Content of the article:
Which summer resident did not dream to feast on fragrant and healthy fresh strawberries in the middle of winter? This dream can be realized by growing strawberries in a greenhouse in the country. With a skillful and correct approach, you can not only provide your family with this tasty berry, but also set up a business that will bring a good income. If all agricultural rules are observed, strawberries all year round in the greenhouse will delight with high yields.
"Right" greenhouse - a pledge of high yield
For the cultivation of strawberries in the cold months will require a stationary greenhouse. Special requirements are imposed on the material serving as a greenhouse cover:
- high thermal insulation;
- good light conductivity;
- strength;
- resistance to adverse climatic conditions;
- reasonable price.
Glass and polycarbonate are most suitable as a material for the greenhouse. However, glass does not have high strength. And the price for it is quite high. That is why polycarbonate greenhouses are popular with summer residents and are ideal for this type of work, like growing strawberries in a greenhouse in winter.
Strawberry is a light-loving plant, so the brightest and suniest part of the summer house, without fruit trees and shrubs that can create shade, should be placed under the greenhouse. The place must be protected from the wind.
Choosing a variety of strawberries for growing in a greenhouse in winter
Choosing the right variety of strawberries is one of the ingredients for success in growing this plant in winter. To obtain a guaranteed harmonious harvest, you must adhere to the following criteria when choosing a variety:
- The variety’s zoning. It must be acclimatized under the region in which it will grow. Despite the fact that strawberries will be grown in the greenhouse, the variety must be zoned for the growing area.
- When choosing a strawberry variety for a greenhouse, preference should be given to remontant plants that continuously form inflorescences, form ovaries, and then berries. These varieties can produce strawberries throughout the year.
- Early strawberry varieties are distinguished by the thickening of planting, which makes it possible to get more yield from one area.
- The development and ripening of berries grown in the greenhouse should not be affected by the length of daylight. Therefore, varieties of the so-called “neutral daylight” are used for winter cultivation. At a fixed day length, strawberries of these varieties will produce a stable harvest.
- Self-absorption is one of the main qualities that guarantees high yields of strawberries in the greenhouse. Not every gardener will want to put evidence in the greenhouse with bees that will pollinate the plants. Manual pollination method is quite laborious and time consuming. Therefore, the use of self-pollinated varieties of strawberries for winter growing is the best option.
- Purity grade is another important indicator when choosing planting material. To obtain the necessary variety of plants, it is better to purchase planting material in proven nurseries, and even better to grow strawberry seedlings independently from seeds.
Choosing the right variety, you can be sure that the works will not be in vain and you can eat ripe and fragrant strawberries in the winter.
Ways to grow strawberries in a greenhouse
Many gardeners are wondering: "How to grow strawberries in a greenhouse?".To answer this question, it is necessary to study various growing technologies that are highly efficient.
The following strawberry growing methods are the most popular, the most efficient and cost-effective:
- in the ground;
- in small containers;
- in plastic bags.
The last two methods are united by one name - the “Dutch” method. This technology allows you to grow strawberries both horizontally and vertically, in one or more rows. This allows you to facilitate the work on the care of greenhouse strawberries, and increase the yield of plants from one square meter. Strawberries in greenhouses in bags and in small pots are grown only through seedlings.
Soil for growing
To obtain high yields of strawberries in the greenhouse it is necessary to use highly nutritious soil. The best option is to use the soil after cereals. You can take the turf and the land, but it must be "lightened" with quail filings. Agronomists do not recommend using strawberry land after cruciferous crops and potatoes.
To enrich the soil intended for growing strawberries in the winter, it is necessary to introduce organic( manure, compost, peat) and mineral( superphosphate, potassium, urea) fertilizers. The technology of growing strawberries in the greenhouse implies the use of complex mineral fertilizers intended directly for strawberries and having a balanced composition of the necessary trace elements and nutrients.
Getting quality planting material
To grow strawberries in the winter months, you need to take care of getting quality planting material for the greenhouse in the middle of summer. Get seedlings for planting in the greenhouse can be, using the mustache uterine plants, developing in open ground.
Even during the fruiting of uterine bushes, it is necessary to select the best ones, giving a large number of ovaries and fruits. Here you should leave the mustache with young sprouts, which will be used in the greenhouse in the future. In one bush, you can leave no more than 4-5 outlets, so that young plants can get good nutrition from the mother bush and develop actively.
In July, rooted plants are separated from the mother bushes and land on a temporary bed. In mid-autumn( October), strawberry seedlings are transplanted into small pots and stored in a cool place( +2 - +5) until mid-November. It is at this time that the planting of young plants begins at a permanent place. Rooting and laying buds for the future harvest requires a short light day, so for the middle of January additional lighting is not required.
Temperature and Humidity
Strawberries in a greenhouse in winter make increased demands on the room temperature, therefore this plant is considered finicky when grown in greenhouses. If after planting young plants, the temperature should not have risen more than 10, as it grows, it must be gradually raised to 18-20. As soon as the first flowers appear, to avoid falling off the ovary, the temperature rises to 23-25. At high temperatures, the green mass of the plant grows.to the detriment of the formation of fruits.
Humidity is also of great importance for the formation of high yields. So, after planting seedlings, for the best survival rate, the humidity should not fall below the mark of 85%.In the future, the humidity should be gradually reduced to 75%.During flowering and fruiting, the humidity indicator should not exceed 70%.This is the only way to get away from various fungal diseases.
Light mode when growing strawberries in a greenhouse in winter
Without optimal lighting, you can not wait for high yields of strawberries in the winter. For proper development, plants need during the development of flower stalks, flowering and fruiting light day to extend up to 12 hours. You can do this as follows:
- in the morning lights turn on at 8 am and off at 11 am;
- turns on in the evening at 5 pm and ends at 8 pm
Thus, greenhouse strawberries receive the necessary amount of light. For plants of “neutral daylight” this time is quite enough for qualitative development.
Many gardeners who grow strawberries in a greenhouse in winter use a drip system for watering. Using the same system, you can enter the necessary liquid fertilizer. During the entire growing season, plants should be fed with a solution of superphosphate and potassium salt. It is necessary to carry out this procedure every half a month.
Fulfilling these basic rules, every gardener can be sure that fresh strawberries will appear on his table on frosty winter days.
