The best strawberry varieties for year-round harvests. Ways to grow strawberries year-round at home

Year-round cultivation of strawberries at home is now quite possible with developed technologies and the availability of a wide selection of varieties, especially remontant varieties that produce crops throughout the entire growing season. By combining growing plants in the warm summer on the balcony and in the cold winter in the room, you can pick strawberries all year round at home, without bothering yourself with trips to the hypermarket or trips to the garden plot.

This is not to say that this is a simple task. Forcing strawberries throughout the year modern technology, which received the name “Dutch” in Russia, requires daily labor and quite significant financial costs associated at the initial stage - with investments in equipping the house with space and containers for its cultivation, and later - in purchasing and updating the substrate, purchasing fertilizers, updating varieties (purchase of seeds or seedlings) and electricity spent on artificial lighting and operation of electric pumps supplying nutrient solutions to plant roots.

To this should be added the need for watering, fertilizing, trimming the “whiskers,” artificial pollination, and periodically replacing fruit-bearing plants. In order to save money, you can grow seedlings at home yourself from seeds, but this also requires time and some effort.

In terms of comparability of financial and labor costs, such a hobby can be compared to maintaining two or three aquariums with decorative fish with a volume of 100-300 liters at home.

If you have the desire and skills to work with tools, you can completely automate the process of watering and dosed artificial lighting by assembling simple structures.

Where to begin?

By assessing the area of the balcony and living space of the house in which you plan to grow berries all year round. In articles devoted to organizing space for growing various berries and vegetable crops on the balcony, we described in some detail the methods of planting plants: both in horizontal and vertical containers. The undisputed leader in saving space at home is the vertical placement of plants.

The substrate can be filled either in elongated polyethylene bags (preferably made of thick black polyethylene film, or plumbing pipes large diameter with holes cut in them. The second method is more suitable for year-round cultivation of strawberries at home, since without the risk of the bag breaking, the pipe with the substrate can be moved indoors for the winter. And if it is decorated beautiful coating(PE film, hammer enamel or other materials), then it will not spoil the design of the apartment, but will fit organically as an element of landscaping.

If the area of the balcony and the room allows (they should be approximately the same), which you plan to occupy with containers for growing strawberries all year, then it is advisable, in combination with the containers, to place a “life support” system in the same area, which will allow you not to worry about timely watering or turning on the lights.

Substrate

Forcing strawberries at home all year round usually does not involve using land (especially garden land) as such. Instead, at home, either coconut fiber mixed with peat and perlite, or peat with the addition of expanded clay sand (fine fraction) and perlite (vermiculite), is used. This is due to the weight of the substrate. Containers filled with peat and perlite are several times lighter than those filled with garden soil. They are more convenient to move. The second argument for the use of artificial substrates is their “sterility”. You do not risk introducing strawberry pathogens or pest larvae with the soil. In the middle of winter, mosquitoes or midges hatching from the garden soil will not hatch, and two-tailed insects or caterpillars will not start running across the floor.

Another advantage is the almost complete absence of dirt, which inevitably washes out of the drainage holes after watering the plants. There will be no specific smell of damp soil at home. At any time of the year, you can create a pre-known composition of substrate elements that will be most suitable for plant growth and use it to renew containers for planting new plants.

The most suitable varieties

For growing strawberries all year round on a balcony or in a room at home, the most suitable are remontant and ampelous varieties. There is no need to grow tall, strong plants that produce erect flower stalks in balcony conditions. In any case, the berries will not touch the surface of the earth, and therefore will be affected by all kinds of “rot” nesting in damp soil and will always be clean and elegant.

At home, hanging varieties are convenient because they will completely cover the container in which the strawberries are grown with their hanging vines. And remontant varieties will provide you with an uninterrupted harvest. Modern breeding varieties will also include climbing varieties of strawberries, which are independently capable of clinging to a support and growing upward, like a vine, forming a dense green curtain. But growing them on the balcony of a house is possible only during the summer season, since moving the plant into the room without damaging the shoots, and then arranging a trellis in the apartment or stretching twines on which the plant’s lashes could be located is very problematic.

