Growing strawberries in greenhouses, you can shoot annually for 5-6 crops. This berry is in demand all year round, so many farmers choose it as a profitable greenhouse crop. We will find out what greenhouses are, what the Dutch method is, and how to get the maximum income from growing strawberries - hereinafter.
Advantages and disadvantages of growing strawberries in a greenhouse
Strawberries grow excellently in open ground - that is how it is grown for their own needs. Growing strawberries in a greenhouse is usually done for profit - in the cold season, this berry is several times more expensive than in summer. Before planting strawberries in closed ground, it is important to calculate all the pros and cons of such a decision.
Benefits:
- In heated greenhouses, crops are harvested one by one - without seasonality.
- Fruiting, size and taste of berries, as well as the number of crops are not dependent on the weather. In the open ground due to adverse conditions - dampness, rain, scorching sun, productivity decreases by 25% or more.
- The costs of organizing greenhouse cultivation pay off per season.
- Berries grown in greenhouses are more likely to acquire supermarket chains.
- A good price for berries in winter allows you to make tangible profits.
- In greenhouses, berries are easier to care for than in beds.
- High business profitability - almost 100%.
Disadvantages:
- Great initial investment.
- Remuneration of workers. Alone with the care of strawberries grown for sale, can not cope.
- The need for heating. If it is not possible to heat the greenhouse, the idea of growing berries all year round will have to be abandoned.
Greenhouse for growing strawberries
There are several options for greenhouses - they differ in design, materials used and heating systems. The choice of materials for the construction of the greenhouse is selected taking into account costs, climate, method of cultivation.
When creating greenhouses, they act approximately according to this plan:
- greenhouse construction;
- creation of a microclimate system;
- purchase of garden tools;
- organization of an irrigation system;
- filling the greenhouse with soil;
- purchase of fertilizers and protective preparations - from diseases and parasitic insects;
- acquisition of planting material.
Greenhouse material
The material of the greenhouse should provide good thermal insulation, be durable, and suitable for specific weather conditions. In the latter case, it is necessary to take into account the minimum temperature, wind strength, amount of precipitation.
There are three main materials for the construction of greenhouses:
- Film. This is the cheapest and least reliable option. It is not suitable for winter. The film collapses in a few years, begins to tear. It is not durable enough, becomes cloudy over time, and most importantly, it does not have sufficient heat-insulating ability.
For year-round strawberry cultivation, a film greenhouse is the worst option, and it can only be used in the southern latitudes, where winters are warm and lightly snowy. Maintaining a microclimate at a given level in film greenhouses is extremely difficult.
- Glass. Glass greenhouses are more reliable than film greenhouses. With their construction, they build a foundation. Glasses are installed in special frames. Glass is a heavy and brittle material, although it is hard, but extremely fragile, it is easily destroyed by hail, breaks under the weight of snow, and cracks under sharp changes in temperature.
In glass greenhouses it is easier to maintain a microclimate than in film analogues. To do this, you have to constantly monitor the temperature, manage ventilation and heating systems. - Polycarbonate This material is cheaper than glass, while it is reliable and able to withstand heavy loads. Unlike film and glass, polycarbonate is not afraid of snow and gusty wind. Especially if you use a metal frame securely fixed in the ground for the greenhouse.
Cellular carbonate surpasses glass in many operational parameters - it is durable, lightweight and somewhat elastic. It is easy to clean and practically does not beat. Polycarbonate greenhouses do not need a foundation. Polycarbonate plates give the necessary bend and fasten to steel profiles. Polycarbonate greenhouses serve 10-20 years.
Plastic film greenhouse
Glass greenhouse
Greenhouse made of polycarbonate sheets
Capacities and their fastening
To grow strawberries in a greenhouse, containers are used - they are filled with nutritious soil into which plants are planted. As containers used:
- pots;
- bags;
- packages.
Tanks should have openings at the bottom - so that water comes out when watering. It is not recommended to grow strawberries in metal containers - this material is considered cold, and is not used for growing plants.
Tanks are installed on shelves made of metal or wood. They should have strong bearing strips capable of supporting the weight of containers filled with soil. The lack of wooden structures is deformation under the influence of moisture prevailing in greenhouses. So that the wood does not deteriorate ahead of time, it must be covered with waterproof varnishes.
Heating, watering, lighting systems
In the greenhouse, you need to monitor three environmental characteristics:
- Temperature. Today, electricity is most in demand. To control the use of automation. Thanks to the sensors, the temperature is automatically regulated and maintained at a given level.
