How to grow strawberries at home at home?

Ripe, juicy, amazingly tasty strawberries on the table, while a blizzard is sweeping outside the window - this is a real luxury! In the middle of winter, not every supermarket can find fresh berries, and if you can find them, their cost will be prohibitively high.

Create favorable conditions for growing berries

But after all, someone grows mouth-watering strawberries at home on the windowsill, some enterprising gardeners even benefit from this activity, turning the cultivation of berries at home into a profitable business. Breeding strawberries at home - myth or reality, accessible to anyone?

Now there are various methods of how to grow strawberries in an apartment of any size. You can effectively use the free space in your home by planting strawberry seedlings in plastic bags filled with substrate, or growing bushes with berries in traditional flower pots and boxes. It all depends on the purpose for which you plan to grow strawberries at home, and how much space you can allocate for this.

Opt for remontant strawberries that bear fruit multiple times

What do strawberries need for normal ripening? Room temperature, good ventilation and suitable soil. These conditions are easy to fulfill, because the apartments are warm at any time of the year (and if there are problems with heating, you can always buy an additional heating device), air circulation can be provided using a window, a special inexpensive substrate can be purchased in the store. This means that you can also start growing strawberries at home, if you take into account the most important points:

• Opt for remontant strawberries that bear fruit multiple times. The most popular varieties: Yellow Miracle, Queen Elizabeth, Mount Everest.
• When growing strawberries from seeds, purchased seeds should be placed in the refrigerator for 4 weeks, wrapped in a damp cloth and placed in a plastic bag - then the hardened seeds, when planted in the ground, will give friendly shoots within a week.
• Prepare a spacious pot with a good drainage layer for seedlings, as strawberries like frequent, abundant watering, but they cannot tolerate stagnant water.
• It is recommended to plant strawberry seedlings at home in prepared soil either in the fall from August 15 to September 20, or in early spring.
• Since this berry is afraid of the cold, do not keep it on the balcony, and protect it from frost.
• From time to time, do potassium-phosphorus fertilizing, and to form the ovaries, treat the plants with a special preparation "Ovary".

Ideal for growing homemade strawberries - southern, well-lit windows

The ideal option for growing homemade strawberries is the southern, well-lit windows. If there is a lack of sunlight, plant growth may slow down and the taste of the berries will deteriorate. However, you can create artificial lighting for your strawberry plantation using fluorescent lamps. Strawberries will begin to bloom and bear fruit earlier with a long daylight hours, and the quality of the berries will increase significantly. Therefore, if you are concerned about how to grow strawberries at home in the shortest possible time, provide the plants with a continuous day of light for about 14 hours.

Video about strawberries in January

How to pollinate strawberries at home?

Since strawberries at home are devoid of natural pollination, you will have to provide plants with artificial pollination during the flowering period, which can last several weeks. To produce artificial pollination flower stalks on strawberries at home, you can in two ways:

• direct a fan in the morning towards the peduncles (under the influence of the wind, strawberries are pollinated in the open field);
• pollinate each flower by hand, brushing it daily with a soft paint brush.

As you can see, growing strawberries at home is affordable even for inexperienced gardeners and does not require significant financial costs. Difficulties can arise only with pollination, especially if you decide to breed extensive berry plantations, because it is not so easy to brush every small flower every day, and with a fan, successful pollination is difficult to guarantee.

Video on how to get strawberries in January

However, you shouldn't give up! Try, plant seedlings, take good care of them - strawberries at home can bring several harvests a year, delighting you and your loved ones with ripe berries in late autumn and frosty winter.

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Modern agrotechnical methods and technologies have made it possible to grow strawberries all year round in non-standard conditions, for example, at home. Many amateur gardeners are seriously engaged in this fascinating business, because growing garden strawberries at home, you can provide yourself with a tasty and healthy product all year round, regardless of the season. In this article we will tell you how to grow strawberries all year round in greenhouses and just on the windowsill.

Breeding technology

Growing strawberries in the greenhouse and at home all year round can be a profitable business if you establish a continuous process and increase the volume. In recent years, several new methods of commercial berry cultivation have appeared, but the Dutch technology based on growing strawberries exclusively in closed ground with the rational use of small areas remains the most acceptable for home conditions.

Those who are not yet familiar with this technology and do not know how to grow strawberries in a small room, while receiving the maximum yield, should know that the technique is very simple. Its essence is the regular planting of new seedlings, which ensures uninterrupted harvesting even in cold winters. Of course, this can only be achieved by creating favorable conditions for active vegetation, flowering and fruiting of strawberries.

