Growing strawberries on a windowsill all year round. Secrets of growing strawberries at home

Useful and tasty strawberries grow in almost every summer cottage and household plot. This rather capricious plant can be grown at home. This process is laborious, but as a result, it will be possible to enjoy delicious fresh fruits all year round, make jam, and all this will be worth the effort that was spent on growing strawberries in an apartment.

To grow strawberries at home all year round, it is necessary to choose remontant varieties that bear fruit more than twice during the year. They fall into several categories:

1. NST - plants that grow well, develop and bear fruit throughout the year with a neutral light day. They are resistant to unstable temperature conditions, lighting, variable humidity and are unpretentious in care.
2. DSD - remontant varieties that need a long daylight hours for the emergence of buds. Therefore, their fruiting occurs in the summer and early autumn.

Suitable for home use ampel varieties strawberries, which are distinguished by hanging lashes.

The most popular remontant varieties of homemade strawberries:

Growing strawberries under agrofibre

Conditions for year-round cultivation

When growing strawberries in an apartment, seedlings and adult plants must be provided with good lighting and suitable air temperature. It is unacceptable to ignore these two conditions, since they are fundamental in the process of growing berries. Failure to comply with temperature and lighting is fraught with the fact that fragrant fruits can simply not be expected.

Lighting Requirements

Containers with plants must be placed on the windowsills on the east or southeast side. But if spring and summer is enough solar lighting, then in winter the bushes will need additional light for growth and fruiting. It can be provided with the help of LED lamps, in which the emission spectrum is balanced. You can also use fluorescent lighting fixtures, combining warm and cold light.

To increase efficiency and even distribution of lighting, it is recommended to enclose a strawberry garden with a screen. It can be made from cardboard, on which crumpled food foil is glued. Foil material sold in hardware stores is also suitable. A special timer can be connected to an artificial light source, thereby automating the switching process. Strawberry bushes should receive lighting both in summer and winter for twelve to fourteen hours.

Air temperature

The optimum air temperature for growing strawberries at home is +20 degrees. It is easy to provide such a temperature for plants in apartments and houses. If the air temperature rises, then you can open the windows. IN winter time year it is necessary to ventilate the room, but only for a short period of time. In houses where the air temperature is below +20 degrees, you will need to use additional sources heat.

Soil preparation

To grow strawberries at home, you must first prepare a soil suitable for the culture. It should be loose and pass air to the root system of plants. Garden land for growing strawberries at home is not suitable.

Description of the garden strawberry variety Albion

The soil mixture can be bought at the store or prepared independently by mixing equal parts of sand, peat and turf soil. Before sowing seeds or planting seedlings, the substrate should be disinfected, for which it can be calcined in an oven at a temperature of 150–160 degrees for half an hour.

Instead of earth, you can use a mixture of peat with perlite and expanded clay sand or peat with coconut fiber and perlite. In such mixtures there will be no larvae of pests and pathogens of crop diseases. In addition, containers filled with perlite and peat are much lighter than those filled with earth. They can be easily transferred from the loggia to the windowsill when winter approaches.

Landing methods

At home, strawberries can be grown from seed or buy seedlings. You can also use seedlings of remontant varieties that grew in the garden.

Young berry bushes

Young strawberry bushes are dug out of the ground along with the roots and kept in a cool room for two weeks. This is necessary in order to provide them with peace. After that, too long roots are cut off on the bushes, and the remaining ones are soaked for several hours in a solution of heterouxone (one tablet per five liters of water). This will help the plant adapt quickly and encourage active root growth.

After processing, the seedlings are placed in containers filled with soil. Roots should be covered with soil only half.

Strawberry seedlings can be bought at a store or special farms that breed it.

Strawberries on the windowsill from seeds

Seeds can be sown in flower pots, plastic boxes or carton boxes. Any container is suitable for filling with soil and sowing seeds. Sowing is done as follows:

Rational arrangement of beds in a greenhouse 3x6

The container with crops is placed in heat. After the seedlings appear, the film is removed, and the seedlings are placed in a well-lit place where there is no direct sunlight.

When two true leaves appear on strawberries, the senets are seated in separate pots or in other permanent containers. You can use plastic or wooden boxes and make an “earthy” pillow in them:

• one or two centimeters of drainage;
• eight to ten centimeters of fertile substrate.

Bushes of young strawberries are planted from each other at a distance of eight to twelve centimeters. Plants must be watered and placed on a windowsill or warm loggia where they will continue to grow and bear fruit.

Summer and winter care

When growing strawberries on the windowsill, it needs watering, which can be carried out both from above and from below. It is best to use bottom watering, for which containers with bushes are immersed in a bowl of water until the soil is saturated. You can simply pour water into deep pans. As soon as the ground becomes completely wet, the remaining water from the pans is poured out.

Strawberries need to be watered twice a week with settled water at room temperature. After watering upper layer the soil loosens. Plants should not be watered too often. From excess moisture in the soil, the bushes can begin to suffer from various fungal diseases.

Feeding Recipes

Home-grown strawberries definitely need top dressing. You can use organic complexes (wood ash, potassium sulfate, potassium nitrate, nitrophoska, etc.) and mineral fertilizers.

The first feeding is carried out when three true leaves appear on the bush. Top dressing recipes for five liters of water:

• 50 g wood ash;
• 1 st. l. potassium nitrate;
• 1 tsp potassium sulfate and 1 large spoon of nitrophoska;
• 0.5 cups of wood ash, 15 drops of iodine and 0.5 tsp. boric acid;
• 1 tsp nitroammophoski.

Recipes for these dressings should be alternated throughout the year. Strawberries should be fed during the growing season, budding, flowering and after harvest. During fruiting, plants are not fed.

Iron plays an important role in the formation of ovaries. To enrich the substrate with this element, you can use fertilizers containing it or deepen rusty nails into the soil with plants.

How to grow tomatoes according to the Maslov method

Pollination of beds

To obtain a good harvest all year round, it is necessary to independently carry out pollination. You can do this manually using a soft small brush, or turn on a fan in the room. The first method is longer and more laborious, but it is much more effective.

Diseases and pests

At home, strawberries, as a rule, are not susceptible to disease. But often waterlogged soil can lead to the appearance of gray rot on the bushes. Such a disease leads first to the defeat of the fruits and leaves, and then to the death of the entire plant. Its sign is a fluffy coating that appears on the buds or leaves. If gray rot is found, the affected parts of the bush are removed, and the remaining parts are processed before flowering with a 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture. Watering should be reduced and access to fresh air should be provided to the culture.

Often strawberries at home are affected spider mite. These small insects settle on the underside of the leaves and feed on the sap of the plant. You can get rid of them with the help of infusion of garlic. If there are a lot of insects, then you will have to use insecticidal preparations. Plants should be diluted and sprayed with them strictly according to the instructions.

Reasons for the lack of fruiting

The culture has its own botanical features, so it will bear fruit only under certain conditions and proper care. There can be several reasons for the absence of fruits:

1. Temperature violation.
2. Incorrect pollination procedure.
3. Lack of full-fledged irrigation measures.
4. Late landing.
5. Insufficient lighting.
6. Incorrectly selected varieties.