If everything is quite clear with the planting of the first batch of plants, then the subsequent replacement of fruit-bearing plants requires explanation. It is recommended to replace the plant once a year. In order not to completely expose the container in which the strawberries are growing, and not to wait for the seedlings to grow, flower and bear fruit, it is advisable to have plants of different planting dates in one container. Initially, it will be enough to plant seedlings at intervals of 6 months (spring and autumn), and the next year replace 1/3 of the plants with new ones. Plants that bear fruit poorly or have formed a small number of ovaries should be replaced.

Under no circumstances should you allow misgrading within the same container. Yes and close location different varieties on the balcony may lead to accidental cross-pollination and degradation of the variety.

When growing 2-3 varieties at home, try to isolate them from each other as much as possible, especially on the balcony, when pollination can occur naturally - either by the wind or by insects.

Fertilizer use

No plant can survive year-round on an artificial substrate without the influx of nutrients necessary for leaf growth and fruit formation. Therefore, growing strawberries at home, year-round, requires constant use of organic and mineral fertilizers.

Taking as a basis ready-made fertilizer mixtures “For strawberries and wild strawberries” or “For berry crops”, initially, during the period of intensive growth and before flowering, they should be applied according to the manufacturer’s recommendations (on the package).

During the period of fruit formation and ripening, their quantity should be reduced as much as possible against the technical standards that are recommended.

In the container there is no intensive leaching of fertilizers by rain or after watering they do not seep into groundwater. When organizing drip irrigation Almost all the moisture supplied to the container is absorbed by the roots. Consequently, the applied fertilizers are also absorbed. Therefore, there is no need to add the recommended 5-10 grams per 1m2.

Strawberry care

The main care for plants will be regular pruning of the “whiskers” - if it is not an ampelous variety or a remontant variety that forms fruits on young mustaches, as well as periodic pollination throughout the growing season. Pollination can be done either with the help of a fan (cold hairdryer) or with the help of a soft kolinsky (squirrel) artistic brush.

To pollinate different varieties of strawberries, use different brushes and never mix them up or store them side by side. Pollination with a brush is a rather labor-intensive process that requires attention and time, but gives top scores compared to using a fan or hair dryer.

Be sure to spray the plants with a spray bottle at least once a day, since both on the balcony - due to intense air circulation and at home - due to the action of heating devices, the air is extremely dry, and this negatively affects the plants.

Lighting organization

If there are no problems with the lack of lighting on the balcony in the summer months, then in the conditions of growing strawberries all year round in the winter, additional artificial lighting is required. The best way is to use LED lamps having a balanced emission spectrum. IN as a last resort can be used fluorescent lamps“daylight” light in a combination of 1 “cold” + 2 “warm” light.

To prevent the red-blue radiation of LEDs from irritating, plants should be fenced off with a screen made of foil material (thermal insulation sold in construction stores) or crumpled food foil glued to sheets of cardboard or fiberboard. This will allow for a more even distribution of lighting and increase its efficiency to 50% of the light source power.

The time for additional lighting while the plants are in the room should be 12-14 hours. You can automate the switching process by connecting the lighting device to a simple Chinese timer, costing 200-300 rubles.

Organization of watering

If you are using vertical system planting, it is advisable to use drip system watering - either by placing a container with a nutrient solution (water) above the level of the container in which strawberries are grown and ensuring that the solution flows through tubes from a medical “dropper”, or by initially placing a tube in the structure, located in the middle of the container and having a bottom (plug) and many small holes d-1 mm. along the entire length of the tube through which watering is carried out.

In “advanced” irrigation systems, you can use a micropump for garden fountains or aquariums, which will pump a strictly defined volume of liquid sufficient to moisten the soil. It can also be connected to a timer. Once every two weeks, instead of water, use a solution of mineral fertilizers for watering.

Let's sum it up

The process of growing strawberries year-round is permanent. It does not allow you to “forget” or postpone for later any of the listed manipulations. However, this is the lot of any agricultural production - work all year round without weekends and holidays.

