Features of growing strawberries in greenhouses all year round

Strawberries are one of the most popular berries. That is why it is grown in the country, in the garden. I especially want to enjoy the berry in winter. You can buy it in the supermarket, however, self-grown strawberries have excellent taste and do not contain nitrates. The berry has some characteristics that must be observed when growing.

Pros and cons of greenhouse growing

The main advantage is that it is possible to harvest your favorite berries throughout the year. Thus, the gardener will have strawberries all year round, and they can not only be enjoyed, but also sold. In winter, she uses a lot of millet, and the prices are several times higher. There is an opportunity to make good money selling berries.

Weather conditions do not affect the yield of strawberries in the greenhouse, because they are in optimal conditions for normal growth and development. If it grows in open ground, the crop yield is reduced by 25%, in contrast to growing in a greenhouse.

Another plus is saving space on the site. In addition, caring for berries is much easier when they grow in a greenhouse. Homemade strawberries do not contain harmful substances to human health, unlike the dubious berries sold in supermarkets. It’s better not to take risks, but to grow tasty and healthy strawberries yourself.

The only drawback to obtaining berries this way is the cost. To get a good harvest, you will need to increase daylight hours using additional lighting. The crop also requires artificial pollination.

Necessary equipment

To obtain good harvests, not only in summer, one cannot do without additional lighting and heating, which create a normal microclimate. To create a complete heating system, infrared cables or pipes are laid underground to distill warm air masses. For heating purposes, electric boilers or stoves are sometimes used.

Lighting also plays an important role, especially during short daylight hours. Sodium lamps with a power rating of 400 watts, which imitate sunlight, are well suited. The lamp should be placed 100 cm above the plants, illuminating 1 square meter of space. Light dispersion can be improved using special reflective devices.

For strawberry bushes you need to provide drip watering. A separate system is being made, the components of which will be a large barrel of clean water installed above the racks, and a rubber tube that should lie on the soil. Small holes are made in it; their number should match the number of bushes.

Types of greenhouses

Greenhouse structures are divided into several types:

• wooden structure with polyethylene film;
• aluminum structure covered with polycarbonate sheets;
• metal structure with glass.

The most common type is a wooden frame covered with a thick film. Its widespread use is due to several positive aspects, including: the simplicity of the device and the low cost of the necessary materials. The disadvantage is that this method is not suitable for growing berries all year round in a greenhouse. A film greenhouse will be an ideal solution from March until October.

A polycarbonate greenhouse is the best option for these purposes. It is durable and reliable. Perfectly retains heat and moisture, perfectly transmits sunlight. This type of greenhouse has an affordable price.

A metal frame with glass ceilings is considered the most expensive of those listed. The greenhouse maintains the necessary microclimate and warms up quickly enough. Heat loss from a metal greenhouse with glass ceilings is minimal.

Citrus

are propagated by cuttings and air layering, otherwise by grafting. Transplanted into acidic soil in late winter. Harvesting is all year round.

For several centuries, oranges, lemons and other citrus fruits have been admired in Europe. Therefore, in almost every principality, greenhouses and greenhouses were built for growing these trees. Noble citrus plants, even in the southern regions, need protection from low temperatures, and although in winter they prefer cool and moderately humid rooms, they do not like frost. Citrus fruits are spectacular all year round. At the same time they are decorated with flowers and fruits.

Care: It probably doesn’t make sense to grow trees from seeds yourself! Positive results in this case are rare and depend on genetic characteristics. The effect can be achieved by budding - grafting a bud on a wild lemon, using it as a stable rootstock. True, it is better to buy grafted plants, especially since in our time it is not difficult to purchase them. Nevertheless, propagation by apical cuttings in some species is almost always successful. Lemons root quite successfully in a mixture of peat and sand with the help of growth substances at a temperature of 20-26 ° C for several weeks. Within a year you will be able to see fruits on them. Good success can also be achieved with mature orange cuttings (from June to July), especially in glass felt cubes. This method also gives excellent results when breeding dwarf oranges with small fruits. Tangerines, grapefruits, quinottos and cumgat are more difficult to grow .

Propagation of citrus fruits by air layering, often used in southern countries, is not difficult. Citrus fruits are self-pollinating plants, so you can have just one plant or a whole collection. If necessary, pollen is transferred to the flower with a brush.

