To do this, you can combine dry plant residues, bark and sawdust with green parts of herbs, compost or rotted manure. This mulch both creates a good environment and nourishes the plants.

The benefits and harms of mulching in spring or autumn

Mulching strawberries causes heated debates among gardeners, during which diametrically opposed opinions can be heard. There are claims of unusually high yields after mulch application and also of its negative impact on strawberries. Assessing the advantages and disadvantages will help you better understand mulching.

Advantages

Depending on the material used, mulching can help solve many of the gardener's tasks.
This is:

• prevention of overheating of the soil in summer and hypothermia in winter;
• preservation of moisture in the soil;
• reducing the amount of weeds;
• protection against the ingress of pathogens on the soil;
• prevention of soil erosion;
• protection against decay of ripe berries in a rainy summer;
• preservation of soil looseness;
• the formation of a larger number of adventitious roots;
• reduction

This impressive list involves a lot of labor and money when done separately.

Flaws

One of the disadvantages of mulching gardeners call the reproduction of slugs and snails.... For them, the moist inner layer of mulch becomes a refuge on dry summer days, and decaying organic matter becomes food. The pest conditions are really attractive.

This is not a reason to give up mulching.

In areas with an increased population of pests, sawdust or needles can be used. Create a natural biocenosis that will keep the mollusc population down to a harmless threshold.

Another disadvantage of mulch is rotting of the lower layers in a rainy summer or when laying on heavy clay soil. This task is easy to solve. You need to focus on the regional climate, do not lay a high layer on clay soils, regularly monitor the mulch during the season.

Mulching strawberries with long-lasting materials can play a bad role in recurrent frost. In this case, all the heat will remain in the soil, increasing the negative impact of freezing on the aboveground part of the strawberry. Keeping track of the weather forecast will help cover the plants in time.

The disadvantage of mulching is also called the attraction of rodents, insects and birds. However, this is difficult to consider as a specific drawback. A garden plot with an abundance of vegetable and fruit crops is itself attractive to their potential pests.

Experts are sure: poor knowledge of the characteristics of materials, soil at the site and the regional climate lead to bad experiences. It is important to consider that mulching does not at all exclude other types of strawberry care, so you cannot treat it as a solution to all problems.

Spruce and pine needles are widely used at their summer cottage. It is not only an excellent mulch and natural covering material for the winter, but also an excellent fertilizer, as well as a remedy for pests and garden diseases.

Coniferous mulch

For mulching, it is preferable to use pine needles rather than spruce needles. It perfectly retains moisture in the soil, prevents the germination of weeds, protects cultivated plants from fungal diseases and pests.

This covering material is best suited for garden strawberries. The berries will not touch the ground, which means that crop losses from rotting will be minimized. In addition, the needles will not allow slugs to fatten on berries.

Also, the needles are suitable for mulching near-trunk circles in berry bushes and fruit trees.

Be sure to keep in mind that needles acidify the surrounding soil. For this reason, it is not used for mulching many flowers. The only exceptions are heather, hydrangea and rhododendrons.

You need to use coniferous litter or rotted harvested needles as mulch. Fresh needles won't work!

Lapnik as a covering material

Many gardeners use spruce branches as a covering material. The structure of the material allows you to effectively retain the snow cover. In addition, prickly needles reliably protect wintering plants from rodents.

An important advantage of spruce branches in comparison with many artificial covering materials is its air permeability. That is, no damping off during the winter thaw period does not threaten your wards.

This mulch is suitable for sheltering strawberries, various perennials, near-stem circles of garden shrubs and trees.

Fertilizer

Like other organic matter, needles are great for laying in compost heaps. After overheating, an extremely useful natural fertilizer will turn out from it, which not only effectively feeds the plant, but also improves the structure of the soil.

For indoor plants, you can make a nutritious infusion based on spruce or pine needles, which has not only nutritious, but also pronounced bactericidal properties.

To prepare it, fill a three-liter can by a third with coniferous sawdust (small branches are permissible) and pour boiling water on top to full volume. Insist the composition for 3-4 days, then strain through cheesecloth. Before use, dilute it with clean water in a ratio of 1 to 2. Such dressing will be useful not only for home, but also for garden plants.

Spruce mulch is very good for growing onions. From 1 kg of seedlings, you can get a harvest of up to 40 kg, and in any summer!

Pest control

Needles have long been used to protect potato crops from wireworm and bear. It is placed in each planting hole 1 handful, adding half a glass of wood ash on top. Such a composition will protect tubers from scab.

It was already mentioned above that the mulch from the needles will keep slugs and snails out of the strawberries. Feel free to use it to protect against these pests and other garden plants that grow well in acidic soils.

Use coniferous infusion to combat weevils on raspberries, apple moths, moths on gooseberries and currants. For 10 liters of boiling water, take 1.5 kg of coniferous needles. The composition should be properly infused, after which it must be filtered through cheesecloth. Pour the finished mixture into a spray bottle and spray.

The optimal time for the first treatment is the flowering period. Perform the next two sprays at weekly intervals.

A more concentrated coniferous infusion (2 kg of needles per 10 liters of water) will help to cope with aphids, honey beetles, Colorado potato beetle and cruciferous flea beetles. You need to insist in a dark place for a week, stirring the composition daily. In some cases, reduced concentrations of the solution also help (the infusion is diluted with water 1 to 3).

For better stickiness, a small amount of grated laundry or liquid soap can be added to these compositions just before use.

For followers of organic farming, pine needles can be an excellent helper. To use it, you do not need to cut trees or cut off their branches (except for the case of collecting spruce branches), it is enough to collect spruce or pine litter from time to time.