How to grow strawberries at home year-round
The cultivation of strawberries is traditionally associated with a garden or a greenhouse, while few know that this berry can be planted not only in an ordinary city apartment, but also get a very good harvest. Those who are interested in the idea of organizing a small home garden on their own windowsill will find in this review all the secrets and technology of this unusual agricultural solution.
The best varieties
The beginning gardener needs to learn that not all strawberries, or rather strawberries, can be planted and grown at home, since from a botanical point of view, everyone's favorite berry is strawberries. Therefore, the first condition that is important to observe is the correct choice of variety.
According to gardeners, for this purpose are best suited:
- Geneva
- Homemade delicacy ;
- Queen Elizabeth
- Autumn fun ;
- Yellow miracle ;
- Gingham ;
- Garland ;
- Mount Everest ;
- Rusanka
- Roxane
- Crimean remontant ;
- Inexhaustible ;
- Roman F1 ;
- Brighton
- Festival ;
- Tristar .
Features of the selection of varieties
The above list is not exhaustive, therefore it is not necessary to limit it to them at all. But it is important to understand that not always those options that are offered to be purchased in specialized stores as a houseplant will in fact provide the owner with a real crop.
In particular, many strawberry varieties form very beautiful and decorative bushes, but at the same time make such high demands on lighting, humidity, temperature and other parameters of care that they normally bear fruit only in professional greenhouses with a modern automated system for supporting a constant microclimate.
We recommend reading our electronic magazine about growing strawberries.
Further, for the windowsill, you need to select a type of plant that gives a crop not once a year, but constantly or at least in waves. The first category of berries forms a group of so-called neutral daylight varieties, the second - a maintenance group (we often confuse these concepts). Another property that you need to pay attention to when choosing a variety is the method of propagation of the plant. As you know, strawberries reproduce using seeds or vegetatively (mustache), while seed species, respectively, practically do not form a mustache.
It is the second group of varieties that is objectively more suitable for growing a house, since it is much easier to take care of such a crop (there is no need to constantly remove the mustache, which still has nowhere to grow in the pot). Of course, it is much longer to germinate a seed than to use a socket that is ready and nourished by the mother plant, but the time and effort spent will pay off with an easier process of further care.
Read also about how to grow repair strawberries at home and in the greenhouse.
Finally, since in the absence of such natural pollinators as wind and insects, abundant fruiting of strawberries at home can be achieved only if the selected variety is:
- self-pollinated;
- high yielding.
Preference should be given to the most unpretentious varieties, since the microclimate of a city apartment is still far from the ideal that is necessary for the normal development and abundant fruiting of strawberries.
Choosing a landing place
You can grow homemade strawberries either in the apartment itself on the windowsill, or on a closed balcony. Both options have a right to exist, but in each case has its own characteristics.
Windowsill
The window sill is the most lighted place in the house, in addition, in this case, the bed is located in a residential building, where the air temperature never drops below the permissible sanitary standards.
- However, such a place for placing a home garden has several important disadvantages:
- limited space (not every window sill has an area sufficient to accommodate so many plants on it that it could compete with even the smallest bed);
- lack of decorativeness (turning a living room into a kind of garden is a decision that not every housewife will like);
- over-dried air (traditionally, central heating radiators are located precisely under the windowsill, and intensely heated air, rising up, literally dries tender and moisture-loving bushes).
Closed insulated balcony
Those who have a private balcony are much more likely to create a small greenhouse on it. But here there are some difficulties. This is due primarily to the fact that in most cases balconies are not heated, which means that in winter the air temperature in such a room is too low for growing fruit crops.
In addition, even a closed balcony, as a rule, is not completely airtight, and drafts can cause strawberries no less harm than cold or dry air. Thus, the choice between a windowsill and a balcony is an individual issue, depending on many factors that must be carefully weighed.
Did you know? By the content of vitamin C, strawberries are almost one and a half times ahead of lemon.
Not the least role here is played by the orientation of the room to the cardinal points, because good lighting is a fundamentally important condition for the fruit to ripen. Therefore, the north side is absolutely not suitable for growing strawberries (artificial illumination may become an alternative, but in this case the process becomes too complicated and costly, so it’s easier to abandon the idea).
The necessary conditions
Strawberries - a culture that requires for itself very specific conditions. The future result will directly depend on how well they are created.
Lighting
Even neutral daylight strawberry varieties, which are most suitable for growing on the windowsill, still need good lighting. This parameter for this group does not have such fundamental importance as for short daylight varieties, mainly growing in beds, however, the problem is that in the shade or partial shade the large, sweet and red berry simply cannot ripen.
