Grow succulent strawberries throughout the summer with trace minerals and utilise beneficial biologicals for the runners

Tis the season……for Strawberries!  Of course, for all berries, but we want to talk about strawberries, strawberry runners and how to ensure you have big, delicious, sweet strawberries that continue to fruit for a long time, with the correct nutritional trace minerals, well into the summer and beyond.  

In New Zealand, we can begin planting strawberries in the North from May and July on the South Island.  The anticipation of sweet, flavoursome strawberries for the pavlova, trifle or Prosecco cocktails keeps us motivated to water and feed these lovely berries.  Momentum can then flag in the New Year as the weather heats up and our attention turns to maintaining tomatoes, capsicums, or other favourite summer produce. 

However, with the correct nutritional trace minerals, your Strawberry plants can continue to produce luscious fruit throughout the summer.  We also want to talk about Rootella, Mycorrhizal fungi and how beneficial biologicals can help establish the runners for next season’s crop.

But first – Nutritional trace minerals, why, what and when?

Feed your plants, and they will feed you. This is true of all plants, and replenishing the nutrients your strawberries use will ensure they grow to their full potential throughout the summer.  Like all plants, strawberries need the macronutrients Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium, especially Potassium, as they ripen to keep the berries flavourful, sweet and juicy. Still, trace minerals are just as important and often overlooked.  

Sufficient levels of trace minerals are important as they impact plant proteins, hormones, and other metabolic processes such as flowering. Just like us, plants need trace minerals like Magnesium, Zinc and Boron. The lack of these minerals in our food can mean our homegrown goodies are not as nutrient-dense as we might hope, and the lack of these minerals in the plant will reduce flowering and, therefore, the number of sweet, delicious berries. 

This is easily remedied with the addition of a multi-trace mineral fertiliser such as Biomin Booster, which contains all the essential trace elements required by plants for healthy, stable production and nitrogen in the form of amino acids.  Biomin Booster can be used throughout the growing season and will ensure deficiencies are alleviated quickly, providing disease resistance and optimal fruit production.

Biomin Booster is simple to use as a foliar application, dissolved in water and applied to your strawberry plants every month or as needed.  It’s not just for strawberries; Biomin Booster will benefit all your flowers, fruits and vegetables.

What are strawberry runners, and how do they affect the ‘Mother’ plant?

Strawberry runners (stolons) are horizontal stems that grow along the ground. Each runner produces several new ‘daughter’ plants still attached to the original ‘mother’ plant.  These new daughter plants will grow roots where they touch the soil. Whilst these new plants establish themselves, if they remain attached to the ‘mother’ plant, they will deplete her energy and, therefore, fruit output.

By cutting the runners from the original plant and replanting them, you’ll have an assured supply of strawberries season after season.  To establish new plants and give them the best start possible, we recommend using Rootella, Mycorrhizal fungi and Superzyme, which contains beneficial fungi and bacteria.  These beneficial biologicals provide powerful protection from pathogens and ensure your new strawberry plant has access to water and hard-to-reach minerals through increased root growth.  Commercial growers use Rootella on strawberries with great success, even on plants where root health is not optimum.

Simply soak the roots overnight in Superzyme dissolved in water and add Rootella Mycorrhizal fungi to the planting hole. Rootella T  is perfect for the home garden, and the bags can be used as they are or broken open to sprinkle the Mycorrhizal fungi into the hole before transplanting.  The Mycorrhizal fungi will inoculate the new roots, and a beautiful relationship will be established to benefit the plant, the fungi, and the soil biology. The better the soil, the better your strawberries will grow. 

Check out our range of beneficial biologicals and nutritional trace minerals for your Home Garden and Grow Better today!

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