Growing strawberries is time consuming. One of the most successful countries on this issue is Finland. It occupies a leading position in the market of this delicious delicacy, despite the rather harsh climate in this northern country. Growing strawberries in Finland is a priority for agricultural production.
- Basic principles of cultivation
- What you need for the Finnish method
- How to prepare a site for berries
- Arrangement of beds
- High beds
- Strawberry planting technology
- Peculiarities of care
- The advantages of growing strawberries using Finnish technology
Basic principles of cultivation
Strawberry cultivation according to the Finnish technology occurs in two ways: in the open field and in greenhouses. The main characteristic - the land under crops is covered with a film; this process is called mulching. This technique allows you to harvest in 7-8 weeks after transplanting. The reason for such precocity is the rapid warming of the soil. Also, this method does not allow rosettes to take root and grow weeds.
Strawberry cultivation methods in Finland differ from other methods that we are used to; yield depends on planting density. Usually it is 20-45 thousand plants per hectare.Seedlings are planted at a distance of 25-30 cm between the bushes.
An important condition for high yields is the choice of plant species. The following strawberry varieties are especially popular in Finland: "Senga Sengana", "Bounty", "Crown", "Honey", "Rumba". Finnish strawberries are distinguished by early precocity and high taste.
What you need for the Finnish method
The main material in any Finnish crop growing technology is film. Mulch coating is used on landings in 1 and 2 rows. For the first case, you will need a film coating of 1 meter, and for two-row plantings use 1.2-1.3 meters of film. It can be of different types: black, dark brown is more effective for crop growth, but it is too active in attracting the sun's rays, which can cause the crop to dry out. There is a white film, but when using it, the result will have to wait longer.
You can use materials from polypropylene nonwoven fabric. The cost of such materials is usually not very high, but there is a risk that the crop will not be sufficiently protected. For the discussed technology of growing strawberries need drip irrigation system.The hose is stretched all over the bed, small holes are made in it and placed in the ground at a small depth. So the crop is guaranteed protected from drying out.
How to prepare a site for berries
To make the strawberry a good harvest, Finnish technology is used, which is used to select an open sunny plot. This place should not be shaded from the south side by buildings or trees. The soil should show a neutral or weakly acid reaction. Soil preparation consists in saturating it with organic and mineral fertilizers and subsequent loosening. Fertilize the soil on the site can be humus, chicken droppings or nitrogen-containing mineral compounds.
Arrangement of beds
After preparation, you can begin to form the ridges. They are preferably located in the direction from south to north - to create conditions for maximum warming by the sun's rays.
The length of the ridges depends on the size of the plot, and the width is determined by the number of rows of strawberries.It can be one, two or three rows. Wider rows are not recommended due to the inconvenience of berry care and the difficulty of oxygen access to the soil under the film.
The most common two-row landing method. In this case, the ridge width is approximately 80 cm. The optimal row spacing is 60 cm. Ridges for planting strawberries using Finnish technology should be raised about 10 cm. This is required for a better warming up of the entire soil volume.
High beds
To the bed did not subside and remained in its original form, its edges need to be fixed. To do this, use the board, from it you need to put together a box without a bottom up to 50 cm high - this will be your frame for the ridge.
The size of the strawberry beds will be arbitrary, depending on how you prefer later to harvest. Then at each of the corners of the beds we set high racks from 20 to 30 cm, we install the frame, it is desirable that the place be even and well lit. Strawberries on high beds will give a good harvest if you have fertile land in your frame, which you have to fertilize in the spring.
High beds have a number of advantages in the southern regions, since the land is better ventilated at such facilities, which reduces the risk of powdery mildew and gray rot, and berries ripen completely. In any weather and in any climatic conditions, you will be able to achieve high yields, thanks to the Finnish technology of planting strawberries in high beds. 
Strawberry planting technology
First, gardeners prepare the soil for future planting berries. They dig up the earth, weed, and then loosen it so that there are no large clumps of earth, thanks to which the soil is enriched with oxygen. It is important to choose the site before landing. Choose one in which nothing grew a year before landing.
Then the land is well fertilized. Experienced gardeners are advised to use natural fertilizer, for example, horse manure, humus, compost. Typically, the width of the beds is 80 cm. The beds need to stand for 2 weeks, and at this time prepare the irrigation system. After preparing the hose for watering it is laid between the rows. The hose itself is rooted to the ground at a depth of 4-5 cm, and the far end of the hose is closed with a plug.
After the strawberries ripen, gardeners quickly pick berries from the film. As you can see, the Finnish method of growing strawberries is quite simple, economical and not very energy consuming. 
Peculiarities of care
In order for the berry, planted according to the Finnish technology, to be pleased with a bountiful harvest, it is necessary to take good care of its plantings. Care is as follows:
- regular watering with cold water, but should not allow excessive waterlogging;
- correct fertilizing with fertilizers;
- preventive treatment of plantings from diseases and pests;
- regular removal of antennae.
The advantages of growing strawberries using Finnish technology
When planting seedlings using black plastic wrap. It is produced in Finland, according to statistics, it covers 80% of the planted areas. Finnish covering material has high quality and durability.
Finnish strawberries are planted in single and double row ways. For the first type of disembarkation, a coating for strawberries with a width of 1 meter is used, for the second - 1.2 meters.
The benefits of mulching:
- accumulation in the upper soil layers of nitrate nitrogen, which improves the nutrient medium of the plant;
- an increase in the activity of soil microorganisms;
- an obstacle to the growth of weeds;
- stabilization of humidity levels;
- barrier for rooting outlets;
- berries do not soil dirty, retain their presentation;
- uniform heating of the soil.
