Strawberries are tasty and aromatic berries that have not only a pleasant taste, but also beneficial properties. Most often, berries are grown using the classical method, but some gardeners use hydroponics with special equipment to grow strawberries.
What is hydroponics?
The hydroponic method of growing plants has recently begun to gain popularity.The main feature of the technique is that the planted plants are grown without soil. Instead, developed artificial environments are used to promote the growth and development of planted seedlings. Such a medium can be either solid or air-moist. It must have moisture capacity and good porosity, which facilitates the supply of oxygen to the root system of plants.
Most often, gardeners use nutrient solutions that contain the components necessary for the development of strawberries.
When using hydroponic techniques, the following rules must be observed:
- choosing a strawberry variety that is ideal for growing using hydroponics;
- purchasing or independently creating a hydroponic system;
- creating a feeding mixture that would fully provide the crop with micronutrients.
Advantages and disadvantages of installation
Before using hydroponic equipment, you need to familiarize yourself with the main advantages and disadvantages of this method of growing strawberries. The advantages of the technique include:
- Regulating the supply of nutrients. Using hydroponics, gardeners can more easily control the nutrition of the berries they grow. This allows you to ensure that only those nutrients that the plant lacks get into the strawberry root system.
- Reducing water consumption. It is no secret that for normal growth of strawberries you will need a large amount of water. However, when growing hydroponically, the liquid will not be absorbed into the water, and therefore a lot of water can be saved when watering.
- Increasing the viability of bushes.Plants grown hydroponically have a strong immune system that protects them from many diseases.
- Accelerated biomass growth. The hydroponic method promotes the growth of green mass. The growth of bushes is improved due to the fact that the nutrient solutions used contain many nitrogen components.
However, this technique also has several disadvantages, which include the following:
- Constant temperature control. Within the root zone, temperature indicators should be at 17-20 degrees. At elevated temperatures of 30-35 degrees above zero, the root system stops developing and begins to die.
- Not suitable for all varieties of strawberries. Not all varieties of berries can be grown hydroponically. Therefore, it is recommended to select plants in advance that can be cultivated in this way.
Features of equipment selection
To choose the right equipment for wild strawberries, you need to familiarize yourself with the main types of systems and their features:
- Lechuza. An effective hydroponic system that consists of large pots that are filled with an inorganic mixture to develop the root system. The features of Lechuza include the fact that such a system is equipped with a special device for automatic irrigation of planted plants. Thanks to this, the number of waterings per year is reduced significantly.
- Try-System. This system is suitable for young gardeners who have recently started growing strawberries. It is made from small plastic containers in which an individual irrigation system is built.
- AquaFarm. A highly efficient system often used for planting and further growing strawberry seedlings. The containers of such an installation are filled with expanded clay.Special tubes are connected to them, responsible for the supply of nutritional components.
- EcoSystem. A huge multi-level system equipped with lighting and ventilation. EcoSystem also has a special microcontroller responsible for regulating the supply of water and fertilizing.
Nutrient solution
When using the installation, the plants are fed with mineral components that strawberries need for normal fruiting and growth of green mass. To make a nutrient solution, non-mobile and mobile components are used. The first group includes:
- Calcium. Any feeding composition must contain calcium-containing substances, which are necessary for the development of the above-ground parts of plants.
- Bor. Needed by plants to improve the absorption of other micronutrients.
- Sulfur. Fertilizers containing sulfur are used to improve the taste of the ripened crop.
Mobile components include the following:
- Nitrogen. The component is added to the solution in the first weeks of growing strawberries, since in the future the need for nitrogen gradually decreases. The most nitrogen is found in urea and ammonia.
- Phosphorus. Phosphorus-containing fertilizers are used during fruiting, flowering and active growth of the root system.
- Potassium. Potassium components improve plant immunity and make them more resistant to temperature changes and diseases.
Making hydroponics with your own hands
Before you create hydroponics for strawberries with your own hands, you need to prepare the necessary materials and tools:
- container into which the fertilizing solution will be poured;
- cups for placing young seedlings;
- foam sheet;
- nutritional mixture;
- compressor;
- mineral wool or other fillers.
When creating a hydroponic system, adhere to the following recommendations:
- Making small holes in the foam into which the cups will be inserted.
- Filling containers with water to check the performance of the compressor. If many small bubbles appear during operation, the compressor is connected correctly.
- Filling tanks with nutrient mixture and installing a compressor.
- Installing planting cups in foam and planting plants.
Growing strawberries hydroponically
It is recommended that you familiarize yourself in advance with the basic methods and conditions for growing strawberries.
Growing methods
There are three methods for growing strawberry bushes hydroponically:
- Based on drip irrigation of seedlings. In this case, the seed is planted in a special substrate, into which the nutrient liquid is supplied by drip. To supply the nutrient solution, use a dropper, which is connected to the bottom of the stem.
- Using N.F.T. The use of such a nutrient layer ensures constant circulation of the feeding mixture. The system is connected by hoses to the containers in which strawberries are grown.
- Water culture technique. This method is rarely used when growing strawberries, since they do not belong to the group of moisture-loving berries.
Growing conditions
When growing strawberries, you need to pay attention to:
- Lighting. The berry needs long-term lighting so that the daylight hours are not less than eight hours. To increase productivity during fruiting, additional LED lamps are installed near the bushes.
- Temperature. Strawberry yield depends on air temperature.When growing in a greenhouse, you need to ensure that its indicators do not fall below fifteen degrees.
Strawberry varieties suitable for growing hydroponically
The most important step in using hydroponics is selecting the most suitable strawberry variety. There are many varieties of strawberries that can be grown this way. However, only a few of them have high yields:
- Zenga-Zengana;
- Festival;
- Elvira;
- Everest;
- Gorekla;
- Gigantella.
Conclusion
Some gardeners grow strawberry seedlings hydroponically. Before planting, you need to familiarize yourself with the disadvantages and advantages of this method, as well as understand the features of creating a vertical hydroponic structure yourself.
