Growing greens and vegetables at home has not surprised anyone for a long time. But not every lover of fragrant berries is engaged in the cultivation of strawberries on windowsills. I have been growing this crop outdoors for a long time. The desire to get a crop in indoor conditions appeared in me several years ago. Not everything worked out right away, but today I can share with you my positive experience.
Growing conditions
In order for strawberries to bear fruit abundantly in room conditions, they need to create ideal conditions. Sapling containers are best placed on the east or west side of the house. Garden culture prefers long daylight hours (at least 10-12 hours). Therefore, in winter I use a phytolamp.
The optimum air temperature in the room should be at least 18-20 ° C. The plant will develop and bloom even at lower rates, but warmth is required for fruiting. It is best to provide a stable microclimate for indoor strawberries, since sudden changes in temperature negatively affect the growing season.
Horticultural crops do not need abundant watering. However, it prefers moderately moist, nutritious soil. I never place strawberry containers near radiators or other heat sources. And so that the soil in the containers does not dry out quickly, I cover it with a thin layer of organic mulch (humus, low peat). From time to time, the soil must be loosened so that the roots of the plants can breathe.
When choosing containers for planting, I preferred the usual balcony boxes. But if you want to plant each bush in a separate pot, then its size should not be less than 25-30 cm in diameter.
Variety selection
For growing strawberries at home, unpretentious remontant varieties are best suited:
- F1 homemade delicacy;
- Cabrillo;
- Pink dream;
- Pineberry;
- Temptation;
- Geneva;
- Moscow delicacy;
- Tristan;
- Albion, etc.
Indoors, these plants will bear fruit almost all year round. From my own experience, I can note that varieties of neutral daylight hours are distinguished by stable yield.
How to grow from seed
If you have purchased the seeds of the strawberries you like and decided to plant them for seedlings, you will have to be patient. The planting material is very small, the first seedlings may appear only after 3-4 weeks. I do it like this:
- I fill the containers with nutrient soil, adding a layer of sand 1-1.5 cm on top). I moisten the soil mixture with a spray gun so that there is no excess moisture.
- I sow the seeds on the surface of the soil. Do not bury them, because this will slow down the germination process.
- I cover containers with crops with foil or glass to create a greenhouse effect, and put them in a warm place.
- I moisten the soil as necessary, and open the shelter every day for 10-15 minutes for airing.
When 3-4 leaves appear on the seedlings, they must be carefully dived to transplant to a permanent place.
Care
Seedling strawberries are easy to care for. Place the containers on a well-lit windowsill and do not forget to lightly shade young sprouts from direct sunlight.
For irrigation, I use settled or rainwater at room temperature. I always moisten the soil moderately, and immediately remove excess water from the pallets. For normal vegetation of strawberries, a temperature of 18-22 ° C is required. In this case, it is desirable to protect the seedlings from cold drafts.
After 3-4 true leaves appear, I start feeding the plants. For this I use ready-made liquid complexes:
- Gumi-Omi Berry;
- Fertika-OMU (for strawberries and strawberries);
- "Good Power" (for strawberries);
- "Multiflor Aqua" (for berry crops);
- "DianAgro" (autumn-spring feeding for strawberries), etc.
To prevent pests and diseases, I periodically treat the seedlings with insectoacaricides and fungicides. A good effect is given by spraying with garlic tincture, which repels insects and prevents the development of fungal infections. For its preparation, 2-3 large cloves are filled with 100 ml of warm water. I insist the composition for 2-3 days.
Growing strawberries at home is quite affordable even for novice gardeners. Perseverance and desire to harvest fragrant berries even in winter will be a good help to you.
Read also: Rules for planting strawberries in August
Friends, do not forget to subscribe to the channel and LIKE if the article is useful!
#Strawberry#strawberry varieties#growing berries at home