If strawberries do not bear fruit, the conditions for its cultivation and compliance with the rules of care should be reviewed.

To obtain a good yield, experienced gardeners recommend picking off the first flowers on a young bush. You should also remove the tendrils that appear, which take a lot of strength from the plant, as a result of which fruits are formed worse and less often. If the strawberry bed is provided with good lighting, then a certain amount of tendrils can be left in order to plant them in the future and get new plants.

By providing strawberry beds with the necessary lighting, air temperature and proper care, you can grow strawberries on the windowsill all year round and harvest right in your apartment.

Every second gardener or just a lover of home plants wants to grow not only beautiful, but also useful plant. And almost every housewife will not mind strawberries being such a culture. This is beautiful - flowering plant emits a pleasant aroma, has a beautiful appearance, and you can.

The general concept of remontant strawberries

In order to enjoy delicious berries all year round, you need to know what types and varieties are required for reproduction. In detail about that, we already wrote earlier.

Homemade strawberries all year round is quite realistic if everything is organized correctly.

Experienced gardeners use for similar purposes exclusively remontant varieties , however, you should know which varieties are able to bear fruit continuously, and which ones only two crops.

Can you grow strawberries on a windowsill?

Remontant crops differ from the usual type not only in that they are able to bear fruit several times during the warm season, but also in the length of daylight hours. Ordinary crops, as a rule, are characterized by ripening with a short light day, that is, they ripen even at night, if the temperature regime allows.

Strawberries have bloomed on the windowsill, we are waiting for the first berries.

Differences in varieties

Remontant crops are divided into the maturation of long daylight hours and neutral daylight hours - DSD and NSD.

DSD repairers are able to develop and lay buds only in the presence of long-term illumination - produce twice a season . In this case, as a rule, the second crop is characterized by larger fruits and a higher overall level of yield. However, in this case, this species does not differ in particular endurance, as a result of which many bushes die after the season - they dry out.

NSD repairers are characterized by stronger endurance, fruiting is characterized by continuity, does not depend on the length of daylight hours. If favorable conditions are created, they are able to give a high level of yield for about ten months in a row. If grown at room temperature, with enough light provided, they are not affected by the weather and climate either.

Classification of varieties

If a decision is made to grow strawberries on a windowsill, you should ask the store what type the seedlings are, what they are called.

The main popular names of NSD remontants:

• Queen Elizabeth;
• Queen Elizabeth II;
• Roman F1;
• Tristar;
• Brighton.

Queen Elizabeth

It is believed that Queen Elizabeth refers to a type of long day of maturation, however, many gardeners still prefer to grow it in an apartment due to the large size of the berries and high taste..

The main advantages of the variety:

• large formation of whiskers for breeding;
• the size of the berries - 50 grams;
• beautiful flower stalks - a nice decor on the window;
• pleasant aroma;
• long-term storage in fresh and processed form.

In most cases, the first Elizabeth is grown in the house by those owners who are satisfied with such strawberry production period due to employment. The rest of the varieties are bright representatives of their species, they are distinguished by regular fruiting, pleasant aroma, beautiful flower stalks, high level endurance.

Rules for planting strawberries at home

When choosing a variety, it should be borne in mind that the plant will live in the selected container for about three years, since it reduces immunity and productivity, lengthens the adaptation period.

In order not to replant strawberries once again, you need to immediately choose a larger pot.

In addition, adult seedlings may well die due to the fact that they are not able to adapt to new conditions as much as possible.

For one bush, you can use a container with a volume no more than three liters . The flowerpot should be wide and medium in height - at least twenty centimeters. Can be used balcony boxes for group boarding. Depending on the size of the box, the number of seedlings is calculated. If the approximate volume of the container is from ten to fifteen liters - four bushes, the distance between them is twenty-five centimeters.

Tank preparation

The container for seedlings must be properly prepared.

• Drainage holes should be cut at the bottom of the pot or box excess water, and the bottom of the tank is laid with a drainage mixture - expanded clay, pebbles, broken bricks or pebbles.
• As a substrate, you can use a universal ready-made mixture from the store, which is used for indoor plants.
• But it is also permissible to use a self-prepared mixture - forest land, humus, humus, peat, sand .
• The dose is selected at the rate of two parts to one part.

Planting a seedling

top dressing

• It is recommended to feed approx. once every fourteen days .
• The frequency and amount of feeding will depend on the condition of the seedlings, stage of development, season.

It should be remembered that there is a so-called "dead period" when the plant is resting - it does not bloom, does not bear fruit, does not throw out stepchildren. At this time, all the functions of the culture freeze - the plant thus rests - do not apply any fertilizing and fertilizers . Can be used monofertilizer , or it can be a complex consisting of several substances.

Growing algorithm

Landing begins, as a rule, in July.

Around the second week after transplanting the seedlings, new leaves should appear.

This is due to the adaptation period - so that the seedlings can adapt to the winter, and already show the result in the spring. Planted in a voluminous pot, can be placed on the balcony, on the sunny side - on the south or southeast side of the balcony.

The appearance of the results - the first additional leaves - is expected on eleventh day . If young leaves appeared, the plant is firmly rooted and taken root. At the same time, the old leaves gradually die off and crumble. On the thirtieth day, the first buds of peduncles can be expected, which should be removed in order for the second flowering to bring better results.

flower stalks

Around the thirty-seventh day - flower stalks open.

On bushes planted more than a month ago, the first flowers appear.

First, there are several disclosures - approximately two to four inflorescences . The duration of flowering varies three days, then the petals fall off and the first fruits are tied.

The conditional end of flowering, if the strawberry belongs to the period of long daylight hours of ripening, occurs approximately on the fifty-second day after planting.

We help the flowers to pollinate.

First berries

At the same time, the first berries increased in size, and the peduncles bloom and fade in turn.

It is necessary to monitor the stems due to the fact that the first berries are extremely large - the stems can break.

To prevent this phenomenon, you can put a cloth roller or foam rubber under the stems. And you should also remember about systematic watering as needed. The first sample of ripe berries usually occurs on the sixty-first day, if all measures of proper agricultural technology are followed.

Deformed berries appear with insufficient pollination of peduncles.

Fruiting all year round

For winter fruiting, strawberries need additional illumination, as a result of which the length of the day will increase to approximately twelve hours.

Additional lighting for homemade strawberries.

The temperature regime is maintained at the level twenty degrees Celsius . If for indoor cultivation the DSD variety is used, it is worth remembering that the duration of the active productivity of this species is two or three years.

If a decision is made to grow NSD remontants, one must be prepared for the fact that a decline in productivity may occur in a year, and then it will be necessary to carry out new planting and breeding of young seedlings.

Video on how to plant strawberries from seeds at home

The sounded technology is suitable both for industrial scale and for growing strawberries at home (the only difference is in the size of the room and the amount of crop).

