Sweet strawberries are not luck, but the result of proper feeding. And you don't need sugar or honey for that.
Just 3 drops of pharmacy iodine per bucket of water will turn your berries into candy, and at the same time protect them from gray mold.
Iodine not only disinfects, but also participates in the synthesis of sugars, making fruits sweeter.
But it must be used in strict dosage, otherwise the leaves will get burned.
At the beginning of flowering, dilute 5 drops of iodine in 10 liters of water, add 1 glass of whey and spray the bushes.
The serum creates a film on the leaves that retains iodine and protects against powdery mildew.
Repeat the treatment after 10 days, but reduce the iodine dose to 3 drops. In just a week, the berries will begin to blush, and their aroma will intensify many times over.
For root watering, use a weaker solution: 2 drops of iodine per 10 l - this will strengthen the roots and scare away the larvae of the cockchafer.
But there is an important nuance: iodine cannot be used in hot weather. Spray strawberries only early in the morning or after sunset, so that the drops do not become lenses in the sun.
If you notice that the leaves are curling, rinse them with clean water.
To enhance the sweetness, add 1 tablespoon of ash to the solution - potassium will “add” honey notes to the berries.
Why is iodine better than store-bought products? It does not accumulate in fruits and is safe for bees.
By the way, you can spray raspberries and currants with the same solution - their berries will become larger and will not fall off before harvesting.
And if you treat the bed a week before planting strawberries, this will disinfect the soil and kill pest larvae.
