To obtain a sweet aromatic dessert from fresh berries, strawberries are grown in a greenhouse at any time of the year. This process requires compliance with certain conditions, physical and material investments, it can not be called simple. But getting a freshly-grown vitamin product in winter will more than pay off the costs and physical effort.
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Pros and cons of greenhouse cultivation
Almost everyone loves strawberries; they are in demand at any time of the year. To extend its fruiting period, repair varieties were developed. Plants provided consumers with fresh berries until September. But this was not enough, its year-round cultivation in the greenhouse began, which became a favorable condition for organizing a business for the sale of grown products.
Note the positive aspects of the process:
- independence from weather and climate;
- high yield per unit area;
- increase in the productive period of the plant;
- regular receipt of the crop necessary for the sale and profit;
- low competition when selling in the winter;
- quick return on investment.
Like any production, greenhouse cultivation has its drawbacks:
- need a sufficiently large investment at the initial stage;
- it is necessary to properly organize the process of growing strawberries, to ensure illumination, temperature and humidity;
- high energy costs to create the required conditions, especially in the cold season.
Ground preparation for berries
Achieving productivity is possible only with careful preparation of the soil.For this berry, turf soil will be a good base.
The following soil composition is prepared for planting:
- turf land - 2 hours;
- humus or mature compost - 1 h;
- mineral fertilizers.
The third component will require superphosphate, potassium salts, ammonium nitrate. The soil should be light, low acidity is acceptable.
Greenhouse selection
We list the designs and type of greenhouses:
- portable frame structure that is easy to assemble and disassemble. It is covered with a film of polyethylene. Cheap appearance, inability to use in winter frosts;
- greenhouses with glass walls. Heavy stationary structures requiring installation on a foundation. It can be heated, glass is not an obstacle to sunlight, it provides good illumination to plants;
- polycarbonate greenhouses. The most convenient option for growing strawberries, albeit quite expensive. A successful combination of lightness and strength. The polycarbonate coating is translucent, retains the internal temperature.
Which greenhouse to choose, you decide, however, we can conclude that the film frame greenhouse is suitable for growing strawberries only at low negative ambient temperatures. For year-round production, it is necessary to use glass or polycarbonate structures.
Necessary equipment
To create a microclimate for the winter cultivation of strawberries, you need to equip the greenhouse with special equipment. First of all, ensure adequate temperature and lighting.
To create the required conditions for heat-loving strawberries, electric steam boilers are installed, from which pipes are buried, buried in the ground. Passing steam will warm the roots of the plant directly. An economically feasible and convenient way to maintain temperature is to lay an infrared cable. It is permissible to limit ourselves to an iron wood stove, which heats the air in the greenhouse.
If there are not enough light hours per day, strawberries are needed in the winter for illumination. A good choice would be to use 400W sodium lamps. The orange-yellow flicker emitted by them is similar to that of the sun. Light sources are installed at a height of 1 meter above the strawberry bushes, 1 square meter is illuminated. m. surface.
In plant care, it is important to properly organize watering. The drip irrigation system is very convenient. In this case, a uniform and dosed flow of moisture to the roots occurs, and the green part will not be moistened, which will avoid fungal diseases.
Strawberry varieties cultivated year-round
Removable strawberries are suitable for year-round greenhouses.
The variety must satisfy the following requirements:
- to be self-pollinated;
- give large tasty berries;
- have good transportability;
- do not depend on the length of daylight hours;
- be productive, resistant to disease.
To organize a continuous process of obtaining berries, you should use varieties of different ripening periods - early ripening, medium and late.
The following types are especially popular:
- Pineapple
- Darenka;
- Temptation;
- Sonata;
- Rusanovskaya;
- Elizabeth.
Strawberry Growing Methods
There are two main technologies for the cultivation of strawberries - Dutch and Russian.
Dutch technology
Its essence lies in obtaining a large crop of berries due to the location of many bushes per 1 square. m. Strawberries are planted in pots, which are installed in several tiers on special racks. Each container contains one plant. Seedlings are planted once a month and a half. After fruiting, it is removed and discarded.
To obtain a quick harvest, special solutions are used that are added to the pots with drip irrigation. The composition contains all the necessary nutrients. For distillation, seedlings grown in the summer are taken. At zero temperature, plants can be stored all winter.
Russian technology
In this case, ridges with a width of 1 meter are arranged in the greenhouse. Between them maintain the necessary distance of not less than half a meter.Bushes are placed after 30 cm. Two rows of plants are planted in each ridge. Subject to temperature conditions, carry out the usual care of the berry.
How to care for a berry in a greenhouse
If you grow strawberry seedlings yourself, then the prepared young bushes must be moved into pots along with a lump of land in October. Next, cut the leaves and place the seedlings in a room where the temperature is maintained up to -2 ° C, but not above zero. Plants can be dormant for up to 9 months.
Important! With an increase in temperature, the strawberry will feel the spring and begin to grow actively. It should not be allowed to “come to life” ahead of schedule.
Strawberry forcing in the greenhouse begins in the second half of January. Before landing, the temperature regime is set to + 10-12 ° C, in February this indicator is increased by day to + 15-20 ° C, at night to +8 ° C. With the beginning of flowering, in order to accelerate the formation of berries, heating to + 20-25 ° C is required.
The next important point for obtaining berries is the moisture regime. Bushes are watered regularly, irrigating the ground with warm water at the roots, without wetting the aerial part of the plant. Humidity in the room is provided no higher than 70%.
Well established drip irrigation. Such a device in a greenhouse will help to solve a number of problems and simplify berry care. It is possible to combine watering with liquid top dressing.
A winter day cannot give the strawberries enough light. For flowering and obtaining ovaries, the plant requires at least 8 hours of daylight. If this time is increased to 12-16 hours, it is possible to get an earlier crop. It is necessary to use additional artificial lighting.
To ensure a high yield of berries, you need a sufficient amount of fertilizer, which is especially important during flowering. A liquid solution is prepared: 10 g of saltpeter, 16 g of potassium, 20 g of superphosphate are added to 10 l of water. Pre-water the soil with water and only then attach the liquid composition. After the formation of the ovaries, top dressing is stopped.
Do not forget about protecting the plant from diseases, because in closed ground this problem is no less relevant than in open ridges. The best way to protect is prevention.
Perform the following activities:
- disinfect the soil and the design of the greenhouse before planting seedlings;
- choose healthy plants for such purposes;
- do not violate the norm of use and composition of mineral fertilizers;
- remove diseased bushes, clean the area from dry leaves and shoots;
- before the formation of ovaries, treat the bushes with the preparations Fitosporin, Alirin, and other biological remedies.
Growing strawberries in a greenhouse is not an easy and costly way to get a crop. Depending on whether you will do this for yourself or organize a business, choose the design and material of the greenhouse, its equipment correctly. Calculate business costs and planned profits. Keep in mind that year-round cultivation of strawberries in a greenhouse is for pleasure's sake, the occupation is very unprofitable.