Strawberry- this is not only an early ripening and productive berry that does not require high labor costs when growing it, but also an excellent opportunity for earning. However, having come to the conclusion that you can make good money on strawberries, almost everyone who wants to do such a business is faced with elementary technical problems:

- How to establish year-round cultivation of strawberries?

In order to answer this question with maximum clarity, below you will be presented with a clear and coherent system that allows you to understand not only the agricultural technology of growing strawberries, but also get real data on the necessary equipment and all kinds of components, expressed in specific numbers. All this will allow you to significantly save time and money by spending necessary calculations right here and now.

Rooms for growing strawberries.

Growing strawberries all year round is possible not only in greenhouses, but also at home. For this purpose, absolutely any room is suitable, and even city ​​apartment(you can actually grow strawberries at home)! How this is possible, you will understand a little later. And now I will explain what requirements a strawberry plantation should meet in a room with a complete lack of sunlight.

Lighting.

In order to provide strawberry bushes with normal photosynthesis, you need to create artificial lighting. For these purposes, 4 types of lamps are suitable:

1. Fluorescent lamps.
2. High pressure sodium lamps.
3. ESL (energy saving lamps).
4. metal halide lamps.

In our case, the best option is high pressure sodium lamps. The fact is that the high pressure of sodium vapor in the lamp allows the output to give such spectra as red and blue radiation, which in their parameters are closest to the bright summer sun.

At the same time, it is not enough to simply install the lamp over a certain section of the garden, since its light must be evenly distributed over the entire surface. That is, the lamp must be enclosed in a special lamp equipped with a reflector, which helps not only to optimize lighting, but also helps to reduce electrical appliances throughout the strawberry plantation area, thereby reducing electricity costs.

Characteristics of sodium lamp:

• Optimum power - 400 watts.
• Lighting area - 1 m².
• Height above the bed level - no more than 1 m.

That is, in order to illuminate 1 m² of beds, you need 1 lamp. At the same time, the intensity of illumination should be at least 12 hours for varieties of remontant strawberries of a neutral day. And then a natural question arises:

- And how much will such a pleasure cost, in terms of electricity costs?

And here a rather impressive figure emerges - 1296 kW of electricity per year. And to be more precise, for 9 months in rubles it is about 2 thousand rubles.

But these costs will be more than outweighed by the yield, which, under all equal conditions, can reach 40 kg of strawberries per 1 m². But the wholesale cost of 40 kg of strawberries in winter will plunge you into a slight shock - at least 20 thousand rubles! Well, from such income it became more fun? Then we read on.

The technology of growing strawberries in a greenhouse also requires additional lighting. Let's say the option of a thermos greenhouse, proposed by me in an article on growing flowers, which allows you to save up to 75% of electricity for heating it, also needs artificial lighting, especially in winter. It's just that in the case of a greenhouse, the light intensity will be much less.

Strawberry beds.

Strawberry patches is, of course, a general expression, and, in fact, you have to construct three-row shelving.

The optimal width of such a rack is 1 m (we look at the lighting), the height is 1.5 meters, the length is arbitrary. The rack must be divided into 3 rows and containers should be installed in each of the rows: the width of the container in the lower part is 15 cm, in the upper part 20 cm, the height of the container is 20 cm, the length corresponds to the length of the rack. The distance between the rows of containers is 20 cm.

Since a high load will go on the racks, it is better to make them welded from a metal profile. For containers, materials such as plywood, fiberboard, plastic, wood, etc. are quite suitable.

Other characteristics of a closed type of premises:

• Air humidity - 75-80%.
• The air temperature is 20-22°C, but not more than 25 degrees.
• Ventilation is moderate.

So, we figured out the room and its equipment and now we will consider the main methods of growing strawberries in such unusual conditions for it.

Making compost for growing strawberries.

Basic composition of compost for strawberries- this is 80% light sandy loam and 20% humus.

As for light sandy loam, getting such soil is not a problem. How to do it right, read the above article on how to grow flowers in a greenhouse.

But you need to be careful with humus, as many confuse it with manure. Manure and humus are completely different things, and it is the latter that comes from the former. It does not matter what type of manure served as the feedstock for the formation of humus, the main thing is that the humus is aged. That is, he must be at least 3 years old, the humus must be of a uniform color and without any smell of ammonia.

The second point that you should pay attention to, after thoroughly mixing all the components of the compost, is its pasteurization. It would be nice if you equipped a special compost pasteurization chamber (read more about compost pasteurization in the article on mushroom growing technology). But if you do not have such an opportunity, then you can go the other way.

To pasteurize compost you will need a container closed type any volume. After the container is filled, thoroughly spill the compost with water and put it on a slow fire. The main thing is to arm yourself with a thermometer with a division scale of up to 100 ° heat and make sure that the temperature of the compost fluctuates in the range of 55-60 ° heat for 10-12 hours, while constantly stirring it.

Before filling containers with compost, they must be equipped with a drip irrigation system. And no matter what methods of growing strawberries you use, such an irrigation system is optimal for each of them. Just surface watering for strawberries is not recommended.

A drip irrigation system for strawberries is arranged as follows:

1. Pour a layer of compost 10 cm high into each container.
2. We lay tubes on the surface of the compost in containers.
3. We make holes in the tubes based on the water flow rate - 3-4 liters. per 1 m² of rack per day.
4. We install a container under water 1 m above the level of the rack and connect a pipe system to it.

If it is not possible to automate such an irrigation system, then the required water consumption (3-4 liters per 1 m²) is measured empirically, as well as the actual size and number of holes in the tubes.
In addition to its main function, the drip irrigation system serves as a tool for delivering nutrients to strawberry bushes. It can be both water-soluble fertilizers and growth regulators. But it is worth using them or not, everything will depend on the specific situation.

Well, when the irrigation system is installed and adjusted, all that remains is to fill the containers with soil and proceed to growing strawberries.

Choice of strawberry variety.

Which particular variety of strawberries to grow, I personally can’t advise you. The fact is that strawberry varieties are constantly updated and selected, but I will provide you with the main criteria for choosing a variety for year-round cultivation of strawberries:

• First, it must be a variety assigned to remontant type of strawberry neutral day (such strawberries bloom several times a year).
• Secondly, the period of formation of berries and ovaries in this variety should go continuously.
• The third is the maximum possible size of the berries and their uniform color at the stage of maturity.
• The fourth is high palatability, as well as a strong aroma of berries.

Establishment of a mother plantation and year-round strawberry crop rotation.

Let's immediately decide on the technological period of strawberry fruiting.

Delicious sweet strawberries at home

He will make us 9 months, September to May, since it is unprofitable to grow strawberries in the summer according to the technology I proposed, due to its low cost and high competition.

In order to prepare a good mother plantation, capable of producing a stable harvest already in September, it is necessary to bookmark it in early April. This is done in two ways: either by growing remontant strawberries with seeds, or by growing them with seedlings.

If you do not have the required number of seedlings obtained from your strawberry plantation, then the second method is the least preferable. Just in this case, you run the risk of acquiring planting material strawberries that do not fully correspond to its original varietal qualities. That's why best method bookmarks of the first plantation are seeds.

