Growing and caring for strawberries at home all year round

In addition to greens and flowers, you can successfully grow strawberries at home. There are several known varieties of this crop that can grow under artificial light. Since growing strawberries in the house is more difficult than in the garden, before planting you need to familiarize yourself with the requirements that the plant imposes on the place where it grows. And in order to harvest at least twice a year, you will need to provide proper care.

How to grow homemade strawberries?

Growing heat-loving crops in an apartment does not cause difficulties. Popular remontant varieties are suitable for cultivation, in which berries successfully ripen all year round with a constant and long-term supply of ultraviolet radiation. It is important to create an indoor microclimate suitable for the crop.

However, there are varieties (neutral daylight, or DND) that can germinate even in insufficient sunlight. Moreover, such strawberries can bear fruit for up to 9 months.

You will also need to create comfortable conditions for the plant. The latter refers to maintaining optimal temperature conditions. The level of humidity does not play a determining role. However, during the winter it is recommended to spray the bushes regularly.

Varieties of strawberries for an apartment

It was noted above that strawberries suitable for growing at home are of two types:

1. DSD. On a crop of this type, fruits appear twice within one year. Most of the berries appear during the second harvest. The fruits of this variety appear under constant light conditions.
2. NSD. The variety is characterized by increased resistance to microclimate changes (temperature and humidity fluctuations). Berries appear even in low light. The fruits take nine months to form.

From the first group of varieties, Crimean, Autumn Fun or Garland are often used for growing in an apartment. The Brighton variety is distinguished by the fact that in addition to low maintenance requirements, this plant produces fruits that hang in the bushes. Therefore this strawberries are used for growing in pots.

For growing in containers, gardeners recommend the Queen Elizabeth variety, which provides year-round fruiting.

This plant also produces beautiful colors that can decorate the interior of an apartment.

Rules for growing in an apartment

Growing will not cause difficulties, provided that the rules of planting and subsequent care are followed. It is also important to decide on the place where the pot with the crop will be placed.

Suitable place to grow

It is recommended to place the container with the plant on a windowsill facing south or east. These areas are considered the most illuminated.

Growing on a balcony is also possible, provided that this area is insulated and protected from winds.

For rapid growth of the crop, it is necessary to provide sunlight for 14 hours. During the cold season, it will be necessary to create artificial lighting with ultraviolet lamps.

Temperature

Strawberries are heat-loving plants. Therefore, the crop is able to bear fruit provided it grows at temperatures up to +20 degrees. If this requirement is not met, the plant will die.

Humidity

This parameter does not play a decisive role, provided that the optimal temperature is maintained and sufficient daylight hours are provided. But for normal growth, strawberries require a humidity level of 70-80%. To avoid drying out the leaves in winter, it is recommended to regularly spray the bushes with a spray bottle.

It is important to prevent the soil from becoming waterlogged, otherwise fungal diseases will occur.

Selection of containers for planting

If the plant is grown from seeds, then the strawberries are first planted in small glasses. Then, after picking, the culture is transferred to larger containers.When 5 full leaves appear on the bushes, the strawberries can be transplanted into a pot.

The choice of container depends on what variety is grown. For hanging varieties, it is recommended to use hanging pots, since on such bushes the fruits hang down. The remaining varieties are planted in long boxes with a volume of up to 15 liters or in separate containers. The plant can also be grown in plastic bottles with holes in the bottom to allow excess liquid to drain out.

Selecting a soil mixture

To grow a heat-loving crop, purchased soil mixtures intended for indoor plants are suitable. If desired, you can prepare the soil yourself. To do this, you will need to mix humus with sand and soil with pine needles in equal proportions.

Strawberries grow well in loose soil provided there is a constant flow of water. After preparation, it is necessary to add fertilizers containing potassium and phosphorus to the soil.

Seeds or seedlings: which is suitable?

Strawberries are grown from seedlings or seeds. The last option is quite labor-intensive. Therefore, novice gardeners are recommended to purchase seedlings. The plant should be planted in autumn. To do this, you need to separate large seedlings from the rosettes and plant them in a pot, leaving only 1-2 young leaves. After this, the container with the culture must be left for two weeks in a cool place.

If seeds are used, the planting material must first be soaked. To do this, you will need to take a container with holes drilled in the bottom. Then you need to lay out moistened gauze. Next, seeds are placed on the material, then planting material, and the top is covered with damp gauze. The container with a lid should be placed in a well-heated room for three days.At the end of this period, the container is sent to the refrigerator for a day to harden the culture.

Seed material is sown into the soil at a distance of four centimeters and to a depth of one centimeter. The pots are then covered with polyethylene. After the seedlings appear, you can begin planting the plant.

Planting process

In order to plant a heat-loving crop, you must first fill the bottom of the prepared container with a layer of expanded clay, which will act as drainage. Next, dip the roots of the seedlings into a weak solution of potassium permanganate. After a few minutes, lower the plant into the pot. It is not recommended to bend the rhizomes, therefore, if necessary, long branches should be removed. In the latter case, before planting, you will have to soak the strawberries in a weak solution of heteroauxin (the duration of the procedure and the proportion of the mixture are indicated on the packaging of the product).

At the end, the roots are covered with prepared soil so that the soil reaches the outlet. Finally, the plant is watered abundantly.

How to care?

During the fall and winter, strawberries need to ensure they receive enough light. To do this, you will have to install an ultraviolet lamp near the plant. If this condition is met and watered regularly, the plant will not require additional care.

What to fertilize with?

For irrigation, it is recommended to use settled or filtered water. The procedure should be carried out twice a week. If necessary, the frequency of watering can be increased. After each procedure, the soil should be loosened. The plant begins to be fertilized when the first leaves appear. For this purpose complex mixtures are used. In the future, fertilizing is applied every 2 weeks.

A homemade mixture is suitable for fertilizing the plant. To do this you will need:

• grind the shell, taking one egg;
• fill a third of a three-liter jar with the resulting powder;
• add ash in an amount not exceeding one glass;
• Pour preheated clean water into the jar.

The composition is infused for five days. For fertilizer, this mixture is used, diluted with clean water in a ratio of 1:3.

Pruning and pollination

It is recommended to trim regularly, removing overgrown whiskers. This procedure will ensure normal growth and development of the plant. However, if strawberry owners plan to replant the crop over time, then pruning is not necessary.

Artificial pollination is carried out in two ways. The first involves the following: during the flowering period, the brush must be brushed over all blossoming buds. The second method is simpler: you need to point the switched-on fan at the bush.

Wintering

Subject to the rules of planting and care, strawberries do not need to be prepared for winter. During this period, it is important to ensure sufficient watering (since the soil dries faster in the apartment) and light level.

Common diseases

Indoor strawberries are not susceptible to diseases provided that a purchased mixture was used for the seedlings. In rare cases, gray rot develops, to destroy which garlic tincture is used (2 cloves per 100 milliliters of water, infused for 2 hours).

Pests to which strawberries are susceptible

The only pest (provided that a purchased soil mixture is used) that affects strawberries is the spider mite. To combat insects, the same garlic tincture is used.

Timing of germination and harvesting

If seeds are used, the first shoots appear 20-30 days after sowing. Strawberries planted as seedlings begin to bloom after 30 days. The berries form and ripen within 1-2 months. Some varieties produce an early harvest, others after six months.