You can grow strawberries on your windowsill all year round. In winter, it is especially pleasant to enjoy homemade berries. About the features of growing strawberries on the windowsill, how to choose suitable varieties, do not miscalculate the timing of planting, plant and grow correctly healthy berries, skillfully pruning and feeding, will be discussed in this article.

Features of growing on a windowsill

Having decided to grow strawberries on the windowsill, first of all you need choose the correct planting material . The point is that in closed ground better to grow varieties that are unpretentious to environmental conditions.

In addition, in the room where the containers will be located, you need to create special microclimate. To prevent strawberries from getting sick and growing quickly, you need to install comfortable temperature. It is equally important to control during the growing season level of lighting and humidity.

Which varieties are suitable for growing on a windowsill?

You need to choose planting material very carefully, because contrary to popular belief greenhouse varieties Strawberries are not suitable for growing indoors. The fact is that you are unlikely to be able to create “greenhouse” conditions, because in winter there is enough dry air due to central heating.

Strawberry varieties for growing at home on a windowsill must be repairable, unpretentious to the length of daylight hours and temperature. The hanging bushes that hang from hanging containers look especially beautiful in the apartment.

For year-round cultivation of strawberries on a windowsill at home, it is best to choose the following varieties:

Home delicacy F1;
Eternity S1;
Temptation;
Pink Dream;
Grandian F1;
Elan F1.

It is also believed that varieties such as Albion, Aisha, Selva, Queen Elizabeth, Geneva, Russian Giant, Supreme and Tristan can be grown in an apartment.

Video: how to grow strawberries ( garden strawberries) from seeds on the windowsill

How to plant and grow on a windowsill - features, conditions and step-by-step instructions

To successfully plant and grow strawberries at home on a windowsill, you must follow certain rules and conditions. Let's talk about them in more detail below.

Place

The best place for growing remontant strawberries - a window sill facing south or east. It is possible to grow crops on the eastern and northern windowsill only if there is constant supplementary lighting.

Daylight hours

For rapid growth and ripening of garden strawberries, the duration of daylight hours should be 12-14 hours. If there are enough bushes in summer sunlight, then in autumn and winter, when the light part of the day is very short, strawberries need illuminate with fluorescent lamps. Lighting include 2 times a day: from approximately 6 to 9 o’clock (in the morning) and from 16 to 20 (in the evening).

Temperature

When growing strawberries at home, it is important to maintain temperatures in the range +18..+20 C. If the temperature is a few degrees lower, the plants begin to get sick. To prevent such unpleasant consequences, in the fall and spring it will be necessary to turn on additional heating devices (heaters).

Humidity

Strawberries will do well if the air humidity is in the area 70-80%. At it's peak heating season, in winter, when the air in the apartment is very dry, the bushes sprayed with settled water from a spray bottle room temperature. However, even in this case, it is worth adhering to measures: due to too much humidity, strawberries’ resistance to fungal diseases decreases.

What container to plant in?

Initially, the seeds are sown in small cups, and as soon as they produce the first pair of leaves, they are transplanted (dive) into larger containers. When the strawberry seedlings have already formed 5-6 leaves, they can be transplanted into a pot for further home grown.

For cultivation bush seedlings will fit small pots. Ampelous species(for example, Home Delicacy F1) feel great in hanging flowerpots.

You can also plant plants in long boxes with a volume of 10-15 l. When planting in such containers the distance between bushes should be at least 20 cm. Regardless of size, the bottom of the planting container should have drainage holes to allow excess water to drain out.

In what soil (substrate)

You can buy soil mixture for planting at a specialty store or prepare it yourself. Suitable for indoor strawberries any substrate intended for growing vegetables and flowers.

To prepare the soil yourself, mix pine soil, sand and humus in equal parts in a container. Strawberries also grow well in a substrate of peat and vermicompost.

The main condition that must be met when preparing the substrate is the soil mixture should be loose, airy and slightly moist. At the end of preparing the substrate, potassium-phosphorus fertilizers are added to it.

