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Everyone loves to eat strawberries, and grown with your own hands, it seems even tastier. For those who want to eat their own grown berries, but do not have a garden plot, there is an alternative option – strawberries on the balcony.
This is not only a delicious berry, it has a lot of other useful properties. According to the vitamin composition, strawberries will give odds to overseas fruits. 60 mg per 100 g of vitamin C is more than lemons. Vitamins A and PP, five types of B vitamins, a lot of calcium and other minerals – not all the useful substances that are in strawberries.
This amazing berry has bactericidal properties and is able to effectively rid the skin on the face of acne and inflammation. Anti-sclerotic, diuretic, stabilizing metabolism and pancreas – this is an incomplete list of the therapeutic effect of strawberries. A low calorie content – only 41 kcal per 100 g of the product makes it indispensable for dietary nutrition. One problem is that many people are allergic to strawberries. But often it does not appear on the berry itself, but on the harmful substances with which it is processed. If you grow strawberries on your own, then there simply cannot be such substances in it.
How to grow strawberries on a balcony? This process cannot be called simple and easy. But subject to all conditions, harvesting strawberries on the balcony is quite realistic.
Components of a balcony garden
- Balcony facing south. Of course, not everyone has it, but it’s not worth abandoning the idea for this reason. It is easy to equip the backlight, with it the plants will be quite comfortable.
- Containers for growing strawberries. There are many options here, ranging from ordinary balcony boxes to a horizontal hydroponic garden bed. Each method has its own characteristics.
The experience accumulated over time will allow you to increase both the number of plants and the yield that you will receive.
Horizontal tanks
The simplest structure is a balcony box, in which flowers are usually grown. Strawberries should be planted in boxes keeping a distance of 25 cm between plants.
At the bottom, as in all other cases, you need to put drainage.
Strawberries on the balcony in PVC pipes are another option for horizontal planting. The pipe is chosen with a diameter of at least 20 cm. You can cut holes in it with a diameter of about 10 cm at a distance of 20 cm. Another option is to make a hole for the entire length of the pipe with a width of 10 cm. In both cases, the ends of the pipe are provided with plugs.
Vertical tanks
There is more variety here. What gardeners do not use for vertical beds. Strawberries are planted in bags made of black or other dark spunbond with holes made in several tiers.
You can sew such bags of black polyethylene or use ready-made ones. Just don’t forget to poke drain holes in them. They are hung on walls or ceilings. You can put pots of different diameters one on top of the other and build a pyramid out of them.
Strawberries are quite comfortable in such pots.
It is very convenient to use PVC pipes with holes made in them for a vertical bed. Their diameter is the same as for the horizontal beds, but they need to be arranged in a checkerboard pattern. The lower part is supplied with a plug, drainage from gravel is poured into it to a height of 10 cm.
You can plant strawberries in ordinary hanging pots, but with a volume of at least 3 liters. Strawberries on the balcony grow well in plastic bottles. Its volume should not be less than 5 liters, the top of the bottle should be cut off, and holes should be made in the bottom with a hot nail to drain excess water. At the bottom it is better to put drainage in a small layer, about 5 cm.
The volume of bottles may be smaller, but in this case they are placed horizontally, and a landing hole is made on the side. Warning! From the bottom you need to make holes for the drainage of water.
The soil is a very important element. It is on the composition of the soil that the future harvest will ultimately depend. Since strawberries will grow in a small amount of land, the soil needs to be sufficiently nutritious. It should hold moisture well, be loose and well saturated with air. Soil acidity is an important indicator. Strawberries, unlike most garden crops, are well suited to slightly acidic soil and grow best in such soil.
Soil composition for balcony berries
- Chernozem or sod land – 3 parts.
- Sand – 1 part.
- Humus – 1 part.
It is this soil that meets all the requirements for the successful cultivation of delicious berries.
Growing conditions on the balcony
Strawberries are a non-capricious berry, but for cultivation it requires certain conditions.
World
It is very important for strawberries. With insufficient lighting, the crop can not wait. The bushes will stretch, their growth will slow down. There is enough light for plants on the south balcony. For everyone else, strawberries will have to be illuminated either part of the day, or the whole day if the balcony faces north. Photoluminescent lamps are best suited for backlighting, but they are not cheap. Budget option – fluorescent or LED lamps.
Feeding
Growing strawberries in a confined space requires frequent feeding, as strawberries, especially remontant ones, take a lot of nutrients out of the soil. Top dressing can be both root and foliar. The latter can be applied only before flowering. It is necessary to feed strawberries with a complex fertilizer with trace elements in order to provide the plants with good nutrition.
It is better to reduce the concentration by half of the recommended rate, but feed more often – once every ten days. After feeding, watering should follow.
Watering erodes the soil, so it would be useful to add a handful of humus to each plant once a month, evenly distributing it over the surface.
Watering
Growing strawberries on a balcony is impossible without watering, but with excessive moisture, the roots can rot, and the berries can get gray rot. How to determine the need for watering? If the soil is dry to a depth of 0 cm, you need to water it.
Pollination
Self-pollinated strawberry varieties on the balcony – Lord, Supreme, their cultivation does not require pollination. In order for the other varieties to yield a crop, a person will have to work hard. The movement of air pollinates the bushes well, but with a strong wind, strawberries feel uncomfortable. Therefore, it is better not to take risks and pollinate the flowers with a brush.
Mustache removal
The formation of mustaches greatly depletes the plants; there may not be any strength left for the formation of peduncles and the growth of berries. Therefore, it is better to remove unnecessary sockets.
You can grow on the balcony and beardless remontant strawberries. Care for her is the same as for strawberries, and a considerable harvest can be obtained. Varieties Baron Solemacher, Rügen, Alexandria will delight you with a large number of sweet and fragrant berries. The small size is compensated by abundant fruiting.
If conditions allow, strawberries can be grown on the balcony all year round. But only varieties of a neutral day, less demanding on lighting conditions, are suitable for this.
Planting and reproduction
Planting strawberries must be done correctly.
- Choose only young plants of the first year of life.
- Plant them either in early spring or late summer.
- When planting, do not bend the roots, it is better to trim them a little.
- Do not bury the central heart in the ground, but do not leave the roots bare either.
- Do not forget to water the planted plants.
Strawberries can be propagated by mustache and seeds. Seed propagation is a laborious process. Berries from such plants can only be obtained in the second year. It is better to purchase mustaches of proven varieties that give the maximum yield in balcony growing conditions.
Varieties of strawberries for a balcony garden
Sweethart
A variety that grows well even indoors. The berries are not very large, only 12 g, but the variety is almost beardless.
Tribute
American neutral day variety. Fruits well in protected ground. Sweet berries weigh about 20 g. Fruiting is stretched.
Conclusion
Making strawberries bear fruit on the balcony is not so easy, but if the berry is grown with your own hands, it is both healthier and sweeter than purchased.
