Co-cultivation of strawberries: the benefits
Some plants are good precursors for strawberries, while others are not. Strawberry is a rather unpretentious plant and gets along with many plants. In the presence of some vegetables, herbs or flowers, it grows very well and bears fruit, but with others it is bad, therefore, neighbors are carefully chosen.
Each plant has its own requirements for soil, fertilizers, etc. Strawberries love organic fertilizers, loose and well-fertilized soil, in which a sufficient amount of potassium, nitrogen and trace elements must be present.
Note! Strawberries usually give a good harvest for 3-4 years, then they need to be transplanted to another place. Therefore, you should know which crops will be good predecessors for garden strawberries.
Planting strawberries in the right company with other plants is very beneficial. It becomes more productive and less affected by diseases and pests.
Some vegetables and herbs grown with strawberries help avoid the use of chemical pesticides. Others, in turn, improve the taste and aroma of the fruit.
Rules for co-planting strawberries in your own garden
Growing strawberries is ideal for our climate. It can be planted in almost any garden. She loves the sun, and if the soil is not very sandy or waterlogged, she will definitely repay her care with a good harvest. Plants usually bear fruit the next season after planting.
Combined planting allows you to economically and efficiently master the garden plot, especially if it is small. In addition, plants that grow next to them have a beneficial effect on each other, improving the condition, taste and nutritional value of the fruit. Another plus of such plantings is that plants protect each other from diseases and pests.
Co-boarding rules:
- do not plant nearby plants that require the same nutrients, both plants will develop poorly and bear fruit;
- plants in the neighborhood with different watering needs are undesirable: one crop will lack water, and the other may suffer from excessive watering;
- plants should not shade each other, this can only be done if one of the crops requires shade, diffused lighting;
- if you plant plants that have common diseases and pests on the same bed or next to it, you can destroy two crops at once.
What to plant next to strawberries? It is worth growing some vegetables, herbs or other garden plants next to strawberries or strawberries.
Many vegetable plants release volatile substances (called phytocides) that reduce the occurrence of diseases and pests. Such plants are bulbous vegetables. By planting onions, garlic, leeks, or green onions next to strawberries, they protect them from gray mold and other fungal diseases of strawberries.
Onions, garlic and leeks can be planted between rows of strawberries, as they do not interfere with spreading strawberry leaves, and also have a positive effect on the taste of the fruit. The rest of the vegetables should be planted along the edge of the strawberry patch.
Strawberries pair well with garlic and onions, but garlic and onions do not need to be planted side by side as they share common diseases and pests. Garlic repels putrefactive fungi, and the berry is very susceptible to this disease, especially some varieties. Onion, as a neighbor, also contributes to the rapid growth of berries and the reproduction of strawberries, eliminates the problem of fruit rotting.
The best neighbor of root crops is parsley. Planted between berry bushes, it will scare away snails. Strawberries and carrots are also a good combination, just not with parsley (you need to choose one). If you plant carrots nearby, this crop will repel pests, protecting strawberry beds. Also useful for strawberries are lettuce, spinach, radishes, radishes and beets.
Plants from the legume family occupy one of the leading places in the list of useful neighbors. These are peas, various varieties of beans and lentils and other crops that enrich the soil with nitrogen. However, legumes can increase the acidity of the soil by producing nitrogen. To avoid this, alkaline fertilizers can be used.
What herbs to plant next to strawberries?
The main part of green crops is unpretentious and does not deplete the soil. They do not share common pests with strawberries, and with the right planting pattern, they can shade from active sun. Green plants do not require special care.
Strawberries will grow well in the company of thyme, cumin, coriander, thyme, peppermint and sage. Aromatic herbs improve the taste of fruits, and their smell additionally repels strawberry pests. Borage and chamomile planted along a strawberry patch will stimulate more abundant strawberry blooms and their scent will attract pollinating insects.
What flowers to plant next to strawberries?
In addition to vegetables and herbs, strawberries get along well with flowers, especially tulips and irises. According to experienced gardeners, they are able to increase the yield of garden strawberries several times, contributing well to its growth. To the greatest extent, this applies to varieties of remontant strawberries. In addition to these, other flowering plants can be planted next to the strawberry bed or directly on it.
Flowers such as marigolds deserve special attention. They repel many pests with their properties. These flowering plants have a beneficial effect on the growth and development of garden strawberries. In addition, these flowers protect against Fusarium, which is very important for strawberries.
Additional Information! You can plant many types of flowers that bloom in early spring or summer. However, their flowering should not coincide with the flowering period of strawberries. Otherwise, pollinating insects will choose ornamental flowers instead of strawberries. It is better to avoid this, because the strawberries pollinated by bees are larger in size.
By planting annual flowers (eg marigolds, nasturtiums) between strawberries, fragrant perennials such as catnip and lavender have a positive effect on the aroma of strawberries. A very good combination with strawberries is bulbous plants, for example, ornamental garlic, which protects strawberries from fungal diseases.
What can not be planted next to strawberries?
Some plants can grow next to each other, which has a positive effect on their growth, while others, on the contrary – their growth is disturbed and contributes to the spread of diseases.
The worst neighbors will be crops from the nightshade family: tomatoes and potatoes. In addition to the fact that they consume the substances necessary for strawberries, they are a carrier of late blight. Such a neighborhood can very quickly (within 1.5-2 months) destroy a strawberry garden.
Important ! Sunflower and Jerusalem artichoke deplete the soil and can harm not only strawberries, but also other plants. It is strongly not recommended to plant these plants near strawberry beds.
This also applies to raspberries, which many summer residents often plant next to strawberries. They do not like each other’s company. Raspberry bushes shade strawberry beds and drastically dry out the soil. For this reason, garden strawberries often cease to bear fruit altogether. In addition, they are attacked by the same pests and diseases, and their joint planting contributes to the development of these diseases and pests.
Avoid planting cruciferous vegetables next to strawberries. Cabbage is an undesirable neighbor because it needs the same nutrients as strawberries. In addition, it needs constant and abundant watering in much larger quantities than garden strawberries.
These incompatible crops should not be planted in the same area. Substances secreted by cruciferous vegetables inhibit the development of strawberries. The close proximity of cucumbers is equally unfavorable for strawberries.
The best predecessors for planting strawberries
An important point in the crop rotation is that a plant showing resistance to diseases after the previous plant should be planted in this place next year. When planning to plant strawberry bushes in a new place, they grow the right predecessors on it.
Strawberries can be planted after:
- pumpkins;
- zucchini;
- radishes and turnips;
- onion and garlic;
- peas, beans, lentils.
Bulbous flowers will also be useful predecessors:
- hyacinths;
- tulips;
- daffodils etc.
If the area of the site allows, soil reclamation is carried out with green manure plants. Green fertilizers will improve the structure of the soil, enrich it with nitrogen, and help get rid of some pathogenic microbes.
Properly selected plants can influence not only the further development of strawberries, but also the taste properties of the fruit. They will greatly facilitate crop care, improve soil structure and provide protection against diseases and pests. It is strongly not recommended to plant strawberries after potatoes, cucumbers and tomatoes.
To get a good, plentiful harvest, you need to choose neighbors for strawberries, following the recommendations and rules of crop rotation.