Important! It is highly undesirable to use soil from the garden to plant strawberry seedlings at home: it can be infected with nematodes and other dangerous diseases. If there is no other option, then before using garden soil you need to disinfect it by spilling it with a pink solution of potassium permanganate, or steam it in the oven. You can start planting bushes a week after disinfection.

Preparation of planting material

Experienced gardeners It is recommended to grow strawberries at home on a windowsill with seedlings, since growing seedlings from seeds yourself is quite a long and troublesome task. Planting material can be purchased at nurseries or taken from your own plot if you have remontant varieties growing.

Preparation of strawberry seedlings for planting at home is carried out as follows:

By the way! Naturally, it is most convenient to plant strawberry seedlings for growing in room conditions carry out exactly in autumn(after you propagate it using whiskers in the summer).

From the available rooted rosettes, you need to select only the largest and healthiest.
Planting material is separated from mother plant and plant them in a pot, and first remove all the leaves from them, except for 1-2 of the youngest.
To provide strawberries with a period of rest, The container is placed in a cool place for 14 days,- basement or cellar.

Direct planting of seedlings

Note! Since strawberries do not like stagnant water and compacted soil, before planting, place a drainage layer on the bottom of the pot using crushed stone, pebbles, expanded clay, small pieces of slate or brick.

Saplings Strawberries are planted at home like this:

A drainage layer and some substrate are poured into the pot.
The rhizome is dipped in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for several minutes.
The seedlings are placed in a pot and the roots are straightened. The root should be placed in a pot in full height. The rhizome needs to be shortened if, when planting, you have to bend its tips strongly (they cannot be twisted).
In order for the trimmed bushes to recover faster, they are immersed in a weak solution of heteroauxin (according to the instructions). To prepare the mixture, dissolve a crushed tablet of the drug in 5 liters of water.
Add the missing soil to the growing point (heart), but it is important not to bury it too deep.
Next, carefully compact the soil and water it.

Advice! To improve the survival rate of a seedling in a new place, you can water the plant with a special solution of one of the growth stimulants, for example, again, “Heteroauxin” or “Kornevin”.

Sowing seeds

You can grow strawberries at home on your windowsill using seeds. Despite the fact that you will have to wait longer for the harvest than when planting seedlings, this does not discourage gardeners who cannot see their life without what they love.

In order for the seeds to germinate quickly, they need to be hardened. The planting material is laid out on a damp cloth, then folded in half and placed in a bag. Next, the bookmark is sent to the top of the refrigerator for 30 days.

The sequence of planting strawberries at home on the windowsill seeds:

Most of the shallow box is filled with prepared soil and slightly moistened.
Keeping distance, the seeds are laid out in rows.
Planting material is sprinkled with a thin layer of soil.
The seedling container is covered with polyethylene or glass and placed in a warm place.
As soon as the seedlings sprout, the coverings are gradually removed and the container is placed on a bright windowsill.
Plants with a pair of true leaves are transplanted into a spacious pot.

The optimal time for planting strawberry seedlings in an apartment is early spring or the period from August 15 to September 20.

Video: how to care for and grow strawberries at home in a pot

How to care after planting and before harvesting

Caring for strawberries on the windowsill consists of the following basic actions: watering, fertilizing, pruning, pollination and pest control (if the last two measures are necessary).

Watering

To water strawberries, like other indoor plants, use only settled water at room temperature. In order not to wait for the chlorine to settle to the bottom of the container, the water can be passed through a filter.

Advice! It will be very good if you regularly spray your strawberry bushes with a spray bottle to increase the humidity in a dry room.

As a rule, it is enough to moisten the soil in containers with strawberries on the windowsill 2 times a week. It is best to moisten the soil in the afternoon. After watering, the soil in the planting container is loosened.

Important! Despite the fact that the growth of strawberries is activated after the next moistening, you should not get carried away with watering. Overwatering the plant is fraught with the appearance of rot on the roots and fungal diseases. Stagnant water is especially dangerous for bushes. However, the soil should not be allowed to dry out either.

Top dressing

It is recommended to feed indoor strawberries once every 2-3 weeks, after the first leaf appears on the bush. Conventional fertilizers can be used complex feeding or special nutritional mixtures for strawberries. Fertilizers are applied in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations (according to the instructions).

