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Growing strawberries on the balcony allows you to enjoy ripe berries almost all year round. The main thing is the right variety and technology.
Variety selection
There is no special variety of strawberry for the balcony. Most indoor varieties produce the worst yields. It is popular, allowing you to pick berries several times a season, self-pollinated and unpretentious.
The fruits of the strawberry variety "Elizabeth II" are very large.
Variety "Elizabeth 2"
Record yields of up to 5 kg of berries from one bush per season. The berries themselves are very large, beautiful with a pleasant sourness. Requires a large amount of soil and regular fertilization.
Variety "Sarian F1"
Inferior in fruit size and yield. It is second in the list of recommended ones due to its unique unpretentiousness. Seeds have high germination. The first harvest can be harvested 4.5 months after the appearance of the first sprouts from seeds. Seedlings quickly and abundantly give long mustaches, which are full-fledged adult plants. Looks great in hanging pots. Resistant to drought, frost and fungal diseases.
Strawberry variety Sarian F1 is excellent for ampel cultivation because of its long whiskers.
Sort "Supreme"
Self pollinating and high yielding. It bears fruit from the end of May until late autumn or winter, when the temperature on the balcony drops to 14 degrees. There are several peaks of fruiting: the end of May, the beginning of July, the end of August, the middle of September. During the season from one bush you can collect up to 2 kilograms of fragrant, sweet, somewhat elongated berries. The size of one berry is up to 40 grams.
Agricultural technology
Growing strawberries on the balcony, which gives a good harvest, is possible only by creating certain conditions.
Priming
Balcony strawberries (strawberries) are demanding on the volume of soil. Each bush needs 3-5 liters of earth, respectively, the diameter of a single pot should be from 25 cm.
Strawberries on the balcony love sunlight. Therefore, it is worth choosing south windows.
Lighting
The best results are obtained by growing on the southern balconies. When placed on the north side, it is recommended to use additional lighting with phytolamps.
The minimum duration of daylight hours is 6 hours, the recommended one is 12-17.
Temperature regime
Flowering and fruiting stops at temperatures below 14 degrees.
A temperature above 35 leads to a drop in immunity.
A drip irrigation system can be used to grow strawberries.
Humidity and watering
Moisture-loving. Drainage and holes in the bottom will avoid acidification of the soil and rotting of the roots.
During fruiting, the intensity of watering is increased.
Harvest
To improve the quality and quantity of the crop, the following tips will help you.
artificial pollination
Most cultivars are dioecious. In open ground, pollination of strawberries occurs due to insects, which is unacceptable on a loggia or balcony.
You can create conditions for cross-pollination with the help of wind. To do this, arrange a draft or use fans. During the flowering season, devices turn on for several hours every 2-3 days and direct the air flow tangentially onto racks or slides with strawberries.
You can pollinate strawberries at home with a damp brush.
At the beginning of flowering, pollination by irrigation with water is permissible. Pollen drips onto flowers below.
The most effective method in the house is manual pollination. With a soft moistened brush, you need to touch the pollen on each flower.
Fertilization
Yield Improvement Care
Abundantly flowering self-pollinating varieties tend to produce a large number of small berries. To increase the weight of each berry, it is recommended to remove some of the buds.
The bushes of the 2nd 3rd year give the greatest harvest. In the fourth year they are replaced with new young plants.
Wintering
For the winter, containers with strawberries should not be transferred to the apartment. If the balcony or loggia is glazed, and the temperature does not fall below 5 degrees, it is enough to sprinkle the bushes with sawdust.
When the temperature drops below zero, the containers should be insulated with covering materials to prevent through freezing of the soil.
For growing strawberries in a greenhouse or at home, UV lamps can be used, which can replace sunlight.
Moisten the soil a little when it dries. Excessive watering in winter leads to rotting or freezing of the roots.
Pests and diseases
Subject to agricultural technology, plants have good immunity and are less likely to suffer from pests.
Strawberries can be damaged by:
- ticks;
- weevils;
- nematodes;
- fusarium;
- late blight;
- gray rot;
- powdery mildew;
- brown and white spots.
