How to grow strawberries at home on the windowsill all year round. How to grow strawberries on a windowsill or balcony all year round How to grow strawberries on a windowsill all year round

Ripe, juicy, fragrant strawberries are the most desired delicacy on our tables. No matter how much we love jams and compotes, nothing compares to the taste of fresh berries. Unfortunately, in winter it is hard to find it even in supermarkets, and the price for it is simply sky-high.

What strawberries can be grown at home

Today, many summer residents in a less busy winter period independently organize a kind of mini-farm for growing strawberries at home. And some gardeners manage not only to feast on their own berries in winter, but even to receive financial benefits from the sale of a scarce product.

Only remontant varieties of strawberries are suitable for growing at home. They bear fruit more than twice a season. But these types, in turn, are divided into DSD and NSD.

Ordinary strawberries lay flower buds closer to autumn, when daylight hours are short. And plants of remontant varieties can form buds both during neutral (NSD) and during long daylight hours (LSD).

Strawberry DSD bears fruit only with a long daylight hours and gives only two crops a year: in July and in August - September. Moreover, most of the bushes die after the second fruiting. It is not difficult to create an artificial long daylight hours with the help of backlighting. But still, for home breeding, NSD varieties are better suited, which lay buds in a neutral light day. They bloom for 10 months and bear fruit almost continuously.

Planting strawberries at home

For normal development, plants will need a warm, well-lit place and suitable soil.

Choosing a place to grow

Before you start growing strawberries at home, choose the best place for this. Of course, if you have a greenhouse or a separate heated greenhouse, then you do not have such a question. But, most likely, you do not have such wealth. But for the same purpose, a glazed loggia, window sill or a separate room are perfect. The main thing is that the chosen place meets the following minimum requirements:

• Constant temperature 20–22 °C.
• Good illumination.
• Air circulation.

Maintaining a suitable temperature for strawberries at home is not difficult at all. An additional heater easily compensates for the lack of heat.

Lack of light is the most serious problem when growing strawberries at home in our climate, especially in winter. Plants require about 14 hours of light per day for rapid and full growth and development. In the room, choose southern, well-lit windows for planting. Fluorescent lamps or special phytolamps will help compensate for insufficient illumination. Also, foil reflectors are often used in the kit.

An air conditioner or fan will help provide additional air circulation. Although an open window will cope with this task. But be extremely careful. In winter, a window closed at the wrong time will destroy your strawberry plantings and you will have to start all over again.

Lighting

In residential buildings, even we sometimes lack light, and even more so, strawberries will suffer from insufficient lighting, for which the sun is also a source of energy.

To create optimal conditions, you need to choose a light source with a spectrum that is closest to the sun. In stores, these are gas-discharge fluorescent lamps. The optimal choice for our agronomic purposes is 40-60 watt lamps. They will give a sufficient amount of light and will not affect the electricity bill too much. One meter lamp is enough to illuminate 3-6 square meters of plantings.

Fluorescent discharge lamps - the best option for illuminating strawberries

The amount of light is measured not only by duration, but also by the degree of illumination. The norm for strawberries is 130-150 lux for 12-14 hours a day or 2-3 lamps (F7) per 13-20 square meters. To measure the degree of illumination, it will not be superfluous to have a device at home - a luxmeter.

A light meter will help determine if there is enough light in the room.

Lighting directly affects the rate of development of bushes and the ripening of berries. With a day length of 15 hours, strawberries begin to bloom after 10, and bear fruit after 35 days, and with daylight hours at 8 hours, after 14 and 48 days, respectively.

Soil preparation

It must be remembered that at the disposal of domestic strawberries there will always be a very limited amount of soil, so it must be very fertile. There are two ways: buy a ready-made soil mixture in the store or prepare the soil yourself. If the choice fell on the second option, then you will need the following components in equal quantities:

• garden land;
• humus;
• expanded clay or sand for drainage.

Do not take land from the garden plot on which tomatoes, potatoes, raspberries or strawberries grew. Together with the soil, pathogens can also be brought to the home garden.

It would be useful to measure the acidity of the soil. The optimal pH for strawberries is 5.5-6.5.

Seed stratification

Strawberry seeds are very small and are not in a hurry to sprout, so they need to be further stimulated.

1. Seeds are planted in pre-soaked peat tablets, two pieces each.
2. Tablets are removed for four weeks in a room with a temperature of 0-1 ° C, for example, on a veranda.
3. Four weeks later, they are transferred to a room with a temperature of 10-15 ° C.
4. After a week, the seeds are provided with a constant room temperature of 24-25 ° C.

