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In recent years, more and more gardeners are growing strawberries. There are many ways to place it. Traditional berry cultivation is more suitable for private plots. If strawberries become the basis of a business, then you have to think about profitable ways of growing.
One of the methods that allows you to grow a large crop at minimal cost is hydroponic. Strawberries in hydroponics are a relatively young method for s. But we can safely say about its growing popularity, because the harvest is received all year round. The peculiarity of the technique worries not only young people, but also gardeners who have been dealing with strawberries for decades.
What is hydroponics
The word “hydroponics” is of Greek origin and translates as “working solution”. The hydroponic substrate should be moisture-absorbing, with a porous structure, good air circulation. Hydroponic materials for growing remontant garden strawberries include coconut flakes, mineral wool, expanded clay, crushed stone, gravel and others.
Nutrients are supplied to plants through this system. The solution can be supplied in different ways:
- drip irrigation method;
- due to periodic flooding;
- aeroponics or artificial fog;
- deep-sea method with complete immersion of the roots in the nutrient solution.
Most often, gardeners grow strawberries on a nutrient layer. A solution with nutrients constantly circulates at the bottom of the hydroponics, and strawberry seedlings are placed in special cups. The roots, as they grow, enter the nutrient medium and produce food for the plant.
The technology of growing strawberries in hydroponics must be mastered on inexpensive varieties. For beginners, the following varieties of strawberries are suitable:
- Fresco and Mount Everest;
- Yellow Wonder and Generous;
- Vol and Bagot;
- Olivia and others.
Advantages of a hydroponic system
Let’s see why gardeners prefer growing strawberries hydroponically.
- Firstly, plants develop better, because they do not need to extract food from the soil and spend their strength on it. All the energy of strawberries is directed to fruiting.
- Secondly, it facilitates the care of garden strawberries. It does not need traditional processing: loosening, weeding.
- Thirdly, the presence of a hydroponic system does not allow the root system to dry out; together with the strawberry solution, it receives the necessary dose of top dressing and oxygen.
- Fourthly, strawberries grown in hydroponics do not get sick, insects do not breed on it. The berries are clean, you can immediately eat.
- Fifth, harvesting is easy and fast, as the plants are grown vertically or horizontally at some elevation. Any room can be adapted for the installation of a hydroponic installation for growing strawberries, if it maintains the appropriate climatic conditions for the continuous fruiting of strawberries.
It should be noted that the method of growing strawberries in a hydroponic system improves not only the yield, but also the quality of the fruit. They have a little less harmful substances absorbed by plants from the soil and air. Laboratory studies did not show the presence of radionuclides, heavy metals, pesticides in strawberries grown using a hydroponic system in fruits collected from hydroponic plants.
Against the background of advantages, the disadvantages are not so obvious:
- Hydroponic professional installations are expensive, require constant energy costs.
- A gardener who does not own the secrets of technology may not get the desired result.
Hydroponics at home, gardener’s experiment:
Climatic conditions
You can harvest delicious berries at home in heated rooms using the hydroponic method of growing strawberries. You can train right in the house, creating the necessary comfortable microclimate.
Lighting
Strawberries develop well and bear fruit with sufficient light. In the open ground, she has enough natural light. It will not be possible to grow a strawberry crop indoors on a hydroponic system without illumination. In the summer, backlighting is needed to a limited extent, but in winter powerful lamps will be required, at least 60 thousand lumens. Light for growing strawberries using an innovative method requires at least 12 hours a day, the best option is up to 18 hours.
Temperature conditions
Strawberry is a thermophilic berry. In the room where hydroponics is installed, strawberries are grown at a temperature of + 23 to + 25 degrees during the day, with a decrease in temperature at night to + 18 degrees. Strawberries are no less demanding on the air temperature in the room.
Air humidity
Hydroponic systems are installed in fairly humid rooms, approximately 70%. This parameter needs to be controlled. With a decrease in humidity, strawberry bushes can stop their growth; at high rates, the risk of fungal diseases is high.
Do-it-yourself hydroponics arrangement
Gardeners are not only concerned about how to grow strawberries using new technology, but also the question of whether it is possible to arrange a hydroponic system on their own. Most often it is hydroponics with drip irrigation.
The liquid not used up by the plants again flows into the pan.
What will be required
Hydroponics for growing strawberries can be installed vertically or horizontally, depending on the size of the indoor space. Consider the order of work for horizontal batteries:
- In a large-diameter PVC pipe, holes are made slightly smaller than a pot (about 10 cm) at a distance of 20-25 cm. Tight plugs are inserted into the pipes and connected into a single whole, as in the photo below. Pipes can be installed on a rack, as shown in the photo, or laid on the same level.
- As a substrate for strawberries, you can use coconut flakes, mineral wool.
- Pots with seedlings are inserted into the holes.
- A tank with a nutrient solution is installed under the hydroponic battery. A pump is connected to it.
- Fluid is circulated in a hydroponic system using a perforated hose. They pass tubes to each pot.
Vertical hydroponic system
The arrangement of a vertical hydroponic system for strawberries is somewhat more complicated than a horizontal one. After all, the nutrient solution will need to be lifted up. In addition, care must be taken to drain excess liquid.
What to make
To make a vertical hydroponic system at home, you need to stock up:
- strawberry seedlings;
- substrate;
- large diameter PVC pipe with a plug;
- a container for a nutrient solution;
- drill and seal;
- pump and thick hose.
Beginners will be interested to know in detail how this system is made:
- Measure the PVC pipe, put a plug on one side. Along the entire length of the pipe, markings are made for holes and sawed through with a drill with a nozzle. The first planting nest is at a height of 20 cm. When planted low, the grown fruits will be in contact with the ground. Pests can climb along the mustache and peduncles. All other holes are drilled in a checkerboard pattern in increments of up to 20-25 cm, depending on the selected strawberry variety.
- Small holes are drilled in a thick hose with a drill for irrigation. They should be located opposite the large holes where the strawberries will be planted. To prevent the substrate from clogging holes, experienced gardeners recommend wrapping the hose with burlap or a nylon stocking.
- The hose is placed exactly in the center of the PVC pipe, drainage is poured at the very bottom, and the selected substrate is on top.
Watering is carried out through a hose.
In this video you can see how a horizontal hydroponic system is assembled at home:
To summarize
Growing strawberries hydroponically is an effective method. It really works not only in conditions of large production capacities with professional equipment, but also in small suburban areas.
The main thing is to understand the principle of soilless cultivation of strawberries to obtain a crop of fragrant berries throughout the year. The fact that hydroponics is profitable is often written by our readers in their reviews. For the most part they are positive. Of course, there are also negative ones, but, most likely, the reason lies in the incorrect application of technology, in the mistakes of the gardeners themselves.