Instructions on how to plant and care for strawberries using the frigo method

Dutch breeders have always experimented extensively with creating new hybrid berry varieties. Thanks to a new technology developed by scientists, strawberries grown using the frigid method are resistant to environmental influences and demonstrate excellent yield characteristics. Various strawberry varieties are suitable for this technology, and future yields are determined using the frigid method classification.

What does Frigo strawberry mean?

To use the Frigo method of growing strawberries, you need to understand the technology of this method.

The basic principle of the new method of growing berry crops is based on cooling seedlings at different sub-zero temperatures.

After cold treatment, the plants are removed from the chambers and planted in soil.

Fact! Thanks to the frigo method, a bountiful strawberry harvest can be enjoyed year-round. This method is suitable for growing strawberries indoors.

What is the effectiveness of the method?

The main purpose of this new method of growing fruit crops is to extend the fruiting period. Now, properly treated and prepared seedlings can be planted at various times; they quickly establish themselves and begin producing fruit immediately.

This method is especially effective in regions with long summer and autumn periods. In this case, gardeners and farmers can harvest several strawberry crops during a single growing season.

Advantages and disadvantages

Before using Frigo technology, it is necessary to thoroughly familiarize yourself with all the positive and negative aspects of this method.

Advantages:

1. The opportunity to harvest berries all year round by growing strawberries at home or in greenhouses.
2. The method allows you to regulate the timing of fruit harvesting and yield.
3. Strawberries grown using the frigo method are resistant to adverse environmental conditions, including heat and drought.
4. Precisely controlled temperatures during seedling storage do not disrupt metabolic processes within the plants.
5. The compact size of the processed seedlings makes them easy to transport over different distances.

Important! Experts have recognized the new cultivation method as universal for virtually all berry varieties.

Disadvantages of the method:

1. The main drawback of this method is the high cost of specialized equipment. Currently, only large agricultural holdings can afford refrigeration units.
2. In cold storage rooms, operators are required to maintain a specific temperature regime. Even minor malfunctions threaten the loss of all planting material, and consequently, the harvest.
3. The Frigo method of growing strawberries cannot be used in all climate zones.

Also, one must not forget about preventive maintenance of expensive equipment and payment for the electricity consumed by refrigeration units.

Which varieties are suitable for growing using the frigo method?

Any variety of strawberry is suitable for growing strawberries using the Dutch method, but farmers prefer high-yielding and promising varieties.

How are seedlings stored?

Seedlings grown and prepared using the frigo method are placed in plastic bags and placed in special refrigeration units, which maintain a constant temperature of 0 to -2 degrees, with humidity up to 90%.

Under such conditions, strawberry bushes can be stored for up to 3 years.

After purchasing the seedlings, the plants are immediately transferred to open ground.

Advice! If the purchased bushes show no signs of active growth and have not developed new leaves, place the seedlings in the refrigerator and store for no more than 10-14 days at a temperature of at least -2 degrees Celsius.

Classification

The main parameters for classifying berry crops using the Dutch cultivation method are determined by the strawberry variety and the size of its root collar.

Class A

The seedlings are distinguished by two strong flower stalks and a root collar no more than 15 millimeters in diameter. The first harvest occurs the year of planting. Up to 20-25 ripe, large berries are harvested per berry bush.

Class A+

During the growing season, more than three strong flower stalks appear on the bushes, with the root collar no more than 18 millimeters in diameter. Fruiting occurs in the first year of growth, with each bush yielding up to 40 large berries.

WB class

This class is made up of elite strawberry varieties with a root collar diameter of at least 22 millimeters. During the growing season, each bush produces at least 5-6 flower stalks. Yields reach up to 500 grams of fruit per plant in the first year.

Tray Plants Class

This class of seedlings is characterized by high yields and the ability to control fruiting. Seedlings are recommended for planting indoors in greenhouses and indoors.

How to prepare seedlings for planting

Strawberry seedlings grown using the Frigo technology are sold chilled, which requires certain steps before planting the berry bushes:

1. The seedlings are defrosted in a closed package at room temperature for 20-24 hours.
2. Next, the package is opened and the strawberry rhizomes are watered with warm water.
3. After completely thawing, the seedlings are placed in containers of cold water for 2-3 hours. This procedure helps saturate the roots with the necessary moisture and initiate the plant's vital processes.
4. For better rehabilitation of seedlings, it is recommended to add special stimulants to the water to activate growth and root development.

Once the preparatory procedures are completed, the roots are carefully trimmed and the strawberry bushes are transferred to the soil.

Choosing a location

Frigo strawberries are planted in flat, sunny areas, protected from gusty winds and strong drafts.

Cereal crops, onions and garlic are allowed as predecessors.

Soil preparation

Berry crops have always been demanding of soil composition. Therefore, bushes are planted in fertile, loose soil with low acid and moisture content:

1. Before planting, the soil is mixed with humus, organic matter and mineral complex fertilizers.
2. The area is dug up, debris and unwanted plants are removed, and the soil is thoroughly loosened.
3. On the prepared soil, ridges 25-30 cm high are formed, in which small holes or furrows are dug.

Important! The amount of fertilizer applied to the soil depends on the soil composition and fertility.

Timing and rules for planting in the ground

While Frigo strawberries are planted year-round indoors, the berry crop is planted in open soil depending on its classification.

Seedlings classified as A+ are recommended for planting in the first half of May. However, plants classified as A can be planted safely until mid-summer.

When growing strawberries using the frigo method, it is essential to take into account the weather and climate conditions of the growing region:

1. Prepared seedlings are lowered into a harrow or hole.
2. The roots are carefully distributed over the entire area of ​​the planting hole.
3. The bush is covered with a fertile mixture, the soil is lightly compacted.
4. The planted bushes are watered generously.

After completing the planting work, the beds are covered with a layer of straw.

Important! When planting strawberries using the frigo method, the root collar must be completely submerged in the soil.

Specifics of care

Caring for the berry crop is standard, requiring timely watering, fertilizing, and preventative treatments.

Watering

Seedlings grown and preserved using Dutch technology tolerate high temperatures and short-term droughts well. Therefore, watering is done as needed.

To reduce watering, the soil under the bushes is loosened and mulched.

Top dressing

To increase the berry yield, strawberries are fed with minerals and organic matter. In the spring, when the plant is just entering the growth phase, the bushes are fertilized with nitrogen-containing organic matter.

Before flowering and during fruit set, fruit trees are fed with phosphorus and potassium. In the fall, both organic fertilizers and balanced mineral complexes are added to the soil.

Protection from diseases and pests

Before planting outdoors, it's recommended to treat strawberry seedlings with fungicides. Also, in early spring, spray berry bushes with insecticides and infusions prepared according to traditional recipes.

Gardeners' Reviews of the Frigo Method

1. Irina Stepanovna. Volgograd Region. "I've been growing strawberries for many years, propagating seedlings myself or buying them from nurseries. But I wanted something new and unusual. The nursery clerk recommended their Frigo strawberries, Class A. It was early spring, and I agreed. Our weather is hot, so I planted in late April, and by mid-June I was already harvesting a large crop of berries. I've never had a harvest so quickly. I'm very happy with this new growing technique."
2. Igor Viktorovich, Voronezh. "I purchased Frigo strawberries, grade A+, online. The seedlings came from Italy and France. The results showed that the Italian strawberries had better yield and fruit production, while the French variety had better flavor."