Germination is stimulated by a gradual change in temperature, simulating real natural conditions.

There is an easier but less efficient way. Seeds before planting, wrap in a damp cloth, then in a plastic bag and refrigerate for four weeks.

Video: strawberry seed stratification

Sowing seeds

Now that the seeds are prepared, it's time to sow. Different sources suggest different dates for planting strawberries when grown at home. It seems that when creating artificial conditions there should be no dependence on the time of year. But still, most "sill" gardeners believe that planting seeds should be carried out from August 15 to September 20, or in early spring at the beginning of March.

Remember that even prepared seeds will not be in a hurry to germinate. The first shoots of strawberries appear only 20–30 days after sowing. Don't get upset prematurely.

Picking strawberry seedlings

The time for picking comes when the seedling has two true leaves.

When filling seedlings with earth, you need to make sure that the growth point is at the level of the soil

Seedling care and pollination

We water the strawberries twice a week. Like any other indoor plant, strawberries are recommended to be moistened with settled warm water. You should be very careful, the culture does not tolerate stagnant water and quickly dies.

The first time you need to feed strawberries only after the appearance of the fifth leaf. This should be done once every two weeks, using specialized top dressing for strawberries. Be careful with the amount of fertilizer: their excess will lead to active vegetative growth, but then the berries will have to wait a long time. After harvesting the first crop, it is better to refuse top dressing for two months.

Video: strawberry seedling care

In nature or in a garden plot, there are no problems with strawberry pollination. Everything happens naturally with the participation of wind, rain and insects. But in the isolated conditions of an apartment, there is a high probability of getting empty flowers. The easiest way to carry out the procedure is with a regular brush. In order not to miss anything, it is recommended to mark pollinated flowers by tearing off one petal, this will not cause any harm to the plant.

A fan is used to simulate wind pollination, but this is a less efficient method.

For artificial pollination of strawberries, it is convenient to use a regular brush

At home, strawberries bloom 30–35 days after picking. And the first ripe berries can be expected in about a month.

Varieties of strawberries for growing at home

Today, there is already a proven list of strawberry varieties that have proven themselves well for growing at home. Here are the most popular ones.

Variety Elizabeth II

Large-fruited remontant variety for dessert purposes. The bush is upright, semi-spreading. The weight of berries under favorable conditions reaches 50–60 g. The taste is sweet, rich, with a hint of honey. The pulp is dense, which allows the berries to be perfectly preserved and tolerate transportation. The variety is resistant to most diseases, including gray mold, brown spot and powdery mildew. The yield of one bush under favorable conditions reaches 1–1.5 kg. Does not require artificial pollination. Neutral daylight variety.

Variety Tristar

A popular remontant variety of Dutch selection. The bush is compact. Berries weighing 25–30 g, conical, dark red, glossy. The pulp is dense. Due to the high content of sugars, the fruits are sweet, dessert. Variety NSD, self-pollinated.

Variety Brighton

Fruit weight reaches 50 g. The berries are sweet, with a rich taste and a unique pineapple flavor. Do not deform during transportation. Bushes are compact. The variety has proven itself when grown in greenhouses and on window sills. Strawberries do not require artificial pollination. Neutral daylight plant.

Variety Baron Solemacher

At home, not only strawberries (garden strawberries) are grown, but also its smaller counterpart - strawberries. Especially popular are beardless species, which can only be obtained from seeds. Baron Solemacher is a very popular variety, great for home use. In addition, it is officially included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements Approved for Use in the Russian Federation. This is a remontant, hairless variety. The weight of one berry is about 4 g. The bushes are compact, the fruits have a sweet and sour taste and have a high tasting index. Plants are self-pollinating, resistant to temperature extremes, have a high resistance to diseases.

Photo gallery: popular varieties for home growing

Brighton remontant strawberry is suitable for growing at home The leader among domestic strawberries is the Elizabeth II variety The popular Tristar remontant variety is famous for its dessert sweet berries A very popular strawberry variety for growing on the windowsill is Baron Solemacher

Many people who care about the benefits of products sooner or later think about growing various crops at home. Growing strawberries on the windowsill all year round will allow you to get a quality crop, which, with proper care, gives excellent fruits.

At home, country varieties should not be used due to the presence of a central heating system, the air in the city is dry. It will not work to create the desired greenhouse effect. Also, when choosing a variety, many mistakenly look only at its appearance, completely forgetting about the characteristics of the varieties.