Strawberry seeds are sown in small boxes, previously with well-moistened soil and only slightly cover them with a thin layer of earth. At the same time, the germination of strawberry seeds is quite low and does not exceed 50%. Main criterion high germination of seeds is bright sunlight, in our case, the light of a sodium lamp, as well as high humidity of the soil surface.

High soil moisture should be maintained by spraying water on it, that is, drip, surface irrigation is inappropriate in this case, since water will erode the topsoil.

After the first shoots appear and the strawberry seedlings take root, they carry out the first pick, planting the strawberries in a checkerboard pattern according to the scheme - 5X5 cm. About 1.5 months after the first pick, they carry out the second pick, planting the strawberries or in rows, with a row spacing 20 cm, or in a checkerboard pattern - 10x10 cm.

As a result, after carrying out all this work, you should get the required number of strawberry mother bushes, which are at a stage close to budding. In terms of time and quantity, this is expressed as follows: by the end of July, you must grow 100 strawberry bushes per 1 m² of racks.

But already in the second year of growing strawberries, you can get planting material not with the help of seeds, but with the help of young rosettes. That is, year-round crop rotation in this case will cost you completely free of charge. This is done quite simply. In the month of April, mustaches are grafted onto free plots of land in containers, and by the end of May, young strawberry bushes, called rosettes, are obtained.

From the foregoing, it becomes clear that all strawberry beds require annual renewal. And this is not just a whim, but a necessity, since remontant strawberries, unlike ordinary garden strawberries, rarely bear fruit for more than 2 years.

Planting of mother bushes on the plantation is carried out at the end of July, and by this time it is desirable to get planting material that is just gaining color. Further care comes down to watering, fertilizing and, of course, harvesting.

In conclusion, I would like to note that in order to reproduce planting material, you need to equip a room equal in area to the room with the main strawberry plantation, or simply grow planting material in open ground.

Home » Strawberries » Growing strawberries at home all year round

Growing strawberries at home all year round

Technology for growing strawberries all year round at home

Growing strawberries at home!

The technology of growing strawberries all year round will allow you to constantly enjoy the taste of these ripe berries. Note that this technique is relatively simple, and if you master it perfectly, you can even create small business at home, which will bring a regular income.

How to grow strawberries at home?

To begin with, you need to study these berries in more detail, in particular strawberry varieties. Then you must carefully deal with each step, correct execution which will allow you to harvest a high yield. Growing strawberries at home:

• arrangement of the premises with the necessary system for ensuring a favorable microclimate (heating, ventilation, top dressing, irrigation, top dressing) preparation of substrate components preparation and storage of seedlings of berries

After the planting of strawberries is carried out, it is necessary to maintain an optimal microclimate in the room. Moreover, it can be either a glazed balcony or an attic, a veranda, a loggia. Remember that you need to equip the so-called berry blocks.

They can even be placed in several tiers, if the height of the room allows. In order to ensure the care of strawberries, it is necessary to build a makeshift irrigation system. As you can see, strawberries can grow in your home all year round. The main thing is to just carefully study all the stages of its cultivation, and strictly follow each item, maintaining favorable conditions for these capricious berries.

How to make money growing strawberries at home?

Many housewives are now trying to make money with their own hands, growing or designing certain products for life. I want to tell you about growing strawberries at home, this is one of the ways to get money.

Pleasant, juicy, tasty, fragrant, strawberries in your home all year round is a great luxury. All year round, depending on the season, strawberries in the store cost a lot of money, but you can grow strawberries at home without buying.

In search of who grows strawberries at home, I found a lot of blogs on the Internet, and this did not surprise me very much. After all, every thinking housewife takes care of her table.

Do not forget about the most important thing - It is easy to do business legally. To begin with, we will prepare a room for growing strawberries, it is necessary to maintain a favorable temperature all year round. A balcony, a garage, or a non-residential room is suitable for this. We create favorable conditions for growing strawberries.

To do this, we never make any changes to the room microclimate throughout the entire growth of strawberries. In a room, 21 degrees is optimal for product growth.

Try to bring indoor lighting closer to natural light, turn on the light for 16 hours a day, imitation of the night is very useful for the berry. Equip rooms with fluorescent lamps.

Airing the room is necessary daily, ventilation must be artificial. We fill plastic bags with a special substrate and plant seedlings of strawberries, if not, then in ordinary pots.

It just all depends on the premises and the number of breeding objects, and of future profits. To have a huge harvest, you need to use plastic bags.

We fill the bags with fertilizer and special soil, it is also necessary to make a hole in the bag (4-5 in total), and plant seedlings. by the most favorable time autumn and spring are considered for planting, and at home the time is always favorable.

A remontant strawberry variety is best suited for seedlings. This variety without uprooting, brings 4-5 crops per year. These are the varieties Yellow Miracle, Cardinal, Geneva, Moscow Delicatessen, Brighton.

If you use only these varieties, then in a year the growth of strawberries will be up to 2 kg from an area of ​​\u200b\u200bup to 20 liters. There is no natural pollination at home.

How to pollinate a berry? At home, we pollinate the berries in these ways: - a fan, direct it every morning towards the flowers. - use a brush for painting, brush over the flower every morning. Fertilize the berry periodically, the best fertilizer for strawberries is manure or humus, or mineral fertilizers (which are sold in any flower shop), do not forget after fertilizing, treat the strawberry bush with preparations to form the ovary.

Water the strawberries often, but do not flood, otherwise you will destroy the bushes, it is necessary to water each bush a day with 3 liters of water. To do this, prepare a pot or container with a large layer of drainage.

Almost everyone can grow strawberries at home, but not everyone has patience, and strawberries require attention and care. Spend a few hours daily caring for strawberries, and you will feel a lot of money in harvesting and selling it.

I think you should try it. There is also a Dutch method of growing strawberries, which is that a plastic bag (2-2.5 m) is filled with peat. Small holes are made in the bag in a checkerboard pattern for seedlings.

Irrigation pipes are connected to this bag. Such bags can be placed almost everywhere: from a balcony to a garage, so there is no need for a land plot.

Profitability of the strawberry business

How strawberries will be marketed is also an important part of the business. It is highly advisable to first draw up a business plan for growing strawberries. Possible:

1. Realization fresh; Delivery for processing.

Experts believe that opening your own retail outlets is not always a profitable solution, since, for example, in the winter season, up to 80% of strawberries are sold through supermarkets, and in spring and summer, the bulk of sales go to the markets. After the main components for the launch are purchased business, you should also carefully consider buying a refrigerator for berries. Presentation is one of the main conditions for the successful sale of strawberries. Thanks to cold rooms You can keep the berries for two weeks.

According to experts, the profitability of growing strawberries in a greenhouse is more than 100%, and investments pay off in 1-2 seasons.

How to grow strawberries at home

The costs for running a strawberry business in greenhouses are 40-60% higher than using the open field method.

Growing strawberries at home

Strawberries can be grown at home or in the country. For this you should:

1. Decide on a location. The future profit depends on the size of the plot and the possibility of investment. Purchase the necessary funds and equipment. Select varieties.