Read also articles on this topic:
Experts note the following relationship between the length of daylight hours (the time when the bushes are intensively lit) and the period from the time of planting to harvesting strawberries:
| The number of light hours per day | The number of days from planting to flowering | Number of days from planting to harvest |
| 8 | fourteen | 45 |
| 16 | 10 | 35 |
Thus, the more sunny the place where the strawberry pots are placed, the better.
Temperature
At different stages of the growing season, strawberries change their preferences regarding the optimum temperature. So during the period of gaining green mass, the bushes feel comfortable in the range + 15 ... + 20ºС (night temperature can be 5–8 degrees lower, therefore, at this stage the plant can develop normally even on a poorly heated balcony).
Important! In professional greenhouses, special automated systems are used to grow strawberries, which allow you to gently and “imperceptibly” raise the temperature as the plant enters the flowering phase.
Humidity
The requirements of strawberries to the humidity regime are also unstable, but the inverse relationship is observed here: young plants need very humid air (85–90%, which is completely unrealistic in a living room), but at the stage of flowering and fruiting, the humidity level should be reduced to quite comfortable for person and even recommended by sanitary standards 70–75%.
The soil
For growing strawberries at home, it is best to purchase a ready-made substrate (in specialized stores you can find peat or agro-vermiculite mixtures specifically designed for this garden crop).
However, you can prepare nutritious soil on your own, it is important that it matches the following parameters:
- acidity - neutral or acidic (pH level in the range of 4.5–5.5);
- fertility - high (it is important not only to have the proper concentration of humus, but also the balance of minerals - phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen, etc.);
- breathability and water permeability are high.
The best option is peat diluted with river sand or vermiculite in a ratio of 3: 1. It is also possible to take land from coniferous forests as the basis (such soil initially has high acidity) and dilute it with a mixture of peat and sand.
Important! Garden soil, even taken from a strawberry bed, is not suitable for growing strawberries at home: such soil in a small pot is quickly compressed, and the plant will suffer from a lack of oxygen in the roots.
Capacity
In order not to be mistaken with the size of the pots, you need to know that strawberries are a plant with a superficial root system. The maximum depth of the roots of the berry is 25-30 cm, respectively, this is the parameter that should be taken as the basis for the minimum height of the pot or box.
There are several more recommendations that you need to consider when selecting a container:
| Color | Desirable light, otherwise the roots will overheat |
| The presence of drainage holes | Necessarily, the plant does not tolerate stagnation of water in the roots |
| Material | Wood or burnt clay (ceramics). Plastic is less suitable because this material does not allow air to pass through, and good “ventilation” in the root system is important for strawberries. Peat pots are also not suitable, because their walls let moisture through, which means that the plants will quickly dry out. |
| Optimal tare capacity | 3-10 l |
Seed growing technology
In the open ground, strawberries are most often propagated by the vegetative method (mustache), the seed method, as a more complex and long one, has not been widely used. However, for growing on the windowsill, sowing berries with seeds is considered the best option, because, as already mentioned, caring for non-mustache-forming varieties at home is much easier.
When to sow
Since growing strawberries at home is a year-round process, there are no fundamental requirements for the timing of sowing seeds. Taking into account the above requirements that the plant presents to the temperature regime at different stages of its development, it is advisable to sow during the period when the boxes with seedlings for germination can still be kept on the open balcony, that is, depending on climatic conditions, at the beginning or mid September.
Did you know? The optimal time for sowing seeds according to the lunar calendar is the phase of the growing moon. But the full moon and new moon for this process is considered an extremely unfavorable period.
Sowing process
Seeding technology looks like this:
- Put the prepared peat mixture in wooden boxes or cassettes for seedlings, previously, like the seeds, decontaminated by abundant watering with potassium permanganate solution.
- Water the soil mixture liberally and let the water soak a little.
- Put seeds on the surface of the substrate. Better to take them not with your hands, but gently pry them off with a toothpick or the tip of a knife. The distance between the seeds, if not individual, but the total container is used, should be approximately 30 mm.
- “Cover” the seeds with a thin, not more than 1-2 mm, layer of moistened substrate, but after that no longer water it.
- Tighten the containers with a transparent film and puncture small ventilation holes in it.
- Remove the resulting mini-greenhouses in a warm and well-lit place (however, direct sunlight should not fall on the film, since in this case the soil can quickly overheat and dry out).
Seedling Care
Until the emergence of seedlings, maintenance of the mini-greenhouse consists in periodically ventilating the container and wetting the surface of the soil with warm water (you can add any growth stimulator to it) from the spray gun.
