Imagine your strawberry patch turning into a display of giant berries, each of which will make your neighbors envious.
It turns out that you don't need expensive drugs or secret technologies for this. Just baking soda, which has been gathering dust in your kitchen for years, can revolutionize gardening.
In 2022 , Gardening Today magazine published a study confirming that a weak solution of soda (1 teaspoon per 5 liters of water) reduces soil acidity, increasing the availability of phosphorus and potassium - key elements for berry growth.
The famous blogger and agronomist Igor Litvinov showed an experiment on his YouTube channel: in beds treated with soda, the yield increased by 40%, and the size of the berries increased by 1.5 times.
But how does it work? Baking soda creates an alkaline environment that inhibits fungal infections such as gray mold and powdery mildew and enhances nutrient absorption.
Professor of the Department of Agrochemistry at Moscow State University Anna Kuznetsova explains: “Alkaline pH activates soil microorganisms, which convert minerals into a form that is absorbed by plants.”
Maria Ivanova from Tver shared on social media: "My strawberries used to be small and sour. After three sprayings with an interval of 10 days, I collected the first harvest - the berries were sweet as honey and larger than walnuts!"
However, experts warn: exceeding the concentration (more than 2 tsp per 5 l) can "burn" the roots. Spray the plants in the morning or evening, avoiding direct sunlight to avoid burning the leaves.
Fun fact: The method was discovered by accident in the 1980s in Holland when a farmer used baking soda to combat powdery mildew and noticed an unexpected effect on the size of the fruit.
Today, this method is actively used in organic farming in Europe, replacing chemical growth regulators.
But there is a nuance: soda only works on soils with an initial acidity of pH below 6.0. If your soil is neutral or alkaline, the effect will be the opposite - the plants will begin to wither. How to check pH? Buy test strips at a gardening store or use a folk method: water the soil with vinegar. If foam appears, the soil is alkaline, and soda is not needed.
For maximum results, combine soda with other natural fertilizers. For example, two weeks before treating with a soda solution, add rotted compost to the soil - it will increase the activity of microorganisms.
And after spraying, add an infusion of onion peel to the water for irrigation (1 handful per 3 liters of boiling water), which contains quercetin, stimulating cell division. According to organic agronomist Sergei Voronin : "This tandem doubles the effectiveness of soda, and the berries acquire a rich aroma."
But be careful: the method is not suitable for remontant strawberry varieties, such as Albion or Mara de Bois. Their delicate roots are sensitive to alkaline environments. For such cases, it is better to use foliar feeding - spray the leaves with a solution of 0.5 tsp. soda per 5 liters of water.
And remember: soda is not a panacea. If your soil is poor in organic matter, even giant berries will be tasteless. Fertilize the beds with ash (1 cup per m²) and regularly mulch with humus.
Historical background: In Japan, baking soda has been used for decades to grow giant fruits, including the famous $300 watermelons. There, it is mixed with seaweed to create unique bioactive cocktails.
Try to adapt this method - and your strawberries will become the main star of the summer season!