Not every variety is suitable for growing berries at home. Remontant strawberries, for example, are undemanding to key factors such as soil composition and day length. As a decor, ampelous strawberries are sometimes grown in hanging containers.

Strawberries at home on the windowsill will feel comfortable if they are representatives of one of the following varieties. For example, Geneva or Queen Elizabeth. If these varieties cannot be obtained, you can use analogues like Aisha or Supreme varieties.

When wondering how to grow a plant on a windowsill, many are wondering how to choose a container. It is believed that at first the most optimal is a glass. Which, after it gives the first sprouts, is changed to more spacious container options.

In a pot on the windowsill, you can grow after it gives a minimum of 5 leaves. If the seedlings are bush type, growing in small pots is ideal. For ampel-type strawberries, you can look at spacious options for hanging planters. On the windowsill, you can grow it in pots or boxes, up to 10-15 liters.

Advice! When growing several bushes in boxes, a distance of at least 20 cm between them must be observed.

When growing on a windowsill in any container, it is important to monitor the presence of a drainage layer. It will save the berry from the accumulation of excess water and, consequently, the occurrence of a fungal infection.

What soil to plant

On the windowsill, the berry can be planted in several soil options. For example, special soil mixes are sold in specialty stores. Strawberries in pots can be grown with these mixtures without fear - they are universal and suitable for any variety.

The composition of the soil is not the main condition when choosing it. It must meet such requirements as friability, air permeability and moderate humidity. If the mixture is prepared by hand, then it is important not to forget to add fertilizers containing potassium and phosphorus to the soil after completion of work.

Many mistakenly use land from a summer residence for planting berries in urban conditions. This approach is undesirable, since the soil can be infected with various infections. If there is no other option for extracting land, then before planting on the windowsill it should be disinfected with a weak manganese solution. Planting strawberries is allowed 7 days after the soil disinfection procedure.

How to prepare material for planting

Growing strawberries in pots on the windowsill is available in two ways: from seedlings and from seeds. For beginners, it is best to use the first method. Since the second option is too time consuming and requires certain skills. Planting material is purchased either in specialized nurseries, or is made by hand from country soil.

When wondering how to grow strawberries on a windowsill, it is worth remembering the technology for preparing seedlings. It includes a few simple but important steps:

1. From the sockets, the most healthy and suitable options for planting are selected.
2. Transplantation into the pot and onto the windowsill occurs after the material is separated from the mother bush.
3. Before this procedure, the foliage should be removed, leaving 2-3 of the strongest and youngest.

To ensure that the strawberries have a stable period, they are placed in a cool place for a couple of weeks.
Ideally, the place for strawberries should also be dark. A cellar or basement area is best suited.

How is the boarding

Before planting a berry, it is important not to forget to place a special drainage layer on the bottom of the selected container to drain stagnant water. For such purposes, pebbles, crushed stone or expanded clay are best suited. Planting berries on the windowsill is as follows:

1. The drainage layer is poured into the selected container, as well as the substrate.
2. Strawberry roots are dipped in a weak manganese solution for disinfection for 2-3 minutes.
3. The seedling is planted in a pot, helping the strawberries to spread the roots over the ground. It is important that the strawberry root is placed in containers in full growth. If you have to bend the ends of the rhizome, it is usually shortened.
4. If the roots had to be shortened, a heteroauxin solution will help speed up the recovery. The process of its preparation is usually written on the packaging of the substance. For 5 liters, you usually need 1 tablet.
5. Then you need to compact the soil, being careful not to damage the roots of the strawberries. After they put the plant on the windowsill and water it with plenty of water.

In order for the seedlings to take root better in a new place, you can use watering with the help of strawberry growth simulators. Strawberries in pots are watered by some, for example, with the help of the Kornevin preparation.

Nuances and pitfalls

Growing strawberries on a windowsill all year round is a doable task. But it is important to take into account a number of important nuances. Since, although it is unpretentious, urban conditions are strikingly different from the suburbs.

Choice of landing site

Strawberries at home will take root on a windowsill facing South or Southeast. Growing strawberries in pots in other parts of the world is acceptable if you provide it with additional lighting.

daylight conditions

For strawberries, a day with a duration of 13 hours is considered ideal. Growing berries, and strawberries on the windowsill in winter, will require additional lighting with fluorescent lamps due to the short daylight hours. In summer, additional devices are usually not needed. Grow tools are turned on twice a day, too much use can be harmful. Devices on the windowsill include from 6 to 9 in the morning and from 16 to 20 in the evening.

