Maybe you’re a newbie strawberry farmer wondering how often to water strawberries. You should know that strawberries require adequate care and maintenance, hence, you should water them regularly.
However, you shouldn’t over-water them. Watering strawberries should be done in moderation. Let’s look at all you should know about strawberries before diving into the tips on watering them.
1. About Strawberries
Strawberries are one of the most well-known fruits around the world. They are sweet and everybody loves the taste. Aside from that, they are highly nutritious with a lot of vitamins. They also contain antioxidants like polyphenols.
Strawberries are known to have been first cultivated in Europe in the 1300s. It later became popular in England in the early 1800s.
2. Interesting Facts About Strawberries
Strawberries are highly nutritious fruits with a lot of health benefits. Listed below are some fantastic facts about strawberries:
2.1. They are of Different Colours
Do you know strawberries can be of different colors? Although they are famously known to have red coloration, they can be pink, white, and yellow. These different colors are produced when wild strawberries are crossbred.
2.2. They Have a Sweet Taste
Most people who love strawberries love them because of their sweet taste. They ripen in spring and it takes about three weeks to harvest them. They also belong to the Rosaceae family which makes them often referred to as a type of rose.
2.3. They Contain Lots of Vitamins
Another amazing fact about strawberries is that they contain lots of vitamins. You should know that they have more vitamin C content in them than oranges. A large strawberry contains about 10 Mg of Vitamin C.
2.4. National Strawberries Day
There is a day set aside to celebrate National Pick Strawberries Day. On this day, people are encouraged to take part in picking strawberries from a local farm and planting them at their homes. The date where this national holiday is held is on the 2oth of May.
2.5. Strawberry Museum in Belgium
It’s amazing how in Belgium, there is a museum set aside for strawberries. The people of Belgium acknowledge the strawberry season hence, the museum. Their goal is to explain the history of growing strawberry and their economic importance.
2.6. Fragariaphobia
There is a name for the fear of almost everything and the fear of strawberries is no exception. Fragariaphobia is the term used for the fear of strawberries. Since strawberries belong to the genus Fragaria, the word was coined from there.
2.7. They are Medicinal
In time past, the Ancient Romans used strawberries to treat different kinds of anomalies. They used it to treat fever, sore throats, and even depression. This was because of its high nutritional value.
3. Health Benefits of Strawberries
Strawberries are known to have many health benefits. They are also known to be linked to reducing the risk of persistent diseases. Here are some health benefits of strawberries:
3.1. Reduce Cardiometabolic Risks
The antioxidants contained in strawberries are very important to the body. They help improve heart health. They reduce cardiometabolic risks of heart problems and diabetes.
Regular consumption of strawberries can help boost antioxidant activities. It also helps to reduce inflammation.
3.2. Prevents Cancer
Cancer occurs in the body when there is an unrestricted growth of abnormal cells. This can be correlated with swellings and redox imbalance.
You should know that strawberries can help prevent the body from cancer as they can reduce inflammation and fight oxidative stress. This is due to the fact that they contain ellagitannins that repel the formation of cancer cells.
3.3. Blood Sugar Management
Digested carbohydrate handles the release of glucose in your bloodstream. When the blood sugar level of your body is not regulated, there is every tendency that you will suffer from heart disease, obesity, and even type 2 diabetes.
Strawberries are known to reduce the dissolution of glucose. This means that strawberries can help decrease the threats of diseases aforesaid.
3.4. Minerals and Vitamins
Strawberries contain a lot of minerals and vitamins like:
3.4.1. Potassium
Strawberries contain potassium which is responsible for the regulation of blood pressure in the body. This is very important to the body.
3.4.2. Manganese
This is commonly found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. It is a trace element that is very essential to the body.
3.4.3. Vitamin B
Strawberries contain vitamin B which aids tissue growth. It also helps in cell function and is very necessary for adults and women that are pregnant.
3.4.4. Vitamin C
The Vitamin C content in strawberries assists to improve the immune system. It also helps in skin and heart health.
4. How to Grow Strawberries
Growing strawberries is not a tedious task. You just need to know the right berries to grow and give them adequate care and attention.
Here are some tips on how to grow your strawberries:
4.1. Choosing Your Site
To grow good fruit, your strawberry plants need plenty of water and sunlight. It is very important to find a place where your strawberries can get enough water and sunlight.
Berries shouldn’t be planted in frost pockets because doing so can ruin the blooms and stunt fruit growth.
Additionally, it is best to plant strawberries in soil that has not previously been used to grow tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplants, or other vegetables. This is because of the likelihood that these plants infected the soil with various diseases.
Berries grow best on soil that has a pH between 6.0 and 7.0.
4.2. Selecting Berries for Your Garden
Planting strawberries requires extra care and attention, therefore there are some things to look out for when choosing the type of strawberries to plant. You should consider the fruiting time when the berries bear fruits.
Strawberry plants are mostly categorized based on their harvesting seasons. They include the following:
4.3. June-bearing Berries
The June-bearing strawberry varieties are the berries that produce fruits within three weeks. Basically, they produce fruits between June and early July. This variety produces the largest in a season.
4.4. Everbearing Berries
The everbearing strawberry plants more fruits in spring and lesser fruits in summer.
4.5. Day-Neutral Berries
These varieties produce fruits throughout the entire season. They can survive well and produce fruits under temperatures of 35 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. How Often to Water Strawberries
Strawberries are fruits that need an adequate water supply to produce plenty of fruits. How regularly should you give water to your strawberries?
Depending on the type of strawberry planted, you can water your plant once a week. You should be aware that constant berry watering is necessary when the berries are delicate. For simple access to water, a hose can be attached.
You can water the strawberry plant at least twice per week while it’s not in its best season. Watering berries very early in the morning is recommended.
6. How Much Water Do Strawberries Need Daily
Strawberry plants need at least one to two inches of water every day. You should know that strawberries grow when they consume enough water to keep their soil moist. Always remember to water strawberry plants for a bountiful harvest.
7. When to Stop Watering Strawberries
You should stop watering your berries when you find out that the plants are getting damaged due to excess water. This can only mean that there is not enough oxygen available for your berries to grow well.
You should also stop watering when you notice that the leaves of the plants are brown or yellow. You can stop watering when there is no rapid growth of strawberry fruit.
8. Final Thoughts
Strawberries need water to survive so, knowing when to water them is very important. The more water you give to your berries, the more fruits the produce. You should avoid over-watering them to prevent any form of damage.
Last Updated on by Himani Rawat