Strawberry Nitrogen Management and the 4Rs

Learn how to improve nitrogen management in strawberry production using the 4Rs: Right Rate, Right Time, Right Place, and Right Source. This educational video explores how nitrogen moves through the soil, how strawberry plants take up nitrogen throughout the growing season, and how fertilizer and irrigation management affect crop yields and the risk of nitrate leaching to groundwater. The video explains how to develop a nitrogen budget for strawberries by accounting for crop nitrogen demand, residual soil nitrate, nitrogen in irrigation water, and contributions from fertilizers and organic amendments. Topics include soil nitrate testing, leaf tissue analysis, fertigation timing and placement, and selecting nitrogen fertilizer sources to improve nutrient availability and reduce leaching losses. These science-based management practices can help growers and crop advisors improve nitrogen use efficiency, maintain high-quality strawberry yields, reduce unnecessary fertilizer costs, and minimize nitrate losses to groundwater. This video is part of CURES’ Crop Nutrient Minute educational series, supported by the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP). The series provides practical nutrient management information to support agricultural professionals in California.