If you do not want to use mineral mixtures, you can prepare fertilizer for indoor strawberries yourself, according to this recipe:

A third of a 3-liter jar is filled with crushed eggshells.
Then add 1 cup of ash and fill the jar to the top with slightly warm water.
At the end of 5 days of infusion, the solution is filtered.
Before application, the fertilizer is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:3.

You can fertilize strawberries on the windowsill with weak solutions mullein (1 to 10), chicken droppings (1 to 20).

Note! You cannot overfeed strawberries with nitrogen fertilizers: a large amount of nutrients stimulates active growth leaves and has a bad effect on fruit set and formation.

During fruiting, the bushes need large quantities iron, because it is required for the formation of ovaries. According to experienced gardeners, the folk way To enrich the soil with this chemical element, you need to insert a rusty nail a few centimeters into the pot. Of course, it would be more modern to use special purchased mixtures and preparations that contain iron; they should be used to spray the plantings 1-2 times a month.

After harvesting, the bushes are fed occasionally or not at all.

Trimming

Many will be surprised, but strawberries need pruning, the purpose of which is to increase yield. How to prune strawberries grown at home on a windowsill?

On seedlings grown from seeds, the first few flowers are plucked.

Important! But there is no need to pick off flower stalks on strawberries planted as seedlings.

If further expansion indoor plantings It is not planned, and there is no need to replace mature bushes, it is necessary to regularly remove the tendrils. As a result of pruning, the plants will not be wasted on the formation of unnecessary rosettes, but will direct all the nutrients to the fruits.

Pollination

In order for the berries to set after flowering, it is recommended to pollinate the strawberries. There are several methods of artificial pollination at home:

Video: growing strawberries in winter

Diseases and pests

During the fruiting period, strawberries are very rarely, but still sometimes, affected spider mite To get rid of this worst enemy of sweet berries, plantings are sprayed garlic tincture. To prepare the solution, crush 2 cloves and add 100 ml of water. The mixture infused for 2-3 hours is filtered, poured into a spray bottle and treated with the affected plants.

Germination and harvest dates

Strawberry seeds planted in an apartment take quite a long time to germinate: the first seedlings make their way to the surface 20-30 days after sowing.

Remontant strawberries, planted with seedlings and grown at home on a windowsill, begin to bloom in about 30-35 days, and ripe berries begin to be collected after about a couple of months after landing.

Video: strawberries on the windowsill in winter

Year-round cultivation of remontant strawberries on the windowsill - exciting activity, which does not require much time and effort. To do this, you need to choose the right planting material, follow the rules and conditions of growing on the windowsill, skillfully care for it after planting and harvesting, and also fight pests. And in the end, all the troubles and difficulties pay off a hundredfold with environmentally friendly and tasty fruits.

In contact with

Growing strawberries at home is a simple task. Follow the directions and plant the seeds to grow strawberries at home. Believe me, growing strawberries at home will be a pleasant experience all year round.

It is difficult to find a person who would be indifferent to strawberries. This divine berry attracts with its appearance, amazing aroma and exquisite taste. Since ancient times, strawberries, a gift from nature, have been considered a special delicacy. It was served in the richest houses, in palaces. Over time, it became available to all social categories; moreover, it can even be grown on a windowsill. If you don’t believe me, then we invite you to check it out. the easy way at home. This is a wonderful alternative to those “plastic” tasting berries that are offered for sale in stores and supermarkets.

The product looks beautiful, elastic, amazing color, but once you bite into it, you immediately realize that this is not your favorite strawberry with its amazing taste and aroma. And the products are not cheap, it is much better to save money and be content with the divine taste all year round. So, the advantages of growing strawberries at home:

Saving;
Natural taste;
No chemical stimulants;
Harvest all year round;
Benefit from implementation.
What is needed to grow strawberries

A large container is required. Most suitable option– durable plastic bag filled with soil. Stores for gardening enthusiasts sell ready-made soil, but making a mixture for planting with your own hands is not difficult. It is necessary to mix the soil, peat and sawdust, add a little lime to reduce the acidity of the soil. You should make drainage waste at the bottom of the bags, and make small cross-shaped cuts at the top to plant the sprouts there.