It is impossible to water the soil until the sprouts appear, since water can “carry” the seeds into the depths of the container, which will not only delay the germination process, but can also make it impossible: the seeds of strawberries need light to form the sprouts.
We recommend that you learn how to grow strawberries in the winter.
When friendly sprouts appear on the surface of the soil (usually it takes from 3 to 3.5 weeks), the film must be removed. From this moment on, it is necessary to monitor the constant moistening of the soil even more closely, since the air in a city apartment is usually very dry, and tender strawberry seedlings can not withstand drought yet.
Transplanting
After the pair of first true leaflets appears in seedlings, they can be transplanted into individual containers or boxes prepared in advance for this purpose (in the latter case, the distance between plants should be at least 10-15 cm).
Some gardeners dive later, after the formation of 4-5 true leaves (at this stage usually seedlings are planted in open ground), however, it is important to understand the basic rule: the earlier the transplant is made, the easier it is tolerated by the plant.
Important! Since pots with wide drainage holes are used to grow wild strawberries, as well as a very light peat mixture, expanded clay or other drainage as a lower layer, it is not necessary to lay in the planting containers, it is better to use the entire height of the flowerpot as a “usable area”.
After the container is filled with a nutrient substrate, it is necessary to make small recesses in it (it is very convenient to do this with a sushi stick or just with your finger). Then, slightly warmed water should be poured into the prepared well, in which it can be diluted according to the instructions of "Epin", "Kornevin" or another drug stimulating root formation.
After landing care
During the first weeks after planting, young plants need especially careful care, but those who expect a good harvest should not relax even after the bushes have grown stronger.
Watering
Strawberries should be watered abundantly and regularly, while at the same time avoiding stagnation of water in the pot. Until the bushes bloom, they can and should be sprayed, since this procedure partially solves the problem of overdried air in a city apartment, to which the plant is especially sensitive at a young age.
Important! Excessive watering of strawberries is one of the reasons for the development of fungal infections, especially root ones. The risk of the disease increases if waterlogging is combined with cool air.
However, during the flowering and fruiting period, only root watering is used, and at the last stage, when the berries started to pick up color, its intensity needs to be slightly reduced, this will provide the fruits with a sweeter and more saturated taste.
Top dressing
When growing strawberries at home, a complex of three preparations is used to feed the plant, providing the plant with nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, respectively:
- ammonium nitrate;
- potassium salt;
- superphosphate.
Fertilizers are applied by the root method after abundant watering once a week. For 1 liter of water, 4 g of the nitrogen and phosphorus component and 1 g of potash are used. As soon as the first ovaries appear on the bush, fertilizing should be stopped and the procedure should be resumed only after the fruiting phase is complete.
Pollination
Most varieties of strawberries have bisexual flowers, that is, strictly speaking, they are self-pollinated. However, even in greenhouses where a modern ventilation system is in place, without the so-called pollination, yields are significantly reduced. At home, artificial pollination is simply necessary. This can be done in several ways - from gently shaking the flower to blowing the "beds" with a fan.
You will be interested to know how to pollinate strawberries properly.
Ultimately, you need to ensure that pollen from one flower falls on the stigma of another. Some gardeners do this manually with a soft brush, which sequentially processes each flower. If you have certain skills, this method is optimal for a small number of bushes.
Pruning
Trimming strawberries is an agrotechnical technique, the expediency of which in recent years raises more and more doubts even among gardeners practicing the cultivation of this crop in open ground. Home plants definitely do not need to be cut, only old and dried leaves are subject to removal.
Did you know? The tiny grooves that cover the surface of the strawberry berry are the places where seeds occur. У данной культуры, в отличие от большинства других растений, семена расположены не внутри плода, а снаружи, причём на каждом экземпляре их может формироваться до 300.
Harvesting
В зависимости от того, каким способом выращивалась земляника (семенами или рассадой) ожидать первого урожая можно в разное время. Так, молодые саженцы, высаженные дома, принимаются довольно быстро и уже спустя месяц с небольшим после посадки начинают цвести. Плодоношение, соответственно, наступает ещё спустя 4-5 недель.
Выращивание саженцами
Выращивание земляники саженцами требует от садовода намного меньше усилий и времени, чем высеивание семян. Для этого достаточно приобрести в специализированном магазине уже подрощенную рассаду и просто пересадить её в новый горшок, используя изложенные выше рекомендации относительно ёмкости, состава почвы, технологии посадки и пр.