Commercial cultivation of berries using Dutch technology involves the use of a stationary greenhouse with a full set of equipment that provides plants with additional lighting, drip irrigation, and regulates humidity and temperature. In addition, there should always be the required amount of seedlings, which are planted instead of old bushes (after the end of fruiting, the bush is simply thrown away). Such an enterprise requires financial investments, but its profitability is so high that all expenses are paid off literally in the first months.

If you are not going to plant strawberries in such quantities, but plan to grow several pots on the windowsill for yourself, the Dutch technique may also come in handy. Growing strawberries at home in small containers does not require any additional investments, except for the purchase of seedlings or seeds for growing them, as well as the purchase of a substrate and pots.Estimate the usable area planned for year-round cultivation and decide on how to place the containers. According to the Dutch method, planting of seedlings can be carried out in any container, even plastic bags, which are very convenient to hang vertically.

Home Growing Video

From the video you will learn how to grow strawberries at home and get a good harvest.

Selection of seedlings

For continuous collection of strawberries, you need to regularly (1 time / 1.5-2 months) plant new seedlings, so you have to buy or grow them yourself. Of course, it is more profitable to have your own seedlings, since its cost is much lower than the purchased one, but this will require a lot of effort. Seedlings can be grown from seeds or harvested during the summer season if there is a garden bed in the open field.

The easiest way is to root the rosettes that form in the summer on the whiskers of the mother bushes. In autumn, young bushes are dug up on the main plantation and placed in the cold (0 ... + 2 ° С). In such conditions, seedlings can be stored for up to 9 months, which allows for continuous planting. In the absence of a plantation, seedlings can be grown from seed, but this process will take longer and require a lot of attention.

Another popular way to get high-quality seedlings is cluster growing of seedlings. It involves placing the already cooled outlets in plastic containers with nutrient solution. With the cassette method, the roots grow very intensively, literally by the hour, and after 4-5 weeks the container is completely filled with roots. Without a doubt, such seedlings are very robust and therefore yield a good harvest.

Greenhouse varieties

For year-round cultivation in greenhouses, you should choose remontant varieties that form an ovary with a neutral daylight hours. This feature guarantees undulating flowering and fruiting throughout the season, which, with regular planting of seedlings, allows for continuous fruiting. For growing in the house, remontant ampelous varieties are more suitable, which will not only bring you a bountiful and continuous harvest, but also become an interior decoration. Most of the ampelous varieties unravel beautifully, they can also be planted in hanging pots.

Whichever variety you choose, it must meet the following characteristics:

• be self-pollinating, otherwise you will have to do this procedure manually;
• have a high immunity to disease and temperature changes;
• have a short growing season (ripen early);
• be large-fruited (the larger the berries, the higher the yield).

There are many varieties that simultaneously possess all these qualities: Pineapple, Selva, Khonei, Queen Elizabeth, Geneva, Darselect, Arapakho, Tribute, from domestic ones: Moscow delicacy, Sakhalin and others.

Preparing plants for planting

Before planting seedlings in a greenhouse or pots, they need to grow up and form a good root system. To do this, young bushes are transplanted into boxes or pots with a substrate, where they are distilled. For more active growth, the topsoil must be fertile and always moist. In the open field, young rosettes can be planted in another area, the so-called nursery, where the plants will grow green mass and root system.

With a decrease in temperature to 0 ° C, the seedlings are dug up, the leaves are removed, and the roots are placed in a nutrient substrate and taken out into the cold (cellar, refrigerator). At rest, they are stored for several months before being planted in a greenhouse. Storing seedlings in the cold is the main condition for the successful cultivation of strawberries using Dutch technology. Its effectiveness lies in the fact that when it gets into warm conditions (in the greenhouse), the seedlings quickly wake up and begin to grow actively, which leads to early flowering and ripening of berries.

Growing vertically

The vertical placement of the beds significantly saves space, therefore it is considered the most rational. The method involves placing the beds in an upright position: in layers, tiers, pyramids or by hanging. Various materials are applicable as a container for planting: pieces of PVC pipes, plastic bags, plastic containers, wooden boxes. There is nothing difficult in adapting all these containers for growing strawberries:

• bags or bags must be filled with a substrate, holes must be made at a distance of 20-25 cm in a checkerboard pattern, seedlings must be planted in them and hung;
• containers and boxes can be arranged in tiers or pyramids, and substrate can be poured into the protruding parts and bushes can be planted.

A separate topic is a vertical bed of PVC pipes. For its manufacture, materials will be needed, and the process itself will require an investment of time and effort. Of the materials, pipes will be needed: large (15-20 cm in diameter), and thin (about 5 cm), as well as fasteners, plugs and other trifles. Holes with a diameter of at least 10 cm are made in a large pipe at a distance of 20 cm - seedlings will be planted in them. Small holes are drilled in a thin pipe (2-4 cm), it is placed inside a wide pipe and is used for uniform irrigation along the entire length of the structure.