Temperature conditions

Growing strawberries in the city on windowsills requires compliance with a temperature range of up to 20 degrees. When the temperature deviates a few degrees down, the plant usually gets sick.

In order for strawberries on the windowsill to feel comfortable all year round, gardeners recommend using additional heating devices.

Air humidity

On the windowsill, the humidity of the air should not exceed 80%. If the air in the apartment is very dry, for example, in winter due to heating devices, the berry can be additionally sprayed with ordinary water at room temperature using a spray bottle. Growing the crop on a windowsill in an overly humid climate can lead to fungal growth.

The process of growing strawberries on the windowsill using seeds

On the windowsill, the berry can be safely grown with the help of seeds. Despite the longer planting process, many horticultural enthusiasts are not afraid of this nuance. For a friendly shoot of seeds, you must first harden them. Seeds for this are laid out on a damp cloth and put in the refrigerator for a month. It is important not to forget to fold the fabric in half.

If we consider step-by-step instructions, it includes the following steps:

1. A container, for example, a box, selected as a planting container, is covered with prepared soil and moistened a little.
2. Further, observing intervals of 20 cm, lay out the strawberry seeds using the technique in a row.
3. Next, the material must be sprinkled with a small amount of soil.
4. The selected container is covered with glass. After the procedure, they are placed in a warm area.
5. After the initial emergence of seedlings, shelters can be gradually removed, and the container itself can be rearranged to the selected window sill.
6. It is advised to transplant strawberries into the selected container only after a couple of young leaves appear on the berry.

Many people wonder if it is possible to grow strawberries on a windowsill in the autumn season. The most optimal time period for the procedure is August 15 - September 21.

Watering

Summer residents are advised to use only settled water at room temperature for watering berries when grown on a windowsill. If there is no time to wait for the chlorine to be filtered out, you can pass it through the filter. To improve air humidity, you can periodically spray the berry with a spray bottle. The procedure is especially relevant in winter.

Gardeners advise moistening the plant a couple of times a week. The best time for the procedure is the second half of the day. After the watering process, the soil should be carefully loosened.

Fertilizer

Top dressing is relevant when the first leaves appear. Usually the procedure is carried out no more than a couple of times in 3 weeks. As a fertilizer, some use complex-type top dressing. Which are relevant when growing berries in urban conditions. They should be applied according to the instructions on the package. As an alternative to mineral fertilizers, chicken manure or mullein can act.

pruning

The purpose of this event in the cultivation of strawberries is to increase its yield. Pruning tips include a few key points:

1. If the seedlings are grown from seeds, then at the first shoot it is important to pick a few flowers from it.
2. If there is no need for further breeding of the berry, an additional mustache must be removed.

As a result of the procedure, the plant will not waste its substances on maintaining rosettes, but will direct them in a more necessary direction.

With the help of these tips, you can simplify the process of planting strawberries on the windowsill at home. And also reduce the number of errors in the care process.

Fresh strawberries on the table out of season are the dream of every housewife and gardener. And who would not want to taste delicious and fragrant berries on a cold, gray winter weekdays? In order to have strawberries on the windowsill all year round, it will take a little effort and a good remontant variety of berries.

What is remontant strawberry

Before you start growing strawberries on the windowsill, you need to understand the varieties suitable for these purposes. It is worth giving preference to unpretentious, shade-tolerant, productive and tasty types of strawberries, because the cold season implies a short daylight hours.

A distinctive feature of remontant varieties is that they are able to bear fruit and form inflorescences regardless of the season, it is important for them to have fertile soil and a suitable temperature regime.

The culture is classified according to several criteria, one of them is the formation of buds:

When choosing a variety for indoor cultivation, you should pay attention to this and choose seeds marked NSD, then you can enjoy berries all year round.

In addition to these differences, the culture is divided into mustachioed and beardless. Each type is good in its own way, but has its pros and cons.

mustachioed culture

For growing strawberries on the windowsill in winter, ampelous varieties are suitable. They not only bear fruit well, they look original - it is convenient to harvest from them, and it is also profitable to grow them on the balcony in ordinary flower pots, simply by hanging them from the ceiling or wall.

According to the reviews of experienced gardeners, we can conclude that that the following varieties proved to be the best in indoor cultivation:

The list can be continued indefinitely, because the breeders have tried and created a huge number of plants with good yields and taste. In the listed rating, there are better varieties marked by domestic gardeners and amateurs.