All citrus plants need clay, rather acidic, dense soil. Lime-rich water is low in iron, which causes leaves to turn pale. But this deficiency can be eliminated by fertilizing with microelements. Excessive soil moisture can quickly destroy a plant if it has not yet “rested” from a short “drought”. During wintering (in a bright place at a temperature no higher than 10-12°C), the trees are watered very moderately. During the growth period, fertilize weekly. Citrus fruits are damaged by coccids, aphids and sometimes currant buds. They are protected with the help of beneficial insects.

Oranges

There are many varieties of this crop. Washington oranges are considered especially sweet and tasty. They, however, love a lot of sun and require careful care. They need moderate pruning from time to time to keep the plants from becoming overgrown. Trees overwinter at a temperature of 5-10°C.

Dwarf oranges, bitter oranges . These are small, beautiful, but sour oranges. They overwinter near well-lit windows in living quarters at a temperature of 10-14°C.

Bitter oranges or bitter oranges . This type of orange is propagated by seeds. The fruits are not eaten fresh, but they are used to make delicious orange marmalade. Plants overwinter at a temperature of 5°C.

Lemons can - as in Italy (pictured) - be propagated by apical layering or cuttings.

Hinotto

A dwarf type of bitter orange with small leaves and medium-sized fruits with a porous skin. Overwinters at a temperature of 5-8°C.

Grapefruit

A productive, fairly heat-loving greenhouse plant. The large, light yellow fruits have a sweet and sour taste. Like its close relatives namnelmus and citronate lemon, it overwinters at a temperature of 10-12°C.

Kumgat

A dwarf plant from Japan with many small egg-shaped orange fruits, it is an ornamental pot plant. The fruit is eaten with its thin skin; it has a sour taste, but is very aromatic. The plant overwinters at a temperature of about 5°C.

Mandarin

The small tree is a beautiful productive tub plant with sweet fruits. In summer it is taken out into the open air in a place protected from wind and prolonged precipitation, and in winter it is kept at a temperature of 5-8°C.

Preparing containers

They grow dugouts in a greenhouse directly on the beds. To save space, you can plant the berries in containers that are placed on shelves. Thus, there are several tiers with containers. To ensure normal development and fruiting, bushes require lighting. To ensure there is enough light for everyone, the distance between the tiers is maintained at least 50 cm. Some gardeners hang pots for this purpose.

Cereals are considered the best predecessors. That is why it is recommended to install the greenhouse in the place where they grew. You can take soil from the garden and deliver it to the greenhouse. In this case, it is not recommended to use the soil on which tomatoes, potatoes and peppers were grown. Soil preparation

To obtain a rich harvest, special soil is used. To prepare it, you need to mix chopped straw with chicken manure, gypsum, chalk and urea. The process looks like this:

1. Chicken manure and straw are laid out in layers in the container.
2. The contents of the container are poured with warm water and left for a month.
3. During this time, the fermented mixture is stirred twice.

4. 
   Chalk, gypsum, and urea are added to the resulting dark brown mixture. The resulting substrate is rich in calcium, nitrogen and phosphates. Thus, the crop will grow well and will not require a large amount of fertilizing.

5. The last stage is warming up. It is necessary to sterilize the substrate.

It is important to monitor the temperature; it should not exceed 60 °C. Otherwise, it will overheat and lose its beneficial qualities.

Strawberry care

The grown seedlings are planted in the greenhouse. When using Dutch hanging technologies, each bush is placed in a separate pot filled with nutritious substrate. When planted in the ground, the bushes are placed in rows with a distance of 30-45 cm . To optimize watering and maintain the required level of humidity in the greenhouse, you should install an automatic drip system.

The soil should not dry out, but flooding is also unacceptable. Stagnation of water in the soil provokes the disease gray rot, which can destroy the crop. The humidity in the greenhouse should not fall below 80% . After the bushes take root, you need to ventilate the room daily.

Once every two weeks it is necessary to apply mineral fertilizers: ammonium nitrate and potassium chloride diluted in water. After flowering begins, you need to gradually increase the temperature in the greenhouse; this will speed up the ripening of the berries, making their taste bright and rich.