When choosing a heating option, the growing method is taken into account. If strawberries are grown below - on the ground, a more intense heating regime is needed. Plants that are in containers raised on the shelves, easier to heat - as the air is warmer at altitude. - Humidity. It is supported by irrigation. In greenhouses, drip irrigation is installed today, which not only provides the plants with the optimal amount of moisture, but also creates the required humidity. The parameter is controlled by a hygrograph or psychrometer. The latter is a primitive device that is easy to make from ordinary room thermometers.
To increase humidity in the greenhouse, install a container of water - closer to the heat source. To reduce humidity, it is enough to ventilate the greenhouse.
- Lighting. It is used for artificial lengthening of daylight hours in winter. Most often, fluorescent lamps are installed. Luminescent lamps are less and less used for lighting greenhouses - they are gradually being replaced by economical and durable LED lamps.
Modern greenhouses, in contrast to primitive analogues, in which a person has to manually adjust environmental parameters, are equipped with automation. All parameters are monitored here by sensors - temperature, humidity, lighting. True, such systems are expensive, they are used only by owners of a profitable greenhouse business.
If you are just starting to grow berries in greenhouses, at the initial stage use inexpensive automation devices. So, for example, by setting a time relay, and setting the parameters of artificial lighting, you can save yourself from tracking the backlight mode.
When choosing the material and method of heating greenhouses, take into account the climatic features of the region:
- In the southern regions, where the temperature does not drop below 5 degrees below zero, it is advantageous to use greenhouses-thermoses, heated by the sun. Excessive heat from the "thermoses" is removed by ventilation.
- In Siberia and other cold regions, infrared heating and pumps are often used to maintain normal heat in the most severe frosts.
In temperate climates, biofuels can be used for heating, which decompose produce heat.
Optional equipment
For greenhouse cultivation, it is necessary to purchase additional equipment:
- Lamps. Economical and safe.
- Drip irrigation system.
- Heating equipment - gas or electric boilers, stoves or other.
- Fans
- Thermometers and hygrometers.
- Capacities for landing and racks.
In order to better diffuse the light, it is recommended to equip the greenhouse with reflectors.
The best greenhouse varieties
When growing strawberries for sale, the choice of variety is critical. Features strawberry varieties suitable for doing business:
- Tasty, beautiful, one-dimensional, flat and transportable berries.
- Repairability.
- Self-pollinating.
- High yield.
- Relate to grades of a neutral day.
Varieties of a neutral day are characterized by continuous fruiting - they have fruit buds tied every 5-6 weeks.
Through samples and experiments, experienced gardeners identified strawberry varieties that are most suitable for growing in greenhouses:
- Giantella. Dutch large-fruited variety. The mass of one berry can reach 100 g. Strawberries are dense, transportable, have a rich taste and aroma of pineapple. The bushes are compact, about 3 kg are collected from the bush during the season.
- Albion. A repairing variety that bears fruit many times over. Year of withdrawal - 2006. Place of creation - USA. During the season gives up to 2 kg of berries from the bush. The weight of berries is 40-60 g. It is resistant to gray rot and anthracnose.
- Crown. Old Dutch variety. Year of breeding - 1972. Harvested, fruiting for a long time, has excellent agrotechnical characteristics. The mass of berries is 15-30 g. They are medium-dense, with good taste.
- Brighton. Belongs to semi-permanent grades. Berries weigh 50-60 g, red, beautiful, glossy. Well transported. The variety is resistant to fungi.
- Honey Early grade. The berries are medium in size, shiny with a dessert flavor. Productivity - 1.2 kg.
- San Andreas. American variety bearing 4 times in one season. The weight of the berries is about 35 g. Good keeping quality and portability. From the bush collect up to 1 kg.
Mostly varieties for greenhouse cultivation - foreign selection. In addition to the listed varieties, Tricar, Darselect, Moscow delicacy, Truffo Producer, Capri, Temptation and others are also suitable for indoor use.
How to choose strawberry seedlings?
When a variety is selected, it remains to buy seedlings. It is important to acquire a healthy and high-quality planting material. When choosing seedlings, proceed as follows:
- Inspect the foliage, it should be perfect - without defects, rich green color. Spots, dots, wrinkling, other damage are excluded.
- Count the leaves - at least 3 leaves should be on one seedling.
- Inspect the root neck - it should be strong, from 5 mm in diameter. Rot and stains are not allowed.
- Assess the state of the root system. The length of the roots is from 7 cm, they must be strong, healthy, without defects.
