A recipe was found in ancient Japanese scrolls, the author of which claims that it can be used to make strawberries bear fruit for decades in a row.
It is not customary to talk about it among farmers, because it seriously threatens their profits.
The secret lies in trimming the moustache and “double planting”.
In early spring, plant the bushes not in the ground, but in pots with compost.
Then dig them into the bed so that the edge of the pot rises by 5 cm. This will prevent the roots from rotting and provide access to oxygen.
Every fall, remove the pots, trim off old roots and replace 30% of the soil.
Add crushed dried seaweed to the soil - it contains iodine, which repels weevils.
This method allows you to pick berries even from 8-year-old bushes.
But iodine is not the only secret. The Japanese use bamboo sticks stuck around bushes. They create vibrations in the wind that scare away the birds.
And to protect against slugs, scatter crushed shells around the strawberries. The sharp edges injure the pests, and they crawl away.
Choose remontant varieties, such as Albion or Mara de Bois. They bear fruit in waves from June until frost.
And don't forget about "cold shock": keep the seedlings in the refrigerator for 2 days before planting. This will stimulate flowering.
In a year, your strawberries will be as sweet as those in Kyoto.
