🍓 Strawberry Cultivation Month 6 (March) Strategy: Controlling Explosive Spring Growth and Maintaining Quality!

Hello! I'm Takahiro Ogawa, your agricultural management supporter.
As we enter March, the days in the greenhouse are becoming more like early summer than spring.
The strawberries planted at the end of September are now in their busiest phase, transitioning from the harvest of the "third flower cluster" to the blooming of the "fourth flower cluster."

However, March is a time when you fall into the dilemma of "increased harvest volume, but quality (sugar content and firmness) easily drops." Here is a thorough explanation of the key points to keep up with the speed of spring!

💡 Overview of March Management: Responding to the Accelerating Cycle

In March, the number of days from blooming to harvest is significantly shorter than in winter. How carefully you can control this "fast-forward" state is the turning point for continuing the harvest through May.

1. Temperature Management: Ventilate Early to Let Them Grow "Slowly"

When the outside temperature rises, the temperature inside the greenhouse can easily exceed 30°C in no time.

• Thorough "Early Opening and Early Closing"
  Start ventilation gradually right after sunrisebefore the temperature rises to suppress rapid temperature spikes. It is ideal to keep the maximum daytime temperature around 25°C.

• Why lower the temperature?
  If it is too hot, the fruit will turn red in a short period, leading to "premature small fruit" that reaches harvest time before sugar can accumulate. By keeping it cool, you allow the fruit to enlarge slowly.

2. Water and Nutrition: The Battle Against Calcium Deficiency

In March, the sunlight becomes stronger, and transpiration (evaporation of moisture) from the leaves becomes intense. It is not uncommon for water requirements to increase to 1.5 to 2 times that of winter.

• Adjusting Irrigation Frequency

  1. Instead of increasing the amount per watering all at once, increase the frequencyto supply moisture without putting stress on the roots.

• Strengthening Calcium (Ca)

  1. If growth is too fast, calcium absorption cannot keep up, making it easy for "tip burn" (where leaf tips wither) and "soft fruit" to occur.

• Countermeasures

  1. Apply calcium agents via foliar spray once or twice a week. By strengthening the cell walls, you can maintain "firm, long-lasting fruit."

3. Pest and Disease Control: The Decisive Battle Against Thrips

When the temperature rises, pests that were dormant during the winter start to become active all at once. The main culprit in March is thrips.

• Signs of damage

  1. Flowers may turn brown, or the surface of the fruit may develop scratch-like marks (rust-like traces). Once this happens, the commercial value drops drastically, so early detection is vital.

• Specific actions

  1. Hang yellow or blue sticky traps and check them daily. Also, mowing weeds around the greenhouse is an important measure to prevent intrusion from the outside.

🚩 March Important Action Checklist

I have listed the items to check instead of using a table format.

• [Ventilation] Are you starting to open the sides within 30 minutes of sunrise? (To avoid rapid temperature rises)

• [Irrigation] Is the growing medium too wet in the evening? (To prevent diseases caused by high humidity at night)

• [Additional Fertilization] Are you supplementing with amino acids and trace elements before signs of plant fatigue appear?

• [Quality] Have you made foliar application of calcium agents a routine?

• [Pests] Is the number of thrips caught in the traps increasing?

• [Harvesting] Are you finishing the harvest during the cool morning hours before the fruit softens?

In March, it is easy for management to fall behind as you get busy with harvesting, but the 'extra effort' here (careful ventilation and calcium supplementation) will be the foundation that supports long-term harvesting until Golden Week (GW).

Let's wisely get through the busy spring season while being wrapped in the sweet scent of strawberries!

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