Prevention and treatment of diseases is carried out during the growing season before flowering or after harvest.
Growing methods
Planting in boxes is not optimal in terms of space utilization. Ampel strawberries on the balcony look more beautiful in flowerpots or cascade-type containers. A hanging shelf, slides and multi-row narrow racks are practical.
A special place is occupied by agricultural canvas. Bags made of fabrics such as spunbond perfectly pass air and moisture, it is convenient to hang them or put them in pallets.
Strawberries are rich in vitamins, and in fact they are so lacking in winter. Many people, even living in high-rise buildings, grow strawberries on the balcony. There is nothing difficult in this, the most important thing is to know the rules and strictly follow them. Some varieties of strawberries and wild strawberries get along well in ordinary flower pots or in special containers. You can grow them all year round. Among the most common varieties that are grown on the balcony, the following can be distinguished: "Home Delicatessen", "Sarian", "Aluba", "Elizabeth II", "Alpine". Strawberries are grown from seeds or seedlings.
Strawberries on the balcony: basic rules for growing
How to grow strawberries? The most important thing is to choose the right place for growing. The ideal option is a glazed balcony, which is located on the south side. But if the balcony faces the north side, it will also be possible to grow strawberries, you will only need to take care of additional insulation and lighting. Important - containers with a plant should not stand in drafts. Strawberries on the balcony do not like cold through wind. At the same time, you need to ventilate the balcony every day for at least 20 minutes.
Flower pots (volume not less than 2.5 l) can serve as a planting container. For each bush you will need a separate pot.
The plant gets along well in balcony boxes. At the same time, the distance between the bushes should not be less than 15 cm. It does not matter what the strawberries will grow in, it is important that the containers have holes at the bottom to remove excess moisture.
If humus, sand and leaf turf are preferred, then the ratio should be 5:2:3. If peat, sand and humus are selected, then the components are mixed in equal amounts. Any soil before planting the plant should be steamed for 2-3 hours at t 100 ° C to remove harmful microorganisms.
Landing can be done in the spring, the best time is the second decade of March. If the balcony is not glazed, then the ideal time is mid-April. To help strawberries grow, the seeds should not be buried in the soil, they should be planted at an average level. In this case, the soil is moist (not wet or slightly moistened). After planting, the ground is slightly compacted with fingers.
Growing strawberries - care rules:
- Timely watering - after 12 noon every week 2 times (it is advisable to use a pallet);
- Neat, shallow loosening of the soil will help grow strawberries (1 time per week);
- Removal of the first peduncles (with good lighting on the balcony, the antennae can not be removed, in the process of growth, peduncles and rosettes will form on them; no more than three side rosettes can bear fruit on one antennae; if the balcony is poorly lit, the antennae are removed);
- Pollination of flowers with a watercolor brush.
Be sure to protect strawberries from diseases and pests so that they can grow on the balcony. To do this, you need to treat the plant with special pesticides. Various decoctions can be used. For this, bitter chilli pepper, horse sorrel, red elderberry are suitable. The procedure is carried out every 8-9 days until the plant begins to bear fruit. If manifestations of the disease become noticeable, the affected areas are immediately removed.
As soon as the fifth leaf appears, once every 14 days you need to feed the strawberries. To do this, you should purchase any fertilizer and act according to the available instructions.
It is possible to make top dressing with your own hands. A two-liter container is half filled with eggshell powder (no matter boiled or raw egg), wood ash (150 g), water is added. Liquids need to be added so much that a homogeneous mixture is obtained. It should be insisted within 4 days. Then dilute with water in a ratio of 1:15 (15 parts of water).
When the thaw comes, the sawdust must be removed. It is not necessary to cover strawberries in a glazed balcony, but on condition that the temperature remains at least + 5 ° C.
Strawberries, properly grown on the balcony, will bear fruit for three years, after which the bushes and soil must be replaced.
