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Strawberry sawdust is one of the best mulching materials in the spring. It perfectly permeates air and moisture (it does not need to be removed when watering), and also protects the roots from overheating, cooling and even pests. Wood shavings are covered in late spring, summer and mid-autumn.
Is it possible to mulch strawberries with sawdust
To understand whether or not you can put sawdust under strawberries, you need to understand how they affect the soil. This material is a by-product of wood processing. The density is small, so the breathability is good. With prolonged contact with soil and moisture, sawdust rot and release organic matter into the soil.
Due to the action of bacteria, they are destroyed to inorganic, after which they are absorbed by the root system of plants. The whole process takes up to three years, so this material is not used as a fertilizer. But it serves as a mulching layer.
The remains of wood are heated in the sun and keep warm well, which is especially important in freezing conditions (in spring, autumn). On the other hand, they do not allow moisture to evaporate quickly, so the soil under such a layer of mulch remains moist even in drought. Thanks to these properties, sawdust creates a special microclimate, which is especially important for strawberries that are demanding on growing conditions.
Also, there is no need for mulching when using agrofibre, which is laid directly on the ground in the spring.
What kind of sawdust is better to mulch strawberries
Sawdust of almost all trees can be used for mulching strawberries. However, they have their own characteristics that you need to know about in advance.
Is it possible to mulch strawberries with pine, coniferous sawdust
Pine and coniferous shavings protect plantings well in spring and summer. They have a specific odor due to residues of resin and other compounds. Therefore, the material repels insects, slugs and other pests. Hardwoods have similar properties to a lesser extent. But at the same time it serves as a fertilizer - an additional source of organic compounds.
In spring, summer and autumn, you can put shavings of any trees under strawberries
Is it possible to mulch strawberries with fresh sawdust
It is better to mulch strawberries with year-old sawdust, and not fresh. The old material is darker in color. In a year, he manages to overheat, thanks to which it adheres better to the surface and does not give a strong smell. If the wood is fresh, it can also be used to mulch strawberries in the spring. For this, the material begins to be prepared according to the following instructions:
- In the spring, lay out a plastic wrap on a flat surface.
- Pour shavings with urea (a glass of powder for 3 buckets of sawdust for strawberries).
- Sprinkle with water (10 liters for 3 buckets of material).
- Cover with another layer of film on top.
- They wait 10–15 days - during this time the chips will have time to overheat. These sawdust can be placed under strawberries.
When to pour sawdust under strawberries
The cover layer is poured throughout the season, and not only in the spring. The specific dates depend on the climatic conditions of the region and the condition of the bushes themselves. For example, in spring the wood is laid after the first ovaries have formed. As a rule, this is the second half of May, in the south - the beginning of the month, and in the North-West, Urals, Far East and Siberia - the first days of June. There is no strictly defined time interval (unlike feeding).
Is it possible to mulch strawberries with sawdust in the fall, for the winter
In the fall, strawberries need to be sheltered in most regions, with the exception of the south. However, to create mulch, they no longer use sawdust, but other materials:
- cut grass;
- dry foliage;
- straw;
- needles, spruce branches.
They start work in mid-October, after abundant leaf fall.
Is it possible to mulch strawberries with sawdust in summer
In summer, the covering layer does not need to be replaced. It is enough to add a little wood at the moment when the plants have faded and the first fruits have begun to form. If nothing is done, the shavings will contaminate the fruit. In addition, they can become moldy due to the excess moisture that the mulch has absorbed.
In summer, the layer of shavings is renewed at the time of the appearance of the first fruits.
How to mulch strawberries with sawdust
Laying the mulching material is not difficult. But first you need to carry out preparatory work:
- Thoroughly weed the bed.
- Loosen the ground.
- Remove dry foliage, excess mustache (in autumn).
- Pour with settled water, feed (in the spring, urea or ammonium nitrate, in the fall, potassium sulfate and superphosphate or wood ash).
Mulching strawberries with sawdust in spring
In the spring, you can add sawdust under the strawberries in mid-May. You should act like this:
- Place shavings at least 4–5 cm high around the bushes.
- Place wood between rows (same height).
- Smooth, achieve uniformity.
The mulch must be laid thoroughly immediately, since it will not have to be changed during the season. As for watering, water is poured directly onto the wood without removing it. The material is loose, moisture and air permeable. But if there are too many shavings, then the upper part is removed, otherwise water will not penetrate to the roots in sufficient quantities.
Mulching strawberries with sawdust in summer
In summer, the shavings are only partially added. There is an exception to this rule, though. If the season is rainy, another shift will be needed. Moreover, it is better not to add new shavings, but simply to remove the old layer. Otherwise, it will be too large, because of which the soil will not have time to dry out normally. Then the roots of the plant can rot.
How to cover strawberries with sawdust for the winter
Lapwood, straw, foliage, grass cuttings provide a good layer (7–10 cm) that protects plants from frost. It is not laid on top of the leaves, but around the bushes and in the intervals between the rows. In this case, sawdust can also be used by laying them in a layer on the soil.
There is another way to hide:
- A frame of branches is made over the plantings.
- Polyethylene or other material that does not allow moisture to pass through is fixed on it.
- Planting is mulched with a layer of 5-7 cm.
In March-April, the mulching material is removed. Due to the melted snow, the shavings will be peeled off. However, they are not thrown away, but placed in a compost pit to obtain fertilizer.
For the winter, the strawberries are covered with straw, in the spring the layer is removed
Advantages and disadvantages of using sawdust
Wood sawdust is a natural, breathable material with several advantages:
- protects the soil from rapid drying;
- keeps warm well in freezing;
- excellent air permeability;
- inhibits the growth of weeds;
- scare away some pests;
- serves as a natural barrier for slugs and snails;
- when decomposing, enriches the soil with minerals;
- used even after decay (sent to the compost pit);
- rodents do not hide in sawdust (unlike hay, which is also often mulched with strawberries and other plants in spring).
Along with the described advantages, sawdust has certain disadvantages:
- acidify the soil (reduce the pH of the environment);
- lead to a decrease in nitrogen in the soil (only if they are buried in the ground).
Thus, there is no doubt that sawdust will give strawberries - in the spring, benefit or harm. It is a proven, effective material that has virtually no drawbacks. To adjust the acidity, it is recommended to embed slaked lime into the soil once a year (150-200 g per 1 m2) or well-crushed eggshells (in the same amount).
Sawdust is one of the best mulching materials used throughout the warm period.
Conclusion
Strawberry sawdust is covered both in spring and autumn. The material regulates temperature and humidity well, creating the desired microclimate. Differs in accessibility and ease of use, therefore it is used for mulching various plants.