How to care for berries in a greenhouse

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To get a rich harvest of tasty berries, it is important to maintain all the conditions necessary for growth and development. Strawberries require timely watering, special temperature conditions, good lighting and fertilizing.

Watering mode

Water the berries in different ways. The following methods are used: drip irrigation, sprinkling. To grow a rich harvest of strawberries, before they bloom, water only by sprinkling. After this, the greenhouse berries must be watered at the root between the rows so that water does not get on the flowers and leaves. This measure is necessary in order not to knock the flowers off the plant with the flow.

Strawberries are watered approximately once every 8-10 days. When the fruiting period begins, it is necessary to water as needed. You also need to pay attention to weather conditions. It is recommended to water the bushes in the early morning, about once or twice a week. You cannot flood the bushes. This will lead to fungal diseases occurring. After watering, it is necessary to carefully loosen the soil so as not to damage the roots. Thus, they are saturated with oxygen, which helps to increase the yield.

Lighting

When growing berries in a greenhouse in winter, additional lighting is required, since the sun's rays do not pass through the coating well. In addition, daylight hours are not enough to obtain a good harvest. To do this, additional light sources are installed in the greenhouse. In autumn and winter, daylight hours should be at least 13-15 hours.

The optimal light source option is high-pressure sodium lamps. For 3 square meters of greenhouse you will need one lamp with a power of at least 400 W. If the crop is illuminated for more than 13-14 hours a day, the yield will increase.

Optimal temperature and humidity

To successfully obtain a strawberry harvest, a certain air humidity and temperature conditions are required. To do this, purchase equipment. From January the optimal temperature is + 10 +12 °C. As daylight hours increase, it must be increased to + 20 °C. At night the temperature is maintained at about +8 °C. When the plants begin to bloom, increase to + 25 °C. However, it cannot be increased sharply. Otherwise, the plant may not withstand sudden warming.

As for air humidity, during the planting period and for several more weeks it is 85%. Only after this the level is reduced to 80%. Reduce the humidity again when the plant blooms.

Fertilizers

Like all plants, strawberries need fertilizer. They are applied in liquid form once every 7 days. Be sure to water the plants before fertilizing. This will protect the roots from getting burned. Ammonium nitrate, superphosphate, and potassium salt are used as fertilizers. Sometimes chicken manure is used. Plants are fed only until ovaries form.

To avoid the occurrence of various diseases, you must adhere to the following actions:

1. Plant plants at the optimal distance from each other.
2. Stick to a watering schedule.
3. Always check the ground. It should not be over-moistened.
4. Remove weeds in a timely manner.

5. 
   Choose the right fertilizers and use them on time.

6. Monitor the condition of the plant and, if necessary, use pest control products.

What should you consider when building a greenhouse?

When working, adhere to the following algorithm:

1. It is necessary to select the material to create a greenhouse and construct it.
2. Create a microclimate using heaters and possibly humidifiers.
3. Purchase gardening tools and set up an irrigation system.
4. Fill the greenhouse with soil suitable for garden strawberries.
5. Buy preparations for treating diseases and pests, fertilizers.
6. Select planting material.

At first glance it seems that everything is very simple, but this is not at all the case. When choosing equipment and materials for construction, many factors must be taken into account; you should also carefully consider the choice of strawberry variety for planting.

Choosing material for the greenhouse

The main requirement for materials used for the construction of greenhouses is increased insulating properties. They must be durable and adapt to the weather conditions in the region.

The following factors are taken into account:

• the lowest temperature in the region in winter;
• wind force;
• amount of precipitation in centimeters.

Three materials are used for artificial structures:

1. The cheapest is film. The disadvantage is unreliability. Such a greenhouse will not work fully in winter; the film quickly deteriorates, tears and becomes cloudy, so its service life is several years. Not suitable for northern regions because it does not provide enough protection from the cold. The method is not applicable for year-round cultivation.
2. Glass is an expensive option for constructing a greenhouse, but in comparison with film, such structures are considered quite reliable. They require a foundation; the glass itself is mounted in special frames. Keep in mind that you cannot save money and buy thin glass, because it will be very fragile and can be destroyed by hail or break under the weight of snow. Maintaining a microclimate is simple, but you need to use a ventilation system, control the temperature and arrange heating.
3. Polycarbonate is the golden mean. It is considered the best material for constructing a greenhouse. It is cheaper and stronger than glass, and can withstand heavy loads if the frame is made of metal. Service life - more than 15 years.