Not all strawberry lovers are at the same time happy owners of personal plots. Many growers create mini-gardens in the apartment, choosing suitable crop varieties for growing. This article details about growing strawberries at home.

The best varieties

Many beginners in gardening, trying to grow garden strawberries, as strawberries are also called, at home, make the mistake of choosing a crop variety designed for greenhouse conditions. A greenhouse is a special microclimate that cannot be created on a balcony or in a room. Plant varieties are needed for growing in an apartment.

Snow White

Beardless variety, as it grows, the bush takes the form of a ball. It grows fast so it needs pruning. Numerous foliage with a wrinkled surface, yellowish-green. Leaves on a long petiole are pubescent and serrated along the edge. On long peduncles, bisexual flowers are formed in large numbers. Berry conical shape, white-yellow color. Weight 2 g. The pulp is juicy, with a bright aroma, sweet. Slightly affected by diseases. Berries are universal in use.

Fragrant Basket

Medium-sized bush of a hemispherical shape, beardless, propagated by seeds. The leaves are not large, pubescent, with an average number of wrinkles, the surface is slightly shiny. Flowers are bisexual, small, located on low peduncles. The berries are small, conical, evenly colored in red. Dense and juicy pulp is sweet and sour. The weight of the berry is 1.5 g. The variety is resistant to diseases, it is universal in use.

Elizabeth II

Ampel, remontant, dessert variety. The bush is medium tall, it breeds with a mustache. The foliage is glossy, serrated, slightly wrinkled, green.
Many-flowered inflorescences with bisexual flowers are located below the foliage. Oval-shaped berries with a neck, large up to 50 g, red. Sweet and sour pulp is dense and filled with juice. It is resistant to diseases and pests.

Did you know? Strawberry jam was a favorite childhood delicacy of Peter I. Later, during the years of his reign, he ordered that bushes of culture and gardeners be sent from Izmailovsky Gardens to the south of the Russian Empire "in order to propagate them."

Zolotinka

Beardless variety, forms a bush of medium height. The green leaf blades are concave, medium wrinkled and medium hairy. Peduncles with numerous flowers of both sexes are located above the leaves. Fruits without a neck, in the form of a cone, are painted with a pale yellow tint. Berry weight 1.7 g. The fruits are fragrant and sweet, juicy. Resistant to disease and insect attack.

pink dream

Ampelous, remontant, beardless, dessert variety. Bush in the form of a hemisphere, with dark green foliage, low. The leaves are toothed, with a glossy, hairless surface. Peduncles with small flowers grow to the level of foliage. Berries up to 12 g in weight, carmine color, conical shape. The pulp is sweet, juicy and aromatic. It has a high resistance to diseases and pests.

Ruyana

Repairing beardless variety, propagated by seedlings. The bush is medium dense, in the form of a hemisphere. The foliage is light green, convex, glossy. The flowers are small, located on tall inflorescences, above the foliage. Fruits are elongated, pink-red, not hollow inside, up to 5 g in weight. The pulp is aromatic sweet and sour. Weakly affected by diseases and pests.

Features of the choice of variety

It was said above that remontant crop varieties are more suitable for apartment conditions. Remontant means the ability of a plant to bloom and bear fruit several times a season. Moreover, such crops are less whimsical to growing conditions, to the duration of daylight hours.

These varieties, in turn, are divided into two types according to the type of reproduction:

The ideal option for an apartment would be ampelous types of remontant strawberries: in addition to the harvest, these varieties also have a decorative function. Curly stems hang from hanging containers or planters to brighten up the room.

Important! So that the strawberry bush does not die from exhaustion, it is advisable to carry out normalizing pruning during the formation of fruit ovaries.

The necessary conditions

Windows, near which the rack with plants will be located, should face south, southeast or east. If this is not possible, it will be necessary to think over a system of artificial lighting.

Lighting

In summer, plants receive up to 14 hours of natural light. For normal development in the season of short daylight hours, illumination is needed. The best option today, most gardeners consider high pressure sodium lamps. Devices installed at a distance of 80-100 cm from plants are turned on twice a day in the morning and evening for 3-4 hours.

Temperature

The temperature of growing domestic strawberries in the daytime should not exceed +24°C, at night - not lower than +16°C. To maintain such an atmosphere in the cold season, heaters will be needed.

Important! It is not advisable to place heaters next to strawberries, since dry air is unfavorable for the crop.

Humidity

The optimal humidity regime for plants is 70–75%. Excess moisture is an ideal environment for the development of fungal diseases and rot. In winter, when the radiators are running, dry air can be avoided by spraying the plants with warm settled water.
It is best to use a fine mist sprayer.