When caring for strawberries, you need to remember the following rules:

1. Strawberries need constant watering, especially in hot weather. Regular watering will make the berries juicier. Strawberries need sunlight to grow quickly and feel good, so constant access to it is necessary. The soil on which strawberries grow needs constant fertilization. There are special mixtures, but nitrogen fertilizers, humus, ash, etc. can also be used. Constant cleaning of the soil from weeds is necessary so that they do not take away all the necessary vitamins.

Rabbit breeding as a business - how can you make money on animal husbandry in Russia today? Is it profitable to engage in beekeeping - the answer is in our review. Growing strawberries at home as a business is common among those who live in their own house with a land plot. Those who have large premises can grow strawberries at home all year round, including in winter.

Industrial cultivation of strawberries

For industrial-scale cultivation of strawberries, a plantation is used for only one season. To reduce costs and maintain yields, the plantation is usually plowed after the first harvest. One-year-old strawberries are best planted in the summer and watered regularly, but seedlings must be prepared in the fall and stored in the refrigerator until planting.

In addition to special preparation, you need to plant strawberries quite densely, about 180-220 thousand plants per hectare of land. A popular way is to plant several varieties of strawberries at once in one area with different fruit ripening rates, thus ensuring regular harvesting for a long time. The most popular strawberry varieties that give good harvest, these are Talisman, Redgauntlet, Zenga Zengan, etc.

Growing strawberries is a very profitable and interesting business. Like any other area, it requires a business plan and thinking through all the details of the production of berries. Everything you need to grow berries can be easily purchased.

Subject to all the features, such an investment quickly pays off and brings a good income.

We bring to your attention a video on the business of growing strawberries:

related posts:

New cultivation technology

Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil. At the same time, plants receive all the most necessary useful elements, which are supplied in the form of nutrient solutions.

Such solutions are prepared based on which plant varieties are grown and what period of growth they are in. Thanks to the hydroponic method, it is possible to carry out not only the cultivation of plants, but also the planting of seeds for seedlings.

Hydroponically grown specimens develop much faster. And they bear fruit much more often.

This method justifiably occupied its niche among modern technologies that create comfortable and economical conditions for plant breeding.

Hydroponics is profitable growing. Many the developed countries have long switched to a hydroponic method of growing in room conditions.

We invite you to familiarize yourself with the video, which will help you get a general idea of ​​​​what hydroponics is at home. Hydroponics, like a regular greenhouse on a windowsill, is only more comfortable to care for and convenient in terms of organizing cultivation. No need to get smeared with earth and carry heavy pots.

Typically, hydroponic containers are light and handy. Even amateur growers have begun to abandon the classic ways of growing houseplants in favor of the modern hydroponic method.

Benefits of unconventional technology

Using purchased hydroponic or DIY equipment, growing plants can be much easier. You won't need:

• loosen the soil; get rid of pests; treat plants from various diseases.

That's the beauty of this innovative method, that the minimum costs are required, and the harvest will always please. Still, in the conditions of almost any room where there is heating in the winter, you can grow plants regularly.

Harvest varieties of strawberries

Returning to everyone's favorite strawberries, which can be grown year-round in apartments, greenhouses and even basement-type premises, we note that the most common varieties for hydroponic equipment have become remontant. Such as Fresco, Mount Everest and the Yellow Miracle. Of the Dutch strawberry varieties, Gigantella Maxima, Korona, Elvira are best suited. But nevertheless, the varieties Generous, Vola, Bagota and Olvia showed themselves best of all. According to experts, these types are the most suitable for growing indoors. And for beginners in hydroponic breeding, these are the best.

Methods for Implementing Hydroponic Growing

One or another variety for cultivation has been selected, now you can begin to select the method of hydroponics itself. The method in which the strawberries will be grown is chosen based on the location and number of plants. There are several effective methods, one of which is the “periodic flood system”.

This method is perfect for a large number of strawberry seedlings. Intermittent flood hydroponics, simply put, is a permanent system with well-established processes. The next method of hydroponics is "Deep Sea Culture".

It is for strawberries that it is considered not very suitable. This is because strawberries are a plant that loves water, but will not tolerate stagnant water.

Of course, the plants will grow and produce a crop, but still not as much and not as fast as we would like. A convenient and optimal method for growing strawberries in hydroponics is the Nutrient Layer. In such installations, useful substances in the form of aqueous solutions circulate along the bottom of the tanks constantly.

The strawberries themselves are placed in cups for growing. As the plants “grow up”, their roots will be immersed in the solution, getting everything they need. The next method is called “Drip irrigation”.

It is perfect for big strawberry lovers who grow it in fairly large quantities. The piquancy of this method is that strawberries can be placed vertically by building a sort of rack in several "floors".

Ideally for this hydroponic method, strawberries are suitable, which can produce berries on daughter outlets. By choosing this method, you can get large yields of fragrant berries, while saving space in the home. How this hydroponic method looks like can be seen in the following video.

The subtleties of growing strawberries in hydroponics

No matter which method you choose to grow strawberries at home, there are some features and points to consider. They will help you achieve better results and get big yields all year round. Firstly, the solution with nutrients should not fall on the plant.

Secondly, a standing solution for strawberries will not work. Thirdly, in order for strawberries to grow well, you need to choose a vessel with a capacity of 3 liters or more. For example, for 4 strawberry bushes, you will need a capacity of 10 - 15 liters. And in one square meter, from 18 to 22 plants will fit.

Medium-sized bushes can be planted with a gap of 15 - 30 cm. And large bushes with wide leaves can be placed further away from each other.

The substrate for strawberries must be chosen harder, but with excellent air permeability. For example, expanded clay, coarse river sand, shavings from coconuts or mineral wool. Plants in such mail feel great, and their root system breathes well.

As for the composition of nutrient solutions, it is better to contact specialists. They will help you create correct proportions. As a rule, the main criteria for this will be the time of year and the current stage of strawberry growth.

Florists and amateur gardeners often use universal solutions. When growing strawberries in hydroponics, in conditions that are comfortable for you, you need to monitor the temperature in the room. Precisely following the requirements for strawberries temperature norms, you can immediately notice the results of excellent yields.

At night, try to keep the thermometer reading between 16-18 C. During the day, increase the temperature to 24 C or 25 C. Light is very important for hydroponic strawberries. Try to create lighting conditions of 60,000 lumens for at least 12 hours a day.

If possible, such a backlight, comparable to sunlight in terms of power, should be left for 17 - 18 hours. Growing by this method is quite common. And many say that a bright future will be secured thanks to hydroponics.

After all, you can grow not only strawberries, but also other plants for agriculture. As, for example, in Holland, hydroponics is used to grow strawberries, vegetables, and even flowers.

Posted on November 25, 2013 by Farmer without the hassle in Video, Gardening // 0 Comments, fantasy you say, reality we say! Very few people know that strawberries can be grown all year round, and today we are sharing our secrets so that you can grow strawberries all year round .