Attention! Each material has its own advantages and disadvantages. Remember that the greenhouse is being built with the prospect of service for decades. During this time it should fully pay off.

Necessary equipment

The estimate compiled for organizing a greenhouse for strawberries includes the cost of additional equipment.

Need to buy:

• drip irrigation system;
• lighting fixtures and lamps that save energy;
• electric or gas boilers;
• fans;
• thermometers;
• containers for planting crops;
• racks for organizing vertical growing.

Strawberry varieties for greenhouses grown all year round

Growing berries throughout the year requires certain knowledge. Before doing this, in the absence of experience, you need to familiarize yourself with the intricacies of the crop and the features of its cultivation. Which varieties are suitable for growing all year round?

Thus, it will be easier to decide which variety of strawberries is more suitable for obtaining a large harvest throughout the year.

The following varieties are considered popular:

• Crown;
• Sonata;
• Elsanta;
• Khoniei.

Did you know! Some varieties of berries require pollination. To do this, each bush is treated with a brush. Experienced gardeners also install hives with bees in the greenhouse where strawberries grow. Bees help pollinate plants.

Sales and Marketing

Marketing campaign methods depend on the chosen sales direction.
In all cases, it is worth making a website, since consumers today are distrustful of companies that are not represented on the Internet, this also applies to the development of the strawberry business. A social network page is also a good option for attracting attention.

It is permissible to implement the following techniques:

1. Uploading photos and videos of berries.
2. Conducting live broadcasts from the greenhouse, where you can see how strawberries are grown.
3. Publishing customer reviews.

When working with legal entities, it is necessary to draw up a presentation sheet, which will indicate all certificates and permits for sale.

When expanding your business, you will need to obtain some papers. These include: a declaration reflecting that the product complies with GOST, as well as a sanitary certificate. Materials are issued by Rosselkhoznadzor for the subject.

Remontant varieties of strawberries

When growing in a greenhouse, it is recommended to use remontant strawberry varieties. They do not require pollination. Another positive quality is that the berry bears fruit several times a year. Among the remontant varieties, the most popular are:

• Albion;
• Queen Elizabeth;
• Temptation F1;
• Lyubava.

The Albion variety of berries is high-yielding, the berries are tasty and aromatic. A distinctive feature is that the variety does not form a mustache. Strawberries bear fruit early and abundantly.

The popular variety Queen Elizabeth differs in the size of its berries. Some of them reach sizes of 125 g. Up to 5 kg of berries are collected from one bush. The berries are incredibly beautiful, dense and red. The berry needs regular renewal.

The Temptation F1 variety allows you to grow berries with a unique taste and aroma. The berries are dense and juicy. They reach a size of 40 g. Fruiting is early - the harvest is harvested within a month and a half after planting. Each bush produces one and a half kilograms of berries.

Strawberries Lyubava are very aromatic and tasty, but not large. It is distinguished by its high yield, reaching two kilograms per bush. The plants take root immediately and begin to bear fruit very early.

Strawberry propagation in greenhouse conditions

25-30 days after the seedlings take root and begin to actively gain vegetative mass, tendrils - generative organs - will begin to appear. In 2 weeks, new rosettes will begin to take root, it is then that it is necessary to water the soil abundantly and raise the temperature to +22 degrees so that the lateral and main roots can take root thoroughly.

After the rosette becomes dense (4-5 stems), it is removed from the soil. To do this you will need pruning shears, a spatula or a wide knife. Using pruning shears, we cut off the tendril at the base of the new rosette from which it appeared and all the new shoots. We also discard subsequent bushes and immediately tear off the tendrils as soon as they begin to appear on the daughter plant. Then use a spatula to dig up from all sides without damaging the roots - it is better to leave more soil on the rhizome. If the ground is dense, then it is more practical to use a knife. We move it to a new hole (first add superphosphate and a growth stimulator) and water it abundantly. After 2-3 days, the plant will “move away”, acquire a dark green color, and begin to actively grow.