Those who are going to grow strawberries for sale, it is recommended to purchase a "healthy" seedlings. Such plants are grown from mother bushes in special conditions. Such seedlings are much more expensive than ordinary, but it is especially resistant to diseases and has a high yield.
Also, seedlings can be grown independently from seeds. How to do this is described here.
The maximum yield is observed in plants on which peduncles were removed in a timely manner. Such seedlings are sold in certified nurseries.
Signs of diseases of strawberry seedlings:
- white dots indicate infection with a fungal disease;
- pale leaves - late blight;
- wrinkled foliage - defeat by a tick.
Growing soil
The soil for the greenhouse is prepared a year before the planting of seedlings. Features of soil preparation:
- It is best to use the land on which cereals grew.
- They bring humus or compost. The earth is diluted with peat - it is needed to optimize its acidity, improve moisture and air permeability. Mineral wool, perlite, coconut substrate are also used for loosening the soil. In the acidified soil make lime - 50 kg per 1 acre.
- Immediately before planting, the soil is fertilized again. It is first moistened, and then potassium chloride and superphosphate are added, respectively, at 15 and 30 g per 1 sq. m
Having adjusted the composition and structure of the soil, they proceed to its processing with chemical agents - this is done for disinfection. Exposure to weeds, pests and diseases is also aided by exposure to high temperatures.
Seedling planting options
There are several ways to plant strawberries in greenhouses. Moreover, from time to time gardeners come up with new, more advanced methods. Today the most popular cultivation is in pots, in soil and in bags.
The strawberry yield and cost recovery largely depend on the choice of option. If experienced gardeners collect about 60 kg of berries per 1 square. m, then beginners in the early years receive no more than 30-40 kg.
Consider the different options for the greenhouse cultivation of strawberries.
Classic soil cultivation
This is the most familiar and easiest way to land. Seedlings are planted directly in the soil, in beds made in advance. Advantages of the method:
- simplicity and ease of care;
- minimum costs - no need to build racks, buy containers for planting seedlings.
The disadvantage of this method is the restriction of usable area by one level.
Seedlings are planted in a checkerboard pattern or two-line method. Between the lines leave a gap of 30-40 cm, the distance between adjacent seedlings is 30 cm, between the strips is 90-100 cm. The beds are covered with spanbond or sprinkled with mulch so that weeds do not grow, and the earth slowly releases moisture.
In special pots
Each seedling is planted in a separate container with holes at the bottom. Pots are not placed on the ground, they are placed so as to place a maximum of strawberry units in a greenhouse.
Special supports are installed in the greenhouse, on which hundreds of pots are fixed - they are located in several tiers. If you make 5-6 "floors", then 1 square. m is placed with fifty bushes.
To plant strawberry seedlings in pots, a substrate is prepared:
- peat - 2 parts;
- sawdust - 1.5 parts;
- perlite - 1 part.
The diameter of the pots is about 20 cm. The material of manufacture is wood or plastic. Pots with seedlings are hung on special mounts or placed on racks.
Planting is also done as ordinary flowers are planted:
- put a drainage layer on the bottom of the tank;
- filled with a moist substrate;
- make a deepening and place the seedling roots in it;
- the roots fall asleep and gently ram the substrate;
- watered with warm water.
The described method cannot be used for growing varieties with a strong root system and high stems.
In addition to classic pots, you can use multi-level and cylindrical versions, with pockets and others. The most popular option is multi-level combined pots with pockets.
In packages
Growing in bags is an alternative to potting. Packages are cheaper than pots, it’s easier to install. Each package contains several bushes. The substrate is poured into large white bags made of polyethylene. Filled bags are placed on shelves or fixed on pre-installed mounts.
Features of planting strawberries in packages:
- The optimal size of the bags is 16 cm in diameter and 210 cm in length.
- For 1 square. m have no more than 3 packages.
- Expanded clay is laid at the bottom for drainage.
- Packages are filled with peat-perlite substrate. The ingredients are taken in equal parts. The second version of the mixture is turf land mixed with humus and sawdust.
- In packages, cuts are made with a length of 8 cm. The distance between adjacent cuts is 30 cm. Seedlings are planted in these cuts.
With this method of cultivation, drip irrigation is organized. Plastic bags can be replaced with polypropylene bags - they sell flour and sugar in such bags.
Dutch strawberry cultivation
This is the most popular method of greenhouse strawberry cultivation today. The essence of technology:
- Holes are cut in the black film into which the seedlings will be planted.