Strawberry is the queen of berries, just like the rose is the queen of flowers . which in winter reminds of such a pleasant time of the year as summer, maybe not only in the photo, but also on your plate. If this interests you, then carefully read our article - strawberries all year round, and you can enjoy the taste of these magical berries whenever you wish.

Strawberries all year round

So, strawberries all year round, myth or reality? the method is to put the strawberries to sleep after they have yielded and keep them in suspended animation for a certain time, after which they are planted in greenhouses, apartments or in open ground, it all depends on climatic conditions.

You can store strawberries in a state of suspended animation for 8-9 months, after you have planted such strawberries in the ground, within a week or two, the first shoots will appear. Growing strawberries all year round where to start, first of all, you need to take care of the room in which you will grow strawberries, you need to proceed from whether you are going to sell strawberries or you will grow them for your needs, the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe required room depends on this, the room should be stable , room temperature. Strawberries are grown in large plastic bags, the bag must be filled with a substrate, for this you can use a mixture of perlite and peat.

Elongated about eight centimeters, landing holes are made along the bag, four vertical rows are staggered. In this case, the distances between the holes are approximately 23-24 cm.

Bags are placed on the floor, if the bags are small, they can be placed in two tiers. The density of the bags is approximately two, three bags per one square meter. The next step is to provide nutrition to the bags, for this you need to build a small irrigation system.

It is made from tubes for a dropper, for each bag, you need to run 3 tubes, to the lower, middle and upper parts of the bag, with an interval of 55 centimeters. The upper ends of the droppers are connected to a distribution pipeline, which is placed above the bags.

For each bag, you need about two liters of solution per day. Growing strawberries all year round can be for you profitable business, but this will require a lot of strength and perseverance, but if you are not afraid of hard work, then growing strawberries all year round , can significantly replenish your budget.

Problems of growing strawberries all year round

One of the main problems is that outdoors in hot weather, in bags, the temperature rises very much, and the roots of the plants die, so that this method is most suitable for growing strawberries indoors, but not in open ground.

Nutrient solution for growing strawberries or strawberries.

Strawberry Nutrient Formula

Year-round strawberry cultivation - what technology to use?

• What is the best way to grow strawberries in winter?

At the mere word “strawberry”, you can feel its amazing sweetness in your mouth, and pleasant images float before your eyes: ripe strawberries on a bush, warmed by the sun; strawberries with cream; delicate dessert garnished with strawberries… In summer this delicious berry quite often present on our table, and imagine how surprised guests and household members will be if you please them with fresh strawberries in the “off season”! And not the imported berry that lies on the shelves of supermarkets, raising doubts about its usefulness, but real homemade strawberries, juicy and fragrant. Now anyone who has such a desire can grow strawberries all year round.

To do this, it is absolutely not necessary to have a heated greenhouse; you can grow a berry in an ordinary flower pot on the kitchen window. All you need is to stock up on seedlings, soil, containers for strawberry seedlings and, of course, patience, because strawberries are a rather capricious plant.

The main secrets and subtleties of year-round strawberry cultivation ^

How can you make strawberry bushes bear fruit in autumn, winter and spring? The secret is simple: in a dormant state, strawberry seedlings dug up from your site in the fall can be stored for up to nine months, for this it is enough just to keep them in the refrigerator or in a cool basement.

In the natural environment, strawberries “wake up” after the snow melts, and when stored at home, you can “wake up” the seedlings at the moment you want. Thus, taking the seedling bushes one by one from the basement or refrigerator and planting them in the ground, you can get the desired result - strawberries will bear fruit all year round without interruption. Another important point, which you will definitely need to take into account - strawberry seedlings need a long daylight hours (up to 14 hours a day).

IN autumn-winter period the days are very short, so you have to use artificial lighting. Any of the technologies for growing strawberries all year round is based on the fact that plants are provided with additional illumination using fluorescent lamps. Pollination of flowers will also be artificial, regardless of which strawberry varieties you have chosen for year-round cultivation.

If you have planted several strawberry bushes at home or in a greenhouse, you can pollinate them with a simple soft brush, touching each flower with it daily. In large greenhouses, you can put a hive with bees to ensure natural pollination. Strawberries bear fruit all year round, the varieties of which are distinguished by high yields and the ability to set berries several times after the first fruiting. These are varieties such as

At first glance, it seems that everyone loves strawberries and organizing such a business is a great idea. And this is true, because on what can you build profitable business like not on food. But, before doing any business, you need to find out all its features - the pros, cons and known problems (as well as, of course, ways to solve them).

Perhaps you should start your journey at home (for example, in bags according to the Dutch method) - and if the room is warm, then you will also receive fruits all year round. Of course, growing strawberries at home will not be a million dollar business, but rather extra income or hobby. But you can try different methods, varieties, and then go to the greenhouse.

Why do you need a strawberry business

Usually the strawberry picking season is at the beginning of summer – the competition is strong and it is hard to enter the market. Rest of the year garden strawberry if where it comes across it costs fabulous money.

So why not try turning on your entrepreneurial talent and start growing strawberries in your greenhouse all year round? That's such a high return! But don't think it will be easy! Strawberries are a proud berry and need a lot of attention. And for growing all year round, you will need to create special conditions - but everything is possible if you pay attention to the issue (and not just read forums, blogs, social networks and watch videos about business ideas and motivation on the Internet).

Learn from the advice from there, but choose only useful information. But knowledge without practice is nothing!

Advantages and disadvantages of growing in a greenhouse

If you grow strawberries in a greenhouse all year round, you can get such competitive advantages:

• year-round fruitfulness of strawberries;
• high demand in the off-season;
• a large number of wholesale buyers (remember winter and supermarkets?);
• when grown outdoors, the likelihood of crops rotting/shrinking/deteriorating is higher than in a hydroponic greenhouse.
• extremely high profitability - payback in one season.

However, there are also difficulties, disadvantages:

• the need for artificial pollination of strawberries;
• 7-8 times more investment compared to outdoor cultivation not all year round.
• "broiler" increase in daylight hours - high costs.
• strawberries will be slightly different from those grown in the village.

Your experience with soil in general and berries in particular is also very important. If the experience is minimal, but you still want to do everything yourself - better look for information, watch a video on YouTube, look through our resource or any other forum - collect information. You shouldn't step on the old rusty rake of other people's mistakes, right?

Primary costs

Buying seedlings

Strawberries are among the plants that propagate with "whiskers" - healthy, beautiful and prolific plants from the "whiskers" of the 1st and 2nd orders are suitable for seedlings. When choosing, it is worth paying attention to the development and sinuosity of the root system of the sprout. The important point is the choice of variety(s) you intend to grow. The best varieties- Glima, Cambridge, Elsanta, Volya, Kama, Red Capulet, Vizhe or something else.

Carefully study the information about these (or others that you have chosen) varieties, read forums, blogs, ask friends who grow strawberries in the country or in the village. It may even be worth doing a little market research - buy different varieties of strawberries and ask different people from your friends, which ones you like best - this way you will get the best and adequate ratios of one variety to another for your greenhouse.