An easy way to grow strawberries on a balcony (video)
Strawberries on the balcony growing methods
Ordinary varieties of strawberries are not profitable to grow on the balcony, because they bear fruit only once a year. An excellent alternative is remontant strawberries.
Landing time is early February. At the same time, the plant will begin to bear fruit in August. Strawberries on the balcony can delight with berries for 3 years. The soil scheme can be of three types: a layer of high-moor peat + a layer of soddy soil + a layer of sand (6: 3: 1); a layer of high peat + soddy soil + a layer of humus (1:1:1); a layer of high-moor peat + a layer of sawdust (1: 2). The soil will be more fertile and will help strawberries grow if biohumus is added to it.
You need to grow strawberries in a surface way. Seeds are laid out on moist soil and insulated with polyethylene (glass can be used).
Do not worry if after two weeks, the plant has not risen. The duration of its growth is from 2 to 31 days. As soon as the first shoots appear, it is not necessary to immediately open the protective film layer. Within 3 days, you should open the container and ventilate for 30-40 minutes 2 times a day. When 3 leaves appear, picking is carried out. Here you need to be very careful, because when planting each bush in a separate container, the main thing is not to damage the strawberry rhizome. She does not tolerate deformation very well. The bush may die.
If transplanting into a box is planned, then the distance between plants should not be less than 20 cm. Good drainage should be taken care of. Strawberries do not tolerate too much humidity.
The plant does not like extreme heat, dry air. Cultivation is carried out in the cool. Therefore, in winter, you can not worry about its development, but in summer it is better to create conditions for its normal life. You need to water and feed strawberries in the same way as strawberries.
Strawberries on the balcony all year round
Year-round strawberries can be grown on the balcony in bags. To do this, a special substrate is placed in a bag, and holes are made around its perimeter for strawberry bushes. In this case, already grown seedlings are used. Airing the room is carried out every day for 5-10 minutes 5-6 times.
This is very important, because if it is violated, the roots will rot and the plant will die.
On the south balcony, this can not be done. Growing requires a certain temperature regime - at least + 5 ° C.
How to grow strawberries on the balcony (video)
Repair strawberries on the balcony
Remontant strawberries are distinguished from ordinary varieties by the ability, after the first fruiting, to lay buds and set new fruits. Its cultivation is carried out in a standard way. But such varieties should be watered more often than ordinary strawberries. But, there will be fewer fruits, but they can be eaten all year round. Strawberries live 3 years.
Strawberries are planted in the same way as described above. The only rule is that watering is carried out 3 times a week in the afternoon.
Is it possible to grow strawberries on a balcony
It is possible and necessary to grow strawberries, strawberries on the balcony in order to eat vitamins all year round. To do this, you must follow the rules of planting and care for the plant properly.
More recently, strawberries could grow only in the garden. Today, thanks to breeders and new varieties, strawberries grow well on the balcony, winter well and bring a good harvest.
In the absence of a summer residence, the craving for gardening can be replenished by growing berries, herbs and some vegetables in a city apartment. In spring, plants will green up a place on the balcony, in winter on the windowsill. For example, strawberries on the balcony will bring berries and decorate the place. To get a harvest, it will take effort, the right conditions and care.
Which variety to choose
A glazed south-facing balcony is best suited for growing this berry. It is there that there is enough light for the plant to feel comfortable. Otherwise, you will have to take care of additional lighting. For this, LED and phytoluminescent lamps are suitable.
Before planting directly, we select a strawberry variety. Not all types of strawberries are suitable for home use. You need to pay attention to the following characteristics:
- the ability to bear fruit in low light;
- duration of fruiting;
- possibility of self-pollination.
If the balcony is on the north side, then you should give preference to varieties such as Elvira or Temptation. They adapt well to adverse conditions. "Festivalnaya", "Desnyanka", "Home delicacy", "World Debut" have proven themselves excellently. The latter is valued not only for delicious berries. He has beautiful dark pink flowers that make. You can also try growing varieties that do not produce tendrils, such as Bolero. It is easier to care for such bushes, however, you will have to use seeds for propagation.