Можно использовать для «комнатного» огорода розетки, выращенные из усов на дачном участке, выкопав их из земли осенью и высадив дома. Более того, если укоренять усы не в земле, а сразу же в небольших горшках, выставленных прямо на грядку, укоренившееся молодое растение даже пересаживать будет не нужно, останется лишь отделить его от материнского куста, перерезав «пуповину».
Did you know? В ресторане «Arnaud's», расположенном в Новом Орлеане (штат Луизиана, США), подают клубничный десерт стоимостью $ 1, 4 млн за порцию. Покрытые нежнейшим кремом ягоды шеф-повар украшает пятикаратным розовым бриллиантом, что и определяет «космическую» стоимость блюда.
Однако в этом случае следует помнить о том, что сорт, выращиваемый на грядке, далеко не всегда годится для городской квартиры (впрочем, если опыт окажется неудачным, весной окрепший куст можно будет снова пересадить на грядку после достаточно комфортной зимовки).
Diseases and Pests
Если почва для посадки земляники была выбрана правильно и прошла процедуру обеззараживания, болезни и вредители растению обычно не докучают, во всяком случае, вероятность его поражения намного ниже, чем при выращивании в открытом грунте. Однако при несоблюдении агротехники выращивания, использовании необработанного садового инвентаря или контакте куста с заражёнными комнатными растениями, проблемы всё же могут возникнуть. В этом случае очень важен точный диагноз и экстренная помощь.
Spider mite
Паутинный клещ — один из главных вредителей, поражающих как комнатные, так и садовые растения. По характерным следам, оставляемым этим паразитом на листьях, опознать его очень легко. Спасти куст на ранних стадиях (а до более запущенной фазы лучше не доводить) можно при помощи опрыскивания надземной части растения чесночным настоем.
Root rot
Как уже упоминалось, основной причиной развития корневых гнилей является нарушение режима полива, прежде всего переувлажнение почвы при низкой температуре окружающей среды. В подавляющем большинстве случаев эта разновидность грибковых заболеваний диагностируется на той стадии, когда лечение уже является малоэффективным, тем более, что используемые обычно для этих целей системные фунгициды слишком токсичны, чтобы применять их в закрытом помещении, где к тому же живут люди.
Рекомендуем вам узнать, как обработать клубнику от вредителей и болезней.
Поэтому поражённому растению можно попробовать помочь лишь радикальным способом — немедленной пересадкой в свежую землю, причём в процессе проведения процедуры корневую систему следует обработать слабым раствором перманганата калия или другим дезинфицирующим средством. Почву, в которой рос куст, необходимо выбросить.
Aphid
Тля является злейшим врагом земляники, но, к счастью, домашние растения она практически не поражает, поскольку это насекомое чаще всего разносится по грядке садовыми муравьями, в то время как дома им взяться негде. Источником заражения может стать почва, в которой зимует тля, именно поэтому землю обязательно нужно протравливать перед посадкой растений.
Но если мелкое сокососущее насекомое всё же обнаружилось на кустах, землянику можно обработать слабым мыльным раствором, особый упор делая на нижней части листьев. При необходимости спустя несколько дней процедуру повторяют, а когда насекомые погибнут, куст можно просто осторожно ополоснуть под душем.
Gray rot
Эту грибковую инфекцию легко распознать по характерному пепельному налёту на листьях. Плоды у заражённого растения имеют водянистую структуру и часто покрыты тёмными пятнами. Основная причина распространения болезни — неправильный полив, нарушение режима температуры и влажности.
Узнайте, как бороться с серой гнилью на клубнике.
Излечить растение, не прибегая к токсичным препаратам, можно при помощи обычного йода. Для приготовления рабочего раствора смешивают 20 мл молочной сыворотки, 1 л воды и добавляют в полученную жидкость 1-2 капли йода. Средство используется методом опрыскивания.
Blackleg
Чёрная ножка — название ненаучное. Этим термином именуют ряд различных инфекций, вызываемых главным образом почвенными грибами и поражающих в первую очередь рассаду. Бороться с болезнью довольно сложно, однако возникает она исключительно из-за агротехнических ошибок, прежде всего, сочетания высокой влажности и низких температур.
При появлении характерного тёмного кольца в нижней части саженца, следует:
- прекратить или уменьшить полив;
- спустя несколько дней, если проблема сохраняется, полить растение слабым раствором перманганата марганца либо разведённым согласно инструкции биофунгицидом («Фитоспорин М», «Бактофит», «Планриз» и пр.) — такие препараты нетоксичны и могут использоваться даже в закрытом помещении, хотя лучше, конечно, до необходимости их применения ситуацию не доводить.
