Cultivation of Strawberries

Written by: Samira Haleemzai

 Cultivation of strawberries in Afghanistan is a relatively new agricultural experience. If we do not know how to cultivate and take care of this plant, we might face some problems.

AEPO’s writer/producer has talked to some peasants about the cultivation of strawberries.

Janan, a resident of Paktia province says, “I took some plants of strawberries from Kabul city to Paktia province and I cultivated them. After a few days, the leaves of the mentioned plants became yellow and all the plants dried and I got no crop.”

Muhammad Fahim, a resident of Qarabagh district, Kabul province says, “I paid about 13000 Afghanis for purchasing strawberry plants and I cultivated them in 4000 square meters land. I did not have enough water for the irrigation of these plants. I spent more money digging a well and I spent the most time in the strawberries field. The plants grew but did not yield and finally all the plants dried and I faced a loss of about 20 thousand Afghanis.”

How to grow strawberries step by step?

A peasant says, “Strawberries grow well in soft but in drain soil. We mix compost and manure with the soil. We dig each hole 10 cm and the roots of the plant should be buried. The space between each plant should be about 30-50 cm. The plants should be watered by waterpipe because watering by pipe, prevents weeds to be grown in strawberries fields. Strawberry needs more water.”

Muhammad Arif, a resident of Qarabagh district, Kabul province says, “I have cultivated strawberries in 2000 square meters land. In the beginning, I prepared the land for the cultivation of strawberries and I planted strawberry plants somewhere else and later, I transferred the plants in the evening with some soil to the land that   I had prepared for them. Planting strawberries in the night prevent them to be dried due to the sunrays. I get good yields from my strawberries field.”