The structure of the plant and fruit of strawberries / strawberries
Another good option is remontant varieties, among which Queen Elizabeth stands out. It grows in one place for several years, gives antennae, so it is easy to grow. The main advantage of such strawberries on the windowsill is that you can enjoy berries all year round, as the crop yields both in spring and autumn.
Also, strawberries grow at home, for example, the Tuscany variety. It gives fragrant berries. In addition, it blooms almost constantly, so it will become an ornament.
Strawberries - growing methods
There are many ways to grow strawberries on a balcony. Convenient containers can often be made from improvised means. Depending on the size of the room, containers are placed horizontally or vertically, which allows you to maximize the use of space.
Options for growing strawberries in a pot
Pots, boxes and plastic bottles
Strawberries on the windowsill grow well in pots. The main condition is that their volume must be at least 2.5 liters. For each bush you will need a separate container. Pots are arranged in rows. Or you can do it in an original way and place them vertically, thus obtaining interesting beds.
To save strawberries in winter, you need two boxes. Styrofoam is poured into a larger one with a thin layer. Then a smaller one is placed in it, in which the plants are located.
For the first method, you will need several pots of different sizes. They need to fill the soil and put one on top of the other, starting with the largest. The second method involves the use of a metal rod. It is fixed in the ground and pre-prepared containers are strung on it. This design looks very unusual.
Suitable for growing and wooden boxes. The distance between the bushes should be at least 15 cm. It is important that there are holes in the bottom of the container for water to drain.
If there are not enough pots or boxes, but you want to start growing strawberries, then you can use ordinary plastic bottles. You need to choose a container of large volume, two-liter containers are suitable. And you can place them horizontally and vertically. In the first case, they are cut in half, both parts are used for planting the plant. In the second, a small hole is made in the wall, in which the bush will grow. They simply put them on the floor, fix them on a wall or a pyramidal base.
Pipes and bags
An interesting way to grow strawberries is in pipes. It allows you to significantly save space in a balcony, the area of \u200b\u200bwhich is usually limited. Two plastic water pipes of different sizes are used for this. In the main, with a diameter of about 20 cm, bushes will be placed. The second, thin, with a diameter of 1.5 cm, is intended for irrigation. The narrow one should be 10 cm longer than the wider one.
Many holes should be made in a thin pipe, not reaching the bottom edge of 15 cm. Then it must be wrapped with burlap and secured with a rope. Holes should also be made in the second pipe, with a diameter of about 10 cm. The distance between the holes must be kept 20 cm. After that, plugs are inserted into the pipes and placed one inside the other. Next, a certain amount of expanded clay and slightly moistened earth fall asleep. You have to make sure there are no empty spaces.
The structure must be well fixed. It is very easy to use. Strawberry bushes are planted in the holes. When the time comes for watering, the cap is removed from the narrow tube and water is poured. It impregnates the fabric and falls into the ground. To make sure the soil has received enough moisture, you can simply test it with your finger in one of the holes. The advantages of this method can be considered compact plantings and affordable prices for materials.
Polyethylene bags are also allowed. They are filled with soil mixture, holes are made in the side for strawberries, and a reservoir of water is placed on top.
Suitable soil
To get a crop, you need to know how to grow strawberries on a balcony from seeds or seedlings. You should start with the preparation of the soil, because this plant is quite demanding on the composition of the soil. It must be loamy. It is better to purchase the mixture in specialized stores or make it yourself. For this, black soil is used, as well as:
- peat - holds water well;
- humus - increases soil fertility;
- sawdust - before use, they should be kept in urea;
- sand - you need to take coarse-grained without the admixture of clay.
Strawberry Planting Scheme
Proportions for mixing: 10 parts of earth, peat and humus, 3 parts of sawdust, 1 part of sand. When the soil is ready, it is poured into prepared containers. Now it should be fertilized. To do this, prepare such a solution: for 3 liters of water, take 1 glass of mullein and half a small spoonful of copper sulfate.