Greenhouse construction

If you are going to grow strawberries in a greenhouse all year round, which you have probably seen many times in a rural village - it has a covered plastic wrap frame is one of the cheapest options. Such greenhouses are scattered in abundance throughout land plots and are used not only for strawberries, but also for many other plants. However, remember that under the film there is a poor thermal insulator - during frosts, the crop may suffer.

There is also an option to make a glass greenhouse - this option is more expensive, but heating can be connected to it.

There are also more modern greenhouses made of polycarbonate materials - the most expensive of greenhouses, but they last longer, are more reliable and have many other comparative advantages.

At the beginning of a business, you can not take into account the cost of workers - you can work on your own, but correctly evaluate your own free time and qualifications.

Dutch growing method

It will help save on growing strawberries in the off-season, i.e. in winter. The Dutch method can be applied even at home, and it will also bring substantial income. This is a way to grow strawberries "in bags". Yes, don’t laugh, it’s true - strawberries are grown “in bags” - in this situation, the bag acts as a mini-greenhouse and, as experience shows, this effective method.

You will need large bags that are filled with perlite and peat. Make holes in them in a checkerboard pattern - like a sheet in a cage, with a diameter of 70-80 mm. Also, an irrigation system should be provided in the bags.

For a better understanding of the system, you should watch a video on the Internet describing Dutch greenhouses and read the place of delayed communication on the network - the forum. There are a lot of videos on the net about growing strawberries and strawberries in hydroponics - also a worthy option, much cheaper than growing in open ground.

However, not every variety of strawberry can be grown in hydroponics - find out the features of the chosen variety.

strawberry care

At first, your seedlings can be kept almost at home, but not on an open balcony, of course. Keep the seedlings in peat soil (available at garden stores). If you take the soil in the garden or in the nearest village, you should fertilize it additionally - keep an eye on the presence of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium. Your young seedlings need to be watered clean warm water under the very root, while avoiding drops of water on the leaves and berries. Perhaps you should look towards drip irrigation. Think about the temperature in your greenhouse, it's cold outside for strawberries. It is worth maintaining the temperature around 19 degrees.

Don't forget lighting, pollination, and regular fertilizer additions.

Marketing problems

In order for your business to bring maximum income - you need to apply the best practices from the network (video) and do not be shy to ask advice from experts - after all, only the wise learn from the mistakes of others, avoiding their own - do not be afraid to go to the forum and ask someone who has already grown strawberries at home, whether in bags, in hydroponics, or just with a grandmother in the village - you will not lose anything, but you can save money (sometimes significant) on the mistakes of others - which will only increase the profitability of your business.

So, if we talk about sales, then people leading blogs and forums on the strawberry business advise going along three different paths:

• Winter - sales through large stores.
• Summer - sale on the market (hire a distributor).
• All year round - selling berries (strawberries, raspberries, wild strawberries, etc.) to processors - their interest is usually wide and constant.

The best sellers and businessmen will tell you that business security lies in diversification - so try to expand your circle of customers so as not to lose income due to contract failure or any other force majeure circumstances. Remember that your profit in growing strawberries all year round, in line, because the income in summer will be less than in winter, this is normal. Competition is your engine in winter, but also your brake in summer - after all, strawberries are grown in every village (sometimes even in a greenhouse, but quite rarely).

Profitability + Video

Profitability is a general economic term that characterizes the relationship between profit and cost (production costs) of products. The essence of the profitability of growing strawberries in a greenhouse (in hydroponics, soil or “bags” - it doesn’t matter) is to work all year round.

If you take into account all prices, including the purchase of seedlings in the nearest village, where the best (well, almost the best) prices, rent, labor costs, taxes, fertilizers and maintenance - the average cost per 1 kg was 150 cents in 2012 (now about twice as much). If grown in hydroponics, the costs are less than if grown in open ground. Accordingly, if grown in bags according to the Dutch method, the costs are less than in hydroponics and open land.

Take into account all costs when you calculate profitability, be sure to take into account the calculation error - what if you didn’t take into account something, suddenly everything will go a little differently.

Strawberries are the most long-awaited and in demand in middle lane berry for most consumers. Unfortunately, the season of its mass ripening is very short. Usually it is only 2-3 weeks at the end of May and beginning of June. But amateur gardeners often grow homemade strawberries at home, right on the windowsill at any time of the year, getting small yields of this beautiful berry.

Home cultivation of any crop is characterized by small areas due to the limited size of window sills and a number of difficulties in maintaining the required lighting and air humidity. However, those who are seriously interested in this usually build a small greenhouse for strawberries, or adapt a balcony for this.

Strawberries in pots in winter

The best option with this method is to dig up a strawberry bush in the fall and store it in the cold until mid-December. Next, the bush is awakened, forced to grow actively and produce crops in early spring.

The excavated bush is planted in a pot according to the size of its root system. The soil can be prepared from 1 part of humus, 1 part of earth from a coniferous forest, 1 part of sand. But also purchased soil for strawberries or universal is suitable.

The pot is placed on a balcony or in another cold room and stored at a temperature not higher than +10 degrees, watering infrequently. At the same time, you do not have to worry about the lack of lighting, since in this mode, the processes of photosynthesis in plants stop.

To awaken strawberries, they bring them into a room with room temperature (you can immediately on the windowsill) and wait for the first new leaves to appear. When this happens, it is necessary to illuminate the bushes. In December and January, on cloudy days, the duration of the backlight is usually 3-4 hours a day, on clear days, 2-3 hours is enough. In February, it can be reduced by 1 hour, and in early March, it can be turned on only in cloudy weather for 1-2 hours. Since mid-March, additional lighting is no longer required.

A more difficult way is strawberries from seeds. In this situation, the first harvest can be obtained only in May, and for this you will have to try.

Seeds are sown in January-February in shallow containers with sandy soil. Suitable mixture purchased soil for seedlings and coarse sand. Seeds do not need to be covered with a layer of soil, just spread over the surface. After that, the soil is sprayed from a spray gun, and the container is covered with a plastic bag or a mini-greenhouse.

Seedlings appear after 3 weeks. They are kept on the windowsill at room temperature and must be illuminated, preferably with phytolamps or DNAT or DNAZ lamps.

Important! The seedlings dive in 2-2.5 months, when it reaches a sufficient size, and for the grown seedlings, an already fertile soil mixture is introduced.

Use of ready-made automated systems

The easiest way for those who are willing to spend money is to purchase a ready-made automated system for growing strawberries. On the Russian market the Fazenda Green system is popular.

It is a wall-mounted bookcase with three shelves, each of which contains 7 pots. Each shelf is illuminated by a phytolamp with a perfectly matched emission spectrum. Also, a compact drip irrigation system is connected to each tank.

The system is equipped with sensors that monitor the level of illumination on the shelves, the humidity in the pots, and regulate the switching on and off of the lamps, as well as the water supply.

Growing in bags

Growing strawberries in bags is no different from growing them in pots. A feature of this technology is the possibility of planting bushes in several rows. This saves space in a cramped balcony or a small greenhouse.