What is better - seeds or seedlings?

Many people are confused by the idea that planting strawberry seeds for growing at home is an unprofitable and time-consuming process. However, this is a misconception. Strawberry seeds are indeed very small, but they have good germination, and the plants will be strong and resilient. Before sowing the seeds, you should keep the bag in the refrigerator for one month. It is better to plant strawberry seeds for growing at home in early February, when the daylight hours are longer. If you want, use artificial daylight lamps earlier, since the culture is light-loving. Seeds should be sown directly into the soil without spreading on top of the soil. To maintain a moist temperature, cover the top with film until the first shoots appear. As soon as 2-4 leaves appear on the seedlings, they should be picked into small pots, then transplanted into bulk bags for growing.

Planting strawberries with seedlings is even easier. Planting time: spring, autumn. During this period, strawberries do not grow as actively and take root well.

Choosing a strawberry variety

To grow strawberries all year round at home, you should choose remontant varieties that bear fruit several times a year. These varieties include:

"Yellow Miracle";
"Queen Elizabeth"
"Everest", etc.

How to care for the crop?

Caring for strawberries that you grow at home is almost the same as at home. open garden. Watering, fertilizing, and pest control are required. Ventilation, that is, circulation, is important for strawberries. Therefore, you should periodically open the windows briefly in non-freezing weather and ventilate the room. Daylight - natural or artificial - should illuminate the crop for at least 14 hours. When growing strawberries on a windowsill, choose the south side.

Another factor for good yield is pollination. It is clear that it is impossible to breed bees at home and carry out natural pollination. But there is a way out, and a very simple one. Place a fan in front of the flowers, let the air currents handle the pollen, or periodically pass them with a brush. Strawberries do not tolerate frost and drafts, so they should be protected from hypothermia. Especially home-grown strawberries are very sensitive to cold.

What to feed strawberries with?

When growing crops all year round, you need to apply to the roots and top of the plant once every 2 weeks. You should use complex fertilizers intended for garden crops. Specialized stores also carry fertilizer for strawberries with a set of carefully balanced beneficial microelements, thanks to which the crop will not get sick and will become resistant to all kinds of pests and temperature changes.

Strawberries planted in the house should be replanted and renewed every 4 years.

Seedlings are obtained by collecting new shoots, which are planted in separate containers and replace old and depleted bushes. New seedlings can also be obtained by sowing seeds.

Pests and diseases to which strawberries are susceptible

Strawberries can also develop gray rot, which can completely destroy the crop. In this case you need to take preventive measures. Firstly, the room should be ventilated; the strawberries should not suffocate. Exactly high humidity leads to dampness and rot. If you missed a moment, treat the plant with copper oxychloride at the rate of one tablespoon of the drug per 1 liter.

As it turned out, growing your favorite, sweet strawberries at home - the task is not difficult. Yes, there are some tricks that you have to resort to. But in return for effort and careful care, you can get good harvest and even on winter days enjoy the taste of exquisite and aromatic berries. Just imagine the surprise and delight of the guests gathered at New Year, when you serve strawberries and cream grown with your own hands on the table as a dessert.

Have a good harvest and good luck!

Growing strawberries at home - video

Strawberries are a perennial herbaceous plant, which has been successfully “cultivated” and selectively improved over the years.
It can be grown only if the main conditions are met - providing sufficient light and heat. Whether it’s a strawberry plantation in a field, a small garden bed in the country, or a compact container with bushes on the balcony, 14-hour daylight is a must. Now, as for the heat: the harvest season for most varieties falls in the second half of June - early July, that is, the warmest days, when the average daily temperature does not drop below 18-19 degrees. This should be taken into account if you want to grow a culture at home.

By the way, information obtained from the depths of botany claims that the berry that is familiar to us is not a berry at all, but a complex nut fruit.