Features of growing from seeds
From the seeds you can get strawberries on the balcony, but growing in this way will require a lot of effort. The beginning of sowing is February-March. Strawberry seeds germinate very slowly, so it is recommended to soak them. To do this, take a transparent plastic container, in the lid of which holes are made in order to provide air access. Moisten two rags with water. One is placed on the bottom, seeds are poured on it, then the second is covered. The container is placed in the refrigerator. At this time, you need to make sure that the rags do not dry out.
For growing strawberries from seeds, the use of peat tablets is allowed.
After two weeks, the seeds should be sown in a container filled with soil. They are lightly pressed to the ground with tweezers or a match, then covered with a lid. Holes should also be made in it. After a while, they will begin to sprout. There is no need to rush to remove the cover, this must be done gradually. After the appearance of three leaves, they need to be transplanted into small cups measuring 5 by 5 cm. Here the bushes will grow, and in May they are transplanted to a permanent place.
Necessary care
In order for the strawberries on the balcony to bear fruit well, it is necessary to create suitable conditions for it. Particular attention should be paid to the care of:
Growing on a balcony or windowsill is not as difficult as it might seem. Strawberries can grow in pots, plastic bottles and other containers. The main thing is to provide proper care. And then even in a city apartment you will be able to feast on your own grown berries.
If you have minimal experience growing at least greens for your table on windowsills, then the temptation is great to aim at something much more interesting, for example, to get juicy and fragrant strawberries in the dead of winter. Let's try!
Is it possible to grow strawberries on the windowsill and balcony
Nothing prevents growing strawberries from seeds at home. This does not require much expense and effort. If winter is chosen as the season for harvesting, then you will need to provide artificial lighting. Fitolamps are well suited for this purpose, which today can be purchased at the same stores that sell pots and soil for planting.
The secret to getting a strawberry crop on the balcony is in the right choice of seed, which should be undemanding to growing conditions. Our tips will help you get guaranteed excellent results.
Varieties of strawberries for growing on a window at home
A common mistake is to buy varieties intended for greenhouses for growing strawberries from seeds at home. Only remontant varieties that are insensitive to daylight hours and temperature fluctuations in the apartment are suitable. Ampelous varieties that are sown in hanging containers and planters are also great.
In order to please the family with balcony strawberries all year round, you should pay attention to the following well-proven remontant varieties:
How to care after planting and before harvesting, step by step
Carefully considering each stage of cultivation is exactly what will increase the chances of fruitful cultivation of strawberries in the winter at home. Properly selected varieties tolerate the lack of light well, but are demanding on the temperature regime, as well as top dressing, soil quality. Our tips for growing strawberries will help you avoid common mistakes and get a great harvest the first time.
Place
The best place for planting will be the southern windows, but the eastern and western windows in the apartment are also suitable. Only the northern ones are not suitable, since natural lighting still plays an important role in the growth of bushes. Artificial lighting solves this problem when growing strawberries at home only in part. Also, the plant is extremely sensitive to drafts, so it is better not to use an uninsulated loggia.
In addition to window sills and hanging containers, planters, you can try to use multi-tiered floor flowerpots. They have only one drawback - a lot of space is required to approach such a bed from all sides.
Strawberries in a pot on the balcony The rapid ripening of berries directly depends on the length of daylight hours. Ideally, it should be 12 hours. In summer, this is not difficult to provide, but in winter you need a phytolamp. You need to turn it on not for the whole day, but only in the morning from 8 to 11, and in the evening from 16 to 19. It is most convenient to set this mode using a special timer, with which such lamps are sold.
The temperature regime is chosen quite loyally. It is important not to fall below the acceptable minimum. For strawberries, it is + 18 0 C. The optimum humidity is in the range of 50-75%. During the heating season, the air in the apartments is very dry. Morning spraying of bushes from a spray bottle with clean water at room temperature helps to solve this problem.
