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Growing strawberries in bags is a Dutch technology that allows you to collect the maximum yield of berries. The method is widely used for planting plants in open ground, at home, greenhouses, garages and other utility rooms.
Advantages
Growing strawberries in bags has the following advantages:
- during the year you can harvest up to 5 times;
- plants are less susceptible to diseases and pests;
- absence of weeds;
- the resulting beds take up little space in the greenhouse or in open space;
- allows you to grow berries for sale.
Choice of varieties
Strawberries are chosen for growing in bags, which do not require careful care, are able to bear fruit for a long time, grow quickly and have a high yield.
It is important to choose self-pollinating varieties if growing strawberries in plastic bags indoors.
The following varieties have such qualities:
- Marshal – sweet strawberries, giving large sweet berries with a slight sourness. The variety is resistant to diseases and not sensitive to temperature changes. Marshal’s yield is up to 1 kg.
- Albion – remontant variety, which is distinguished by large oblong-shaped fruits. Up to 2 kg of berries are obtained from one bush. The taste of strawberries is sweet, has a dense pulp. The plant needs constant feeding and watering.
- Geneva – a popular remontant variety that produces large, elongated fruits. Strawberry Geneva has a pleasant taste, is subject to storage and transportation. Up to 2,5 weeks elapse between harvest periods.
- Gigantella – large-fruited strawberries with good taste. The weight of the first berries is up to 120 g, then the plant produces fruits of a smaller weight. Each bush brings up to 1 kg of crop.
For breeding, you can purchase new varieties or use your own seedlings if the strawberries have the necessary characteristics.
Preparatory stage
To get a good harvest, you need to provide for various nuances. This includes bag selection and soil preparation.
Choice of bags
Strawberries are planted in white plastic bags with a thickness of 0,25 to 0,35 mm. This choice will provide the plants with the necessary light regime. One option is to use regular bags that sell sugar or flour.
In specialized stores, you can buy bags that are adapted for growing strawberries. The diameter of the container should be from 13 to 16 mm, and the length should be up to 2 m. The bags are filled with earth and sealed.
Soil preparation
The technology of growing strawberries in bags involves soil preparation. Strawberries prefer neutral, light soils of low acidity. You can get such soil from a mixture of soddy soil, fine sawdust and sand. These components are taken in equal proportions.
The resulting mixture is thoroughly mixed. A little expanded clay is added to the bottom of the tank to create a drainage system. Due to this, stagnant moisture will be eliminated, causing the appearance of rot on the root system and the ground part of the plants. The substrate and fertilizers are applied to the drainage layer, after which the bag is closed.
Placement methods
Soil bags are placed in a greenhouse or other room vertically or horizontally. The choice of placement method depends on the free area that is planned to be occupied for planting. To equip the beds, additional devices will be required: hooks for fastening or racks.
Vertical landing
With a vertical landing method, step-by-step instructions include the following steps:
- A container is being prepared, which is filled with soil and fertilizers.
- The bag is pulled with a rope, placed in a vertical position, and then hung up. The best option is to install bags in two tiers of several pieces.
- Holes up to 9 cm wide are made in the bags, where strawberries are planted. Between the bushes leave at least 20 cm.
- Irrigation system is carried out, lamps are attached.
Vertical placement is suitable for rooms with limited space, as it allows you to place a large number of bags.
The use of this technology in a greenhouse is shown in the video:
Horizontal landing
In large greenhouses or open fields, the bags are usually placed horizontally. The procedure for this remains the same as for vertical installation.
Strawberries in bags are placed directly on the ground or on prepared racks. The most rational option is to equip several rows with landings.
Care for strawberries
To grow strawberries in bags all year round, you need to provide the plants with the necessary care. This includes a set of measures that allow you to create a suitable microclimate: temperature, humidity and light levels.
Humidity and temperature
For constant ripening of berries, it is necessary to provide a temperature regime in the range from 20 to 26 ° C. It is not allowed to lower the temperature or fluctuate more than 5°C. The room for growing strawberries must be protected from drafts.
You can control the temperature yourself with a thermometer. Heaters are installed in the room, which turn on when it gets cold. If you want to lower the temperature, then it is enough to ventilate the greenhouse.
To grow strawberries, humidity must be maintained at 70-75%. To maintain humidity, the bottom of the bags and air are sprayed.
It is possible to increase fruiting in a greenhouse due to the high content of carbon dioxide (from 0,15 to 0,22%). Such indicators are obtained after the combustion of an ordinary candle.
Illumination level
Strawberries need plenty of light. To ensure the full ripening of berries, natural light and a long daylight hours are necessary.
Therefore, when growing strawberries in bags, an important issue will be the arrangement of the lighting system. This will require powerful red spectrum lamps. This includes metal halide devices or HPS lamps.
Additional lighting should function for 12 hours to simulate the change of time of day. Growing strawberries in bags at home will require fluorescent lamps. They need to be turned on strictly at a certain time.
If bags of strawberries are located in the greenhouse, then the backlight is turned on if necessary. When strawberries do not have enough light, their shoots begin to stretch upwards.
Watering rules
Another condition for the growth of strawberries is compliance with the rules of watering. A drip irrigation system is required to grow strawberries. Water is supplied from a common pipe, from which pipes are connected to the bags. Droppers are installed at the ends of the tubes.
Such a system will facilitate the care of strawberries and provide plantings with the necessary level of humidity. It is organized using pipes and metal or plastic with a diameter of 160-200 mm. The pipeline is installed above the bags. The number of pipes depends on the height of the bags and is usually 2-4. Between the pipes supplying water, leave 0,5 m.
At home, watering can be organized by hanging plastic bottles to which tubes are attached.
Feeding and pruning
Regular feeding of strawberries will help ensure the ripening of berries. Fertilizers are especially important during the flowering period of plants.
For top dressing, potash substances are selected, which are used as a solution after watering the strawberries. An effective fertilizer is a solution of chicken manure.
Dry leaves and stems are pruned. To harvest strawberries throughout the year, you need to plant plants in bags every two months. To do this, you need to save the seedlings and provide it with the necessary conditions.
Young bushes are placed in a basement or refrigerator, where the temperature is maintained from 0 to + 2 ° C and the humidity is about 90%. It is best to place the seedlings in plastic bags.
Conclusion
Growing strawberries in bags makes it possible to get a high yield. The method involves the creation of optimal conditions for the ripening of berries. To do this, you need to equip irrigation and lighting, maintain the humidity and temperature indicators at the proper level. Bags are placed vertically or horizontally, which largely depends on the availability of free space.