Now about the quality of the soil: strawberries, although they are not considered particularly demanding in this regard, still grow better on fertile, light soils with good circulation of air and moisture. Usually this is sandy or sandy-loamy soil with an acidity reading of no higher than 5-6 and the presence of humus about 3-4%. In the conditions of growing at home, you can take care of the quality of the soil when planting, but regular application of fertilizers will help to ensure sufficient nutrition for the plants in the limited volume of the container.

Now, taking into account the existing knowledge, you can begin the preparatory work.

Landing

It is wiser to start any new business with small volumes. And growing strawberries at home usually starts with a few bushes. Over time, having gained own experience and having obtained successful results, it will be possible to grow more plants. In the meantime, let's start mastering the process step by step.

First, determine the location for placing your homemade strawberry “beds.” Undoubtedly, the easiest way to grow them is on glazed and insulated loggias in apartments and in greenhouses or heated verandas in private houses. But if there are no such premises, then ordinary window sills will do, preferably on the south side.

Secondly, let’s decide how to get the plants - we’ll use ready seedlings or sow the seeds. The option of growing ready-made strawberry bushes is much more convenient, especially if it is possible to dig them up own garden bed. Purchasing seedlings in a store will require financial investments, and in this case, buying seeds will be cheaper. But on the other hand, growing strawberries from seeds is very troublesome, and you will have to wait much longer for the harvest, so let’s consider the option of ready-made seedlings.

We select the container. To plant strawberries at home, you can use ordinary flower pots, approximately 12-15 cm deep and about 20 cm in diameter. This volume will be optimal for growing one plant, since in a smaller pot it will not have enough nutrition, and in a larger pot, acidification of unclaimed soil may occur. It is also convenient to use wooden boxes made to fit the window sill or plastic containers sold in stores. The main thing that is necessary in any container is the presence of a drainage hole in the bottom through which excess water will drain during watering.
We are preparing the land. Of course, it’s easier to buy a ready-made mixture for seedlings, but why spend money if you can prepare a high-quality soil mixture yourself: 2 parts soil + 1 part humus + 1 part peat + a little sawdust hardwood. We fill the container to a third of its volume with this soil, not forgetting to first add a layer of gravel or small stones to the bottom.
We plant seedlings. The bushes should have a well-developed, fibrous root system. We cut off the dry and excess leaves on the strawberries, leaving 3-4 of the youngest ones, remove the damaged roots, and pinch off the too long ones. We lower the plant into the pot, straighten the roots and gradually add and compact the soil, while making sure not to deepen the root collar. After planting, be sure to water the plants. At first, the plantings should be protected from direct sunlight.

Creating optimal conditions

Now that the plants are planted, it is necessary to provide them with maximum comfortable conditions content. The required air temperature for strawberries differs little from what is acceptable for us, so maintaining this regime is not difficult. On warm autumn days, the plants will feel good on the balcony, but with the onset of noticeable cold snaps at night, it is recommended to bring the containers into the room. Subsequently, when placing strawberries on the windowsill, you need to make sure that cold air from the street, and rising warm currents from radiators can provide sufficient temperature.

Now regarding the light required to grow strawberries. In our climate, the closer autumn is, the shorter the daylight hours; for example, in the Moscow region by October it is only 10 hours, and in December it barely reaches 7. It is clear that in such conditions the strawberries will not be harvested , but the death of the plant is not far away. The problem can be easily solved with the help of special lamps for illuminating seedlings. Modern devices They emit light almost similar to that of the sun, so plants receive the entire necessary spectrum, including red, which is responsible for successful vegetation and flowering. Artificial light is turned on early in the morning and before sunset, so that a full day of light is at least 12 hours.

IN further care for strawberries consists of regular watering and fertilizing. You can use ready-made concentrates as fertilizers or add potassium humate to the water for irrigation approximately once a week in the dosage specified in the instructions.

And last important point, which must be taken into account in order not only to grow strawberries, but also to get a harvest! Taking into account the absence of free-flying bees in the apartment, you need to do flower pollination yourself. To do this, it is convenient to use a regular small brush with natural bristles. It is enough to simply move it lightly along the core of each flower so that the fruits begin to set and soon you will be able to enjoy the first berries.