- The film prevents the growth of weeds, does not allow moisture to evaporate, prevents contamination of berries on the substrate.
- Due to the black color, plants receive more light, this accelerates the ripening of berries and increases productivity.
- Seedlings are continuously updated. After harvesting, the fruiting bushes are torn out, and new ones are planted in their place.
The method requires constant updating of seedlings. Simple distillation allows you to get a crop faster - new bushes give more berries than prolific.
For the Dutch method, only the highest-yielding varieties are used - Tristar, Sonata and others.
The complexity of such cultivation is the need to create a separate plantation for seedlings.
Read more about Dutch strawberry growing technology here.
In the pipes
PVC pipes are both supports and containers for the substrate. Watering is allowed directly through the pipes. Features of growing in pipes:
- Two types of pipes are used - with a diameter of 10-15 cm and 20-30 mm. Drill holes d = 5 cm in thick pipes with an interval of 15 cm. Small holes are drilled in thin pipes and then wrapped with agrofibre, which is attached with wire.
- Expanded clay is laid at the bottom of thick pipes, then thin tubes are inserted into them - they are needed for milking water and fertilizers.
- They fill a thick pipe with a substrate, and plant strawberries in the holes.
- Thin pipes are connected to an irrigation system or to a container of water, which is installed at a height.
- Plugs are inserted into thick pipes at both ends - to prevent the soil from leaching out with water.
- Each bush should have 3-5 liters of substrate.
Strawberry care in the greenhouse
Strawberry is a fruit berry, but requires constant care. There are enough problems with the cultivation of this berry culture even in open ground. In greenhouse conditions, in addition to watering, fertilizing and preventive treatments, it is necessary to provide plants with a normal level of humidity - for this, the greenhouse is regularly ventilated.
Additional lighting
Features of lighting in the greenhouse:
- With year-round cultivation, strawberries provide daylight hours of 10-14 hours.
- To get the required daylight hours, the lamps are turned on from 8-00 to 11-00 and from 17-00 to 20-00.
- Extra light is especially important during the production of peduncles, during flowering and fruiting.
- It is recommended to use fluorescent lamps.
Increasing daylight hours, accelerate flowering and harvesting. If the length of daylight hours is 8 hours, then the bushes will bloom on the 14th day after planting, if 16 hours - after 10 days.
Temperature
During the planting of seedlings, the temperature should not exceed + 10 ° C. Gradually, it is raised to + 18-20 ° C. When the flowers begin to bloom, the temperature should be at + 20-24 ° C, and subsequently at least + 22-24 ° C.
Ventilation
When the temperature reaches + 21 ° C, the greenhouse is ventilated - if an automatic system is not provided, this is done manually. Airing is carried out only during the day. Warm greenhouse air is let out into the street, and fresh is let in.
By lowering the temperature and humidity by airing, they maintain a favorable microclimate, and also prevent the development of many diseases.
Humidity
During the planting of seedlings, the humidity should be at the level of 85%. After the seedlings take root, it is reduced to 75%. When plants bloom and bear fruit, humidity should be even lower - no more than 70%.
Watering
Water the strawberries as needed. Drip irrigation allows you to maintain the required soil moisture, while water does not get on the leaves and flowers of plants. It is important not to overmoisten the soil - excessive moisture leads to rot and fungal diseases. If there is no drip irrigation, the bushes are watered under the root - then a lot of time is spent on watering.
Pollination
Most modern varieties are self-pollinated. But old varieties need pollination. Self-pollination of strawberries greatly simplifies the cultivation of agricultural technology. However, it is believed that pollination is necessary for any strawberry grown in greenhouse conditions.
Additional pollination will not interfere even with self-pollinated varieties. Pollination methods:
- If the greenhouses are small, strawberries are pollinated by hand - with an ordinary brush.
- On a large scale, it is more convenient to put a hive with pollinating insects - bees or bumblebees will do. The method is unsafe, but effective - up to 95% of flowers are pollinated.
- Use fans - pollen is carried by streams of air. For every 100 square meters. m 3 fans are required. They are turned on for several hours during the flowering period.
- Spraying water gives an efficiency of 45%.
Top dressing
After planting, plants need potash and nitrogen fertilizers. Recommended Feeding:
- Potassium chloride, diluted in water - 10 g per 10 liters.
- Ammonium nitrate - make a solution of 80 g in 10 liters.
- Organic dressing - make slurry diluted in water 1: 5, chicken manure is bred in a ratio of 1:10.
They feed strawberries every 2 weeks. It is impossible to exceed the norms of fertilizers - you can provoke burns of the plant.
