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Strawberries are both delicious and versatile fruit, as they can be enjoyed in various forms, whether eating them fresh or making smoothies out of them. Strawberries are rich in vitamins, minerals, fibre, and compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and it makes sure that it can add a healthy addition to the individual diet.
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Growing strawberries at home is both a satisfying as well as enjoyable experience, which allows you to get the richness of fresh strawberries directly from your home garden. To cultivate strawberries at home from scratch requires some proper steps to follow, which will result in both rewarding and fulfilled tasks. Here is the guide to know more:
6 Steps To Keep In Mind While Growing Strawberries
Extract Seeds
Growing strawberries at home from scratch requires seeds. To get seeds, you can buy some strawberries, gently peal the skin of the strawberry with a knife, and make sure you do not cut the strawberries deeply. Then you will get a fine strip.
Spread those strips in the tissue paper and let them rest for 2-3 days in full sunlight so they can dry out. After 3 days, you can easily extract seeds from those dry strips. Gently rub your finger over every strip of dried strawberries, and you will see that the seeds will come loose.
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Choose The Perfect Container
Choose a medium-sized pot with a drainage hole at the bottom, and cover those holes with small stones so that there can be effective drainage.
Also Read: Quick Tips To Grow Plums In Your Home Garden
Soil Requirement
Make sure that the soil you are taking in use should be 70% Cocopeat and 30% compost. Put the soil in the container and press it to make an even surface.
After that, sprinkle seeds over the surface, but do not cover them. Water gently with the shower. Then here comes the special step to cover the pot with a plastic roof so that it can keep moisture intact and help the seeds to retain moisture themselves.
Put that pot for germination under full sunlight; it will take 12 days to germinate, but you should have to be patient because it might take 30-35 days.
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Re-Plant The Seedlings
When the seeds get germinated, and each seedling has grown with 3-4 leaves, then it's time to transplant. Transplant them into individual containers so that there can be healthy growth of plants.6-8 inches of diameter pots are enough for planting each seed.
Make sure the soil ratio should be 50% garden soil, 30% compost soil, and 20% cocopeat soil before planting the seedlings.
Fertilising and Watering
Give 1-inch of water regularly, whenever you feel that soil starts to dry up. Fertilise the plant every 18-20 days to boost the plant's growth by digging up a hole away from the roots and adding half a tablespoon of mustard cake powder, or you can also use NPK powder. Give 1-inch of water regularly, whenever you feel that soil starts to dry up.
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Harvesting
Harvest the strawberries 3-4 weeks after flowering. When the strawberries turn red and ripe, it's the perfect time to harvest them. Cut the stem with a knife and do not pull the fruit as it can damage the plant.