Further, drainage and soil are poured into the space between the pipes, after which seedlings are planted in the holes. The lower edge of the pipe is closed with a plug, and in the upper part, water is supplied to the thin (inner) pipe. Thus, the strawberries are evenly moisturized and produce an excellent harvest. In addition to the fact that the beds of pipes take up little space, they also look very decorative.

Growing at home

Year-round cultivation of strawberries at home can take place on a balcony or windowsill. For planting seedlings, you can use any containers unnecessary on the farm, but flower pots, of course, look the most effective. The choice of a pot should be based on 3 liters of soil per 1 bush. Drainage must be laid at the bottom of the pot, and then add a soil mixture consisting of humus (5 parts) and deciduous soil (3 parts). It is convenient to use hydroponics at home. It is best to take coconut fiber as a substrate, but you can also use mineral wool, perlite.

When planting plants in a large container, do not plant more than three bushes. But it is also important that all the bushes are of the same variety - re-grading will have a bad effect on the quality of the crop.

Replacing seedlings is not carried out as often as in greenhouses: ordinary remontant bushes require renewal once every six months, and ampelous varieties - once a year.

Plant care is standard, but strawberries need to be watered exclusively with a drip method (using a drip system used in medicine). Ampel varieties require the installation of supports and tying, since their long lashes grow very quickly. This is how, with a small investment of time and effort, you can grow a real garden with fragrant berries on the windowsill of the house.

Video "Growing all year round"

From the video you will learn how to grow strawberries all year round.

We are looking forward to the onset of May to feast on the most delicious, perhaps, berry -

strawberries

... It has already become customary for us to receive harvests from spring to late autumn, but sometimes we really want to taste the sweetness of our favorite berry on a cold winter day!

How to grow garden strawberries at home Alternatively, you can, of course, purchase a pack of strawberries for the price of gold in a supermarket. But doubts that this berry will be useful are very large - the thought of the presence in it of chemistry that is completely unnecessary for our body leaves less doubt. I suggest another option: grow garden strawberries by the window and give yourself and your children a piece of summer in the middle of winter.

Is it possible to harvest garden strawberries in the room?

In this case, I really like the saying, which I am often grateful to in my life: "If you really want to, you can fly into space." So with a strong desire, guided by these recommendations, you can get wonderful sweet berries at any time of the year.

This requires:

• high-quality live (not frigo!) seedlings of varieties of neutral daylight hours (hereinafter NSD), which we get from the first row of whiskers;
• lamps (better phytolamps) for supplementary lighting of plants;
• place on the windowsill;
• This article.

How to “move” strawberries from the garden to the house?

In any case, you should start preparing seedlings for home growing long before the onset of winter.

Option 1

1. When the strawberry bushes form a mustache, fill a container with a drainage hole (for example, a disposable glass or a soft plastic pot) with earth and sand in a 1: 1 ratio.
2. We dig it in level with the ground (but so that the edges of the container rise slightly), direct the first outlet into the container, pin it with an ordinary hairpin or wire bent in the form of a hairpin, and water it constantly. The earth should never dry up, otherwise the plant will quickly die.
3. After 3 weeks, when the young plant has taken root, we cut it off from the mother liquor and continue to water. At this point, watering is even more important; he should be at least once a day, it is better in the evening, and on hot sunny days you can water it 2 times - in the morning and in the evening.
4. As soon as buds are formed on the plant, they must remove so that the outlet gains maximum strength. 
5. Cups with seedlings we we leave in the ground before the onset of the first frost, and as soon as it froze, we take them out of the ground, fill the holes formed with earth and slightly compact.
6. We completely immerse the containers with plants in a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes, let the water drain, and bring them into a room with a temperature not higher than + 10 ° C for 2-3 days. Then we bring the sockets into the room and put to the south window. 
7. Additional lighting is required, since the length of the day is too short. The plant will need additional lighting from 6-7 in the morning until 19-20 in the evening, that is, the daylight hours for the plant should be 13-14 hours. For this we use a phytolamp.

Backlight

Option 2

This method is much simpler and less laborious.

1. Before the onset of frost, we dig out rooted young rosettes, remove substandard foliage (that is, leaves that are mechanically damaged, old ones), but so that the plant must have 2-3 true young leaves.

Left: garden strawberry seedling. Right: aging in potassium permanganate 2. Next, we keep the seedling in a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate) and plant in a container with ready-made soil mixture purchased at a flower shop and mixed with sand in a ratio of 2: 1.