Ways to grow strawberries

There are several ways to get a strawberry harvest in a greenhouse all year round. They differ depending on where the berries are grown in the greenhouse. Strawberries are planted in beds and containers. Not long ago, another method appeared - the Dutch growing technology.

Growing method in soil

For planting in the ground, tendrils of 1st and 2nd order are used. Seedlings are purchased at the store. There is also the opportunity to grow it yourself. First you need to prepare the beds. The optimal width is about 100 cm. They are usually located from north to south. This method of arrangement will provide the bushes with the maximum amount of heat and light.

At the bottom of the beds it is necessary to pour fine crushed stone in a layer of 6 cm. You will also need sand in a layer of 10 cm and black soil - 10 cm. The holes are dug 10 cm deep, it is recommended to place them in a checkerboard pattern. In order for the bushes to grow strong and healthy, fertilizers are poured into each hole.

The seedlings are carefully placed in the holes and buried in soil. You definitely need to pay attention to the location of the outlet; it should be located at ground level. Under no circumstances should it be buried in the soil. Also, you should not plant it high above ground level.

How to choose strawberry seedlings

To successfully grow garden strawberries, it is important to choose high-quality and completely healthy seedlings. Each rosette must have green foliage, free from defects, red or white spots, damage or wrinkling. The number of leaves is at least three. The root collar of each strawberry seedling should be strong, 0.5 cm thick. As on the surface of the leaves, there should be no signs of rot or other stains. The roots should reach 7 cm, be fibrous and healthy.

Growing in bags, or Dutch technology

This method is considered quite new. It allows you to get a large harvest of strawberries every 2 months. Remontant varieties are used. The berries are planted in plastic bags. They are placed horizontally or vertically in the greenhouse. The room must be provided with good ventilation. The fact is that when growing berries in a greenhouse, a sufficiently high temperature and high humidity can cause the soil in the bags to rot.

The berry bushes are placed in bags. The distance between them should be about 20 cm. This is done in order to provide each bush with the necessary amount of light. Plastic bottles are often used for watering. Their volume is at least 2 liters. A bottle of water is placed above each bag. Several holes are made in the lid and droppers are inserted into them. From two to five pieces is enough. The ends of the droppers are placed to the roots. Such an irrigation system assumes a water consumption of 2 liters per bag of berries per day.

Did you know! For better illumination of each bush, special reflectors are installed in the greenhouse.

Growing strawberries requires effort, but with the right approach you can get a rich harvest. In addition, in winter the berry is in demand and you can earn extra money by selling it.

Growing strawberries in a greenhouse all year round

Related Materials:

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  Strawberries all year round: features of growing and caring for berries in a greenhouse

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  Growing strawberries in greenhouse conditions in winter: how to do it correctly, basic methods and recommendations

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  Another secret to a rich strawberry harvest: organizing a greenhouse

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  Greenhouse growing of strawberries vertically

Organizational structure

In accordance with Russian legislation, in order to organize a subsidiary farm, it is necessary to obtain a number of permits, as well as register a business.
These aspects are important if you want to cooperate with serious wholesalers and retail outlets. At the start, it is recommended to open an individual entrepreneur as the simplest organizational form. Since we are talking about growing products, which falls under the category of agriculture, taxation is more favorable than for producers or distributors.

If you register a strawberry business as a subsidiary farm, then it is permissible not to pay taxes at all.

We recommend you study! Follow the link:

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This requires:

1. Own or rent a plot of land up to two hectares.
2. The land meets agricultural standards.
3. There is a certificate that the plot exists and vegetables or berries are grown on it.

The need for mandatory registration of a company is also due to the fact that lending to small businesses is permissible only if there is an individual entrepreneur or LLC. The costs of organizing a business include collecting the required papers. When contacting the bank, you must bring a business plan and constituent materials. This will show seriousness of intentions and increase the chances of receiving a loan. Registration of a legal entity or individual entrepreneur is an integral part of business planning.

When developing an individual business, it is recommended to register an individual entrepreneur or private subsidiary plot (personal subsidiary plot), and if we are talking about partnerships, then registration of a peasant farm is acceptable. It is an analogue of a limited liability partnership in the field of agriculture.