What container to plant
Considering that a bush in one pot lives from 2 to 5 years, it is best to use not plastic, but clay containers ranging in size from 3 liters. There should be a sufficient number of drainage holes at the bottom, and the pan should not be too shallow. If hanging boxes are used to grow strawberries on the windowsill, then it is optimal to take 10-15 liters, in which 4 bushes can be planted at once. Small stones, expanded clay, crushed eggshells are necessarily placed at the bottom of boxes and pots.
Pot for apartment strawberries However, it is important to consider the type of planting material. In large pots, only bushes with a few leaves can be planted. If you are germinating seeds, then first they are sown in small cups. This approach is fully justified, since the weak root system of seedlings is not able to draw enough moisture from the ground to prevent its stagnation and mold.
In what soil to plant homemade strawberries
If you go to a specialty store for soil, you can look for a special substrate, or purchase a universal one for vegetables or flowering houseplants. However, the soil for growing strawberries in boxes can be prepared independently. To do this, take sand, coniferous soil, humus in equal proportions. The second option is to prepare a mixture of biohumus and peat. The result should be an airy and slightly moist mixture, into which phosphorus fertilizer is immediately added.
Tip: you can not take land from the garden. It can contain pests and fungal diseases. If there is no other way out, then the entire volume of soil is thoroughly steamed in the oven for at least half an hour at a temperature of 180 0 C.
Planting material preparation
Planting material can be purchased in specialized markets and in stores. You can buy seeds, but there is a lot more work with them, because you need to not only sow, but also nurture young strawberry plants in a pot for a very long time until they gain enough strength to bear fruit. Of all the bushes, the strongest are selected, which are thoroughly washed in a disinfecting solution (for example, Fitosporin). This will prevent root rot.
If the seed method is nevertheless chosen, then stratification is mandatory for all varieties. Seeds are placed on wet gauze, rolled up and stuffed into a sealed bag. It is placed on the top shelf of the refrigerator, where they need to lie for 2-4 weeks.
Direct fit
Planting seedling bushes in pots for growing strawberries on the balcony should be done very carefully, carefully straightening the roots so that they take up a position in their entire height. If the spine is too long, it can be shortened.
Stratified seeds are planted in a common box, where they are buried to a minimum depth. Then the box is wrapped with a film and put in a warm place. There he stands until shoots appear. Only after that the film is removed, and the box is transferred to a bright place. Transplanting into pots can be done at the stage of 2 true leaves. The ideal time to grow seedlings is early spring or late summer.
Don't forget about top dressing:
Complex mineral fertilizer is recommended to fertilize the soil with a frequency of 2 times a month.
Diseases and pests
Under natural conditions, a wide variety of diseases and pests can lie in wait for strawberries. And on the windowsill in the apartment, she is most often threatened with gray rot and spider mites. Rot often appears due to thickening of the planting or hypothermia of the bushes. Following recommendations for planting density and controlling the temperature in the room will help to avoid the onset of the disease.
But the spider mite is a frequent guest on window plantations. To get rid of it will help tincture of garlic. Crush two cloves and pour a glass of water. For two days you need to insist the mixture, and then pour the expressed liquid into a spray bottle and spray all the bushes.
Timing of emergence and harvest
The exact ripening time depends on the variety. The peculiarities of growing strawberries are that many factors influence the timing of flowering and the appearance of berries: the frequency of feeding, the length of daylight hours, and the temperature in the room.
Ideally, 2 months should pass from planting seedlings in a pot until the first berries appear.
Further, it all depends on the variety, because many bloom and bear fruit continuously, while others need a month to rest between fruiting. If you see that there are no flowers and berries on the plant, then it's time for rest. It is necessary to stop intensive watering and top dressing until the strawberries rest and resume vegetation.
Pollination at home strawberries in winter
Knowing how to grow strawberries on a balcony, one should not forget about its pollination. Under natural conditions, this is done by bees. And now you have to work instead of them.
We take a watercolor brush and gently brush the pile over the flowers, not forgetting any. If this is not done, then there will either be no berries at all, or they will be deformed and tasteless.
How to grow strawberries at home, video
Now you see that growing strawberries all year round is not that hard. It is quite possible to try, especially if there is an opportunity to buy seedlings.