Why a purchased soil mixture? This is more reliable: the garden soil must be heated in the oven to destroy pests and pathogens, and the finished soil is sterile (of course, if we talk about high-quality purchased soil).

Planting strawberries 3. It is very important when planting not to deepen the heart (apical bud), which is located in the center of the rosette, otherwise the plant will simply rot.

Heart 4. Water the seedlings and bring them into the room, but for the first few days do not put them on the sunny south window, but set them in more benign conditions (north, east). After 3-5 days, we rearrange it to the south. Just as in option 1, we must use additional lighting.

Which strawberry varieties are suitable for home growing?

Experimental practice, which I described earlier in my article, has shown that the NSD ‘Albion’ and ‘Aisha’ varieties are the easiest to care for and the most resistant to diseases in indoor conditions.

The ‘Albion’ variety I have told more about these and other varieties of garden strawberries in this article.

What conditions need to be created for plants to grow and bear fruit at home?

1. Lighting

As I already said, we need a phytolamp for daily supplementary lighting for 13-14 hours a day. If we neglect this point, then a well-leafy plant will grow, but in this case we will not see flowering (and harvest).

Why phytolamp? You can, of course, supplement the illumination with an ordinary fluorescent lamp, but the plants in this case will be weaker. Article Choosing a phytolamp for seedlings

2. Temperature conditions

The temperature on the windowsill should be at least + 20 ° С. It is on the windowsillrather than in the room. If the temperature is not observed, then our plants can weaken and get sick with fungal diseases.

3. Watering

It is important to choose the watering mode so that so that the earthy ball does not dry out, but in any case do not allow stagnation of water.

4. Mandatory transshipment of plants

In 25-30 days after "relocation" to the house, the plants need to be transplanted into a large container (1 liter in volume), since the root system has already developed greatly, and the outlet has become cramped in a small glass. This is what the plant looks like before transplanting:

... and so - after:

Plant transplanted into a large container

5. Artificial pollination of flowers

Pollination is an important condition for the formation of the ovary and the development of a full-fledged berry. We make it by hand using an ordinary soft brush.

Pollination If this procedure is neglected or not performed well enough, we will get deformed berries:

Deformation of the berry with insufficient pollination

Do you need feeding strawberries?

Like any plant, garden strawberries need nutrition. Under natural conditions, plants receive it from the ground in which plant residues have rotted. In a room, in a limited amount of soil, strawberries do not have such an opportunity, therefore, feeding should be taken care of without fail.

1. We apply the first top dressing ("Strawberry" or other complex fertilizer for garden strawberries) at half dose (100 grams of solution during watering), when did the first buds appear. 
2. We carry out the next feeding after the first berries have been removed, with the same fertilizer at the same dosage.

Do not be embarrassed and worried that the berry will accumulate nitrates or other harmful elements, since this fertilizer will go to the plant itself, and not to the berry.

When to expect the first harvest?

Experience shows that in winter in indoor conditions the period from planting to flowering is 30-35 days, and the first berries ripen in 30-35 days from the beginning of flowering. It turns out that from the moment of planting to the ripening of the berries, an average of about 65 days pass.

First harvest Here are our first berries:

Home harvest of ‘Albion’ strawberries

What is indoor strawberry sick with and how to treat it?

If we adhered to all the recommended planting rules, and the houseplants in the house are not affected by pests, then the strawberries are not in danger of suffering from them. But besides pests, there are no less dangerous fungal diseases - such as powdery mildew, for example.

Why might problems arise? The air in the room during the heating period is dry and warm, and we, knowing that it is unhealthy, begin to increase the humidity. This is correct for us, but for garden strawberries, which are not blown by the wind at home, but is under the influence of cold from window glass, high humidity can cause powdery mildew. This is a white fungal bloom on the leaves, stems, and then the berry.

For the prevention of the disease, you can use the drug Fitosporin, which is safe for humans. We spray the plants with it once a week. Of course, white traces form on the leaves, but the plant will be reliably protected.

Garden strawberries It is not difficult to grow garden strawberries on the window, the main thing is to want very much! Good luck and excellent harvests!

Growing strawberries at home is a simple task. Follow the directions, plant seeds for growing strawberries at home. Believe me, growing strawberries at home all year round will be an enjoyable experience.

It is difficult to find a person who would be indifferent to strawberries. This divine berry attracts with its appearance, amazing aroma and exquisite taste. Since ancient times, strawberries have been considered a special treat as a gift from nature. It was served in the richest houses, in palaces. Over time, it became available to all social categories, moreover, it can be grown even on a windowsill. Do not believe me, then we invite you to familiarize yourself with an easy way to grow strawberries at home. This is a great alternative to those "plastic" flavored berries that are on sale in stores and supermarkets.