Watch the TV show "Rural Stories" about the technologically correct cultivation of strawberries in a greenhouse:
Frost protection
If the greenhouse is heated, then no frosts and frosts of strawberries are not terrible, especially if an automatic temperature monitoring system is installed. If the temperature drops below -4 ° C, greenhouse plants need protection.
But strawberries are not a crop that can be grown in unheated greenhouses year-round. Therefore, the only way to reliably protect it from frost at any level is to organize a reliable heating system.
Strawberry disease
Strawberries are easily affected by various diseases as soon as they are in adverse conditions. That is why it is so important to maintain an appropriate microclimate in the greenhouse.
The most common strawberry diseases and control measures:
Disease | Symptoms | How to fight? |
White rot | Leaves brighten, covered with white coating. The berries are rotting. | The fungus cannot be completely destroyed. There is only one way out - to pick off infected leaves and berries, and destroy them. |
White spotting | Leaves are covered with white dots. It develops during the flowering period. Leaves, stems, sepals perish. Causes crop loss. | Suitable fungicides are Falcon or Euparen. |
Powdery mildew | White plaque forms on the bottom of the leaf plates. Then it affects the entire plant. | Spray with copper sulfate and a soap solution of 4%, as well as Quadrix. |
Brown spotting | Kills up to 60% of plants. Leaves darken, become bright brown. It affects all aboveground parts. | Remove the affected parts of the plant. Drugs for prevention - Euparen and Metaxylol. |
Preventative treatment
Methods for the prevention of diseases and pests:
- Regular ventilation.
- Prevention of waterlogging of soil and air.
- Compliance with the distances between adjacent bushes.
- Fertilizer compliance. It is especially harmful to exceed the norms of nitrogen fertilizers.
- Preventive treatment with fungicides - they are introduced together with water through a drip irrigation system.
- Only healthy seedlings are planted.
- Timely removal of sick, dried or broken stems and leaves.
- Destruction of sick bushes.
- Before the formation of the ovaries, strawberries are sprayed with Fitosporin, Alirin or Gliokladin - for prevention.
Growing strawberries in a greenhouse as a business
Strawberries - one of the most delicious berries, always in demand among consumers. The strawberry business pays off quickly and brings a good income. True, you have to work for this - berry culture requires care.
Expenses
Starting a strawberry-greenhouse business, you need to calculate the initial costs - you need a certain amount of capital.
Approximate calculation of land costs:
- the value of the land plot is 500,000 rubles;
- construction of greenhouses made of polycarbonate - 500 000 rubles;
- purchase of seedlings - about 180,000 rubles (at the rate of 3 greenhouses, each of which planted 1,200 bushes at a cost of 50 rubles apiece);
- business registration - 20,000 rubles.
If you have your own land plot - 1 ha in size, then you will need 500,000-750,000 less money.
Also in the cost of strawberries laid current expenses. Every year you have to pay for:
- electricity and heating - 25,000 rubles;
- fertilizers, drugs for prevention - 5,000 rubles.
- other expenses - 10,000 rubles.
You should also consider the cost of buying planting material. If you do not grow seedlings on your own, you will have to buy it all the time.
Product Sales
The implementation of strawberries is one of the most critical stages. Strawberries - delicate berries, even the most seasoned varieties are not stored for long. You can not hesitate with the implementation - the harvest must be sold as quickly as possible. Therefore, sales must be agreed in advance.
Sales options:
- Serve in shops, supermarkets, other retail outlets.
- Hand over to processing plants.
- Sell to restaurants, cafes, etc.
- Organize your own strawberry selling point.
- Deliver strawberries to your home - this option is only suitable for the metropolis.
When and what to expect profit?
If you choose the right variety, then in a year you can take up to six crops. The price per 1 kg depends on the season. We calculate the approximate profit based on previously accepted conditions - there are three greenhouses.
Estimated income:
- In spring and summer, 1 kg of berries costs 100 rubles. If one greenhouse gives 360 kg, then from three greenhouses you can get more than 100,000 rubles.
- In autumn and winter, the price of berries is three times as much - 270-300 rubles per 1 kg. Accordingly, revenues increase to 270,000 rubles.
As you can see, growing strawberries in greenhouses can bring huge profits, and all investments pay off in a maximum of 2 years.
Strawberries - a popular berry, the sale of which can make good money. True, you will have to fulfill several conditions - to invest a large sum in business development, find markets, choose a good variety, properly organize the process of greenhouse cultivation and care.
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