To do this, a polyethylene or burlap bag is tightly stuffed with soil, sealed, and placed vertically. Then - holes are carefully cut in it with a knife for planting bushes. The distance between the holes is 10-15 cm. They can be cut into many rows along the entire height of the bag.

Seedlings (taken from the garden or grown from seeds) are planted in the cut cells. Further care for them is the same as when growing in pots.

Using hydroponics

Hydroponics is an advanced method of growing crops indoors. With this method, the yield is sometimes several times higher than with traditional cultivation in the ground.

This is achieved through a number of success factors:

• the possibility of accurate dosing of applied top dressings;
• saving water (the same water can be reused);
• lack of weeds;
• compact placement of plants in several levels.

The hydroponic method requires special equipment, which you can either purchase or make yourself.

To make a hydroponic setup, you will need pipes PVC diameter 10-15 cm. Holes are made in them at a distance of 10-12 cm for the size of the pots. The pipe system can be placed in several rows horizontally on top of each other. At the highest point is placed a container with a working nutrient solution.
Often such a system is supplied with a pump and automated system, which allows 2 times a day for 5-10 minutes to drive liquid through the pipes, pump it into the upper tank and again let it go in a circle. For home conditions, a tank is enough, and the solution can be run manually by opening the valve 2-3 times a day.

Important! It is preferable to use plastic pots with large drainage holes. Their size should correspond to the volume of the root system of grown strawberry bushes.

Strawberries are placed in pots and fixed either with a special hydroponic substrate, or thanks to pebbles, expanded clay.

The pots are inserted into the tubes and a liquid test run is carried out for 5 minutes. As a result, strawberry roots in all containers should be wetted to at least 2/3 of their height. If this condition is met, then the system is ready for use.

Varieties for year-round cultivation

For home conditions, only remontant ampelous strawberry varieties are suitable. This will ensure consistent berry harvests throughout the year, as these varieties are able to bloom and bear fruit regardless of the season. Also, the bushes of such strawberries are very decorative, so they will also serve for aesthetic purposes.

Remontant strawberries are represented by a great variety of varieties, and new ones appear every year. But the requirements for them home growing remain unchanged.

They must:

• be capable of self-pollination;
• have a high immunity to fungal diseases, resistant to unfavorable factors external environment (primarily temperature);
• have precocity;
• form large berries (according to the principle: less, but better).

Here are just a few possible options for growing at home: Pineapple, Selva, Crimean remontant, Queen Elizabeth, Garland, Geneva, Darselect, Moscow delicacy, Sakhalin.

What to choose - seeds or seedlings?

All flower growers, summer residents, gardeners who are wondering what is preferable: to grow remontant strawberries from seeds or propagate with a mustache - you need to remember one important point once and for all. Remontant varieties reproduce only by seeds!

However, if we are talking about growing strawberries at home by forcing them, then, of course, it makes sense to dig out a bush from the garden in the fall, which at one time was obtained from seeds. In other words, growing a bush from seeds at home is a longer and more laborious process, which, however, is also practiced.

Conditions for growing berries

The main factor that allows remontant strawberries to bear fruit throughout the year, and not just at the height of the season, is the timely application of fertilizers.

• Lighting. It should be enough, especially in winter. At a minimum, you need to use 2-3 fluorescent lamps per 1 bush, but it is highly recommended to purchase phytolamps.
• The soil. At home, strawberries are often affected by fungal diseases, so the soil is either purchased in a special store (where it is already disinfected) or disinfected on its own. The best ways disinfection is calcination, watering with phytosporin and a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

Caring for strawberries at different times of the year

Strawberries at home often suffer from lack of light and drafts (in winter), dry air (at the height of summer), and fungal diseases.

Therefore, it is important to properly care for her at different times of the year.

• At the end of autumn and the beginning of winter, while strawberries are on a winter "rest", they are watered infrequently. The main thing is not to overfill, thereby preventing the root system from rotting.
• When it is brought into the room, the main factor is supplementary lighting, since in winter and early spring there is an acute shortage of sunlight.
• The first feeding can be done only when the first flowers appear. If we are talking about the forcing method, then this happens in March, and if the plant is grown from seeds, in early May. For this, either complex organic fertilizers or a mixture of mineral fertilizers with an equal content of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are used. If in the fall the plant was planted in new soil, then you can do without top dressing at all or bring the solution in a lower concentration than indicated on the package.
• In summer, strawberries need moderate watering and top dressing. Regardless of whether the method of forcing or growing from seeds is used, strawberries are fed with complex fertilizers 2-3 times during the summer, and also 1 time in September (which will allow you to collect 1-2 more autumn crops).
• In extreme heat, strawberries are either taken out to open air in a shady place, or furnished with water containers in order to increase air humidity. They do the same in winter if the heating batteries dry up the air too much.
• In the first half of autumn, you can continue to care for the berry as if the summer had not yet ended. From the end of September, artificial lighting is turned on for 1-2 hours a day. When the strawberry finally ceases to bear fruit, the owner has the right to decide its fate: plant it in open ground, transfer it to the balcony for wintering, or get rid of it.

Practice shows that at home it is very difficult to keep a bush until the next season. Even if this succeeds, the strawberries no longer bear fruit as abundantly as in the past. Therefore, the best solution is to plant it in the garden, and on next year- take a bush from open ground or stock up on seeds.

Growing strawberries at home all year round is ensured not only by selecting a remontant variety, but also by other simple secrets:

• With the forcing method, gardeners use one trick to stretch fruiting for all four seasons. To do this, dug up strawberries are stored in a conventional refrigerator. The bushes do not awaken at the same time, but in waves with a difference of a month. Thanks to this, you can even achieve year-round fruiting of strawberries! That is, the first bushes are removed in December, and the last - in May. With proper care, the latest of them can give the last harvest even in winter!
• The second secret is hand pollination. Above, a recommendation was already made to purchase self-pollinating varieties, but additional manual pollination, as practice shows, increases productivity.

Reasons for the lack of fruiting

If strawberries do not bear fruit, then it is obvious that some mistakes were made in its cultivation. But what?

Consider the most common of them.

• Overfeeding with nitrogen fertilizers. As mentioned above, strawberries are fed with complex fertilizers with approximately the same content of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. If the balance is disturbed in favor of nitrogen, then the strawberries will actively increase the green mass, preventing the fruits from forming.
• Lack of lighting. This is especially true in winter and up to mid-March. In winter, this demanding culture of light is catastrophically lacking. Fluorescent lamps give a very weak luminous flux, and if strawberries were illuminated with them, then there is nothing surprising in the fact that it does not bear fruit. Those who seriously want to do this business should purchase either special phytolamps or a powerful DNAT or DNAZ lamp from 250 watts.
• Lack of supplements. Starting from May, strawberries need phosphorus-potassium and complex top dressing. Do not neglect this.

Growing strawberries at home is not too easy, but not overly difficult task. It is a demanding and vulnerable culture that produces extraordinarily valuable fruits. Probably, everyone would dream of getting the long-awaited berries at a time when the strawberry season has long passed or has not yet begun. Well, everyone now has such a chance. Armed with knowledge and patience, anyone can succeed in this direction.