In appearance, the product is beautiful, elastic, amazing color, but it is worth biting through, as you immediately understand - this is not the same favorite strawberry with its amazing taste and aroma. Yes, and the products are not cheap, it is much better to save money and be content with divine taste all year round. So, the benefits of growing strawberries at home:

• Saving;
• Natural taste;
• Lack of chemical stimulants;
• Harvest all year round;
• Benefit from implementation.
• What is needed to grow strawberries

For planting strawberry seedlings, you need a large container. The most suitable option is a strong plastic bag filled with soil. In shops for gardeners, ready-made land is sold, but making a mixture for planting with your own hands will not be difficult. It is necessary to mix soil, peat and sawdust, add a little lime to nullify the acidity of the soil. Drainage waste should be made at the bottom of the bags, and small cross-shaped cuts should be made on top to plant the shoots there.

Which is better - seeds or seedlings?

Many are confused by the idea that planting strawberry seeds for growing at home is an unprofitable and time-consuming process. However, this is a misconception. Strawberry seeds are really very small, but they have good germination, and the plants will be strong and resistant. Before sowing seeds, you should keep the bag in the refrigerator for one month. It is better to plant strawberry seeds for growing at home in early February, when daylight hours will be longer. If you want earlier, use artificial fluorescent lamps, as the culture is photophilous. Seeds should be sown directly into the soil without being applied over the soil. To maintain a damp temperature, cover it on top with foil until the first shoots appear. As soon as 2-4 leaves appear on the seedlings, they should be cut into small pots, then transplanted into bulk bags for growing.

Planting strawberries with seedlings is even easier. Planting time is spring, autumn. During this period, strawberries do not grow so actively and take root well.

Choosing a strawberry variety

To grow strawberries all year round at home, you should choose remontant species that yield a crop several times a year. These include varieties:

• "Yellow Miracle";
• "Queen Elizabeth"
• Everest, etc.

How to care for a culture?

Caring for strawberries that you grow at home is almost the same as in an open garden. Watering, fertilizing, and pest control are required. For strawberries, ventilation is important, that is, circulation. Therefore, you should periodically open windows for a short while in non-frosty weather and ventilate the room. Daylight - natural or artificial, should illuminate the culture for at least 14 hours. When growing strawberries on a windowsill, choose the south side.

Another factor for good yields is pollination.It is clear that it is impossible to breed bees at home and produce natural pollination. But there is a way out, and a completely simple one. Place a fan in front of the flowers, let the air currents cope with the pollen or brush occasionally. Strawberries do not tolerate frost and drafts, so you should protect them from hypothermia. Especially home-grown strawberries are very sensitive to cold.

How to feed strawberries?

When growing crops all year round, you need to use top dressing for the roots and the top of the plant once every 2 weeks. You should use complex fertilizers intended for horticultural crops. Specialty stores also have strawberry fertilizer with a set of carefully balanced beneficial trace elements, thanks to which the culture will not get sick and become resistant to all kinds of pests and temperature extremes.

Strawberries planted in the home should be replanted and renewed every 4 years.

Seedlings are obtained by collecting new shoots, which are planted in separate containers and replace old and depleted bushes with them. Also, new seedlings can be obtained by sowing seeds.

Pests and diseases that strawberries are susceptible to

To grow strawberries at home, you should not be afraid of the invasion of any pests in the form of snails, tops, slugs on the windowsill. Only outdoors can a plant suffer from such a misfortune. But parasites such as powdery mildew, aphids and others can be a real headache for an amateur growing strawberries in the house. In order not to miss the moment, you should pay attention to the surface of the leaves. As soon as a white bloom has appeared, it is necessary to carry out the treatment with a special preparation "Sulfaride" or any other substitute.

Also, strawberries can get sick with "gray rot", which can completely destroy the crop. In this case, you need to take preventive measures. First, the room should be ventilated, the strawberries should not suffocate. It is the high humidity that leads to dampness and the appearance of rot. If you missed the moment - treat the plant with copper chloride per 1 liter - one tablespoon of the drug.

As it turned out, growing your favorite, sweet strawberries at home is not a difficult task. Yes, there are some tricks that you have to resort to. But in return for diligence and careful care, you can get a good harvest and enjoy the taste of an exquisite and aromatic berry even on winter days. Just imagine the surprise and delight of the guests who have gathered for the New Year when you serve your own hand-grown strawberries with cream on the table in the form of a dessert.

Have a nice harvest and good luck!

Growing strawberries at home