The soil

For preparation, you can add additives to the usual universal soil. It is diluted 1:1 with high-moor peat, which will introduce an organic component into the mixture. Then a 6th part of the total mass of sand is added to loosen the soil and the same amount of perlite so that the root system develops freely.
About 7-10 g of charcoal is added as a mineral fertilizer.

Capacity

Bush seedlings develop well in round pots, you can purchase rectangular containers, and for ampelous species, a hanging version of any shape. The volume of the container is easy to calculate: one plant should have about 1.5–2 liters of land.
Another condition: any container must have drainage holes.

It is best to take plastic pots: they are light, it is convenient to move them if necessary, it is convenient to take care of a large number of plants.

Seed growing technology

Seeds for sowing can be purchased at a store and a horticultural nursery, and subsequently grown from your own material.

When to sow

Sowing can be carried out in early spring in March, it is possible at the end of summer to September inclusive.

Seeding process

Purchased ones are already undergoing disinfecting treatment, and their material needs it. For disinfection, the material is placed for 30 minutes in a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate. Then it needs to be stratified. The seeds are placed in a damp cloth and kept warm at first, moistening the cloth regularly for 2 days. After that, they are kept in the refrigerator for 2 weeks on the vegetable shelf, also regularly moistening the fabric cover.

After this time, the seeds will swell and be ready for sowing.. During the time that the material is hardened, you need to prepare a substrate for seedlings. You can take vermicompost and coconut fiber in equal parts as soil. The soil also needs to be disinfected by calcining in the oven at 100 ° for about 30 minutes.
The capacity for sowing is chosen not deep, the covered soil is slightly moistened. Seeds are placed in a row with an interval of 2-3 cm, sprinkled with soil and covered with glass or film.

Crop care

For germination, place in a warm place with a temperature of about + 25 ° C. The place should be well lit, if necessary, artificial lights. Crops air and spray the soil daily, trying not to erode it. Drops of condensate must be removed from the upper shelter so as not to provoke mold. The first shoots appear after about 3 weeks. Shelter from germinated shoots is removed when the first pair of strong leaves appears.

Transplanting

Seedlings, upon reaching 3 pairs of leaves, are transplanted into a permanent container (soil and container are described above) for further cultivation. 3-5 hours before transplanting, the soil in which the seedlings grow must be well moistened: in this way, it will be easier to “release” the roots. During this time, you need to disinfect the container and the soil. Transfer sequence:

1. Drainage is placed at the bottom of the pot or container.
2. Prepared soil is poured from above, not to the brim. They make a hole in it.
3. Seedlings are removed by prying with a spatula or spoon. The roots are dusted with charcoal before planting.
4. Placed in a hole in a pot, straighten the roots.
5. Sprinkle with soil, leaving the root neck above the surface, and water the soil around the plant.

Post disembarkation care

Caring for strawberries at home is practically no different from outdoor procedures.

Watering

Water for irrigation should be at room temperature, preferably filtered or settled. held twice a week in the evening. After watering, it is recommended to loosen the soil around the stem.

top dressing

Need a culture every 3 weeks. During the growing season, you can use organic matter, if possible. Infusion of chicken manure, for example, is diluted with water 1:20. Another option is eggshell infusion with ash diluted with water 1:3 or sour milk diluted with water 1:2.

During flowering, you can apply mineral fertilizer, for example, "Ryazanochka". The working solution is prepared in a proportion of 0.5 tsp. preparation per 5 liters of water, by the root method. The same preparation is fed during fruiting. The tool contains all the elements necessary for the development of culture, except for the NPK complex:

• zinc;
• manganese;
• copper.

Pollination

bisexual flowers of remontant varieties is easy. You need to purchase a soft brush for painting. During the entire flowering period, you need to brush over all the flowers.

pruning

Strawberries growing in an apartment grow less than in spacious beds. However, if the bush has a lot of whiskers, they are needed so that the shoots do not take food from the plant. Some amount can be left for further reproduction. As the bush grows older, it will be necessary to cut off the extreme, beginning to turn yellow leaves. They are an extra burden for the plant.
In large-fruited varieties, flower stalks and fruit ovaries are normalized.

Harvesting

After about 2 months, you can harvest the first crop. It is better to collect for storage with a stalk. Bushes after picking berries need to be inspected, thinned out, removing mustaches and old leaves. After that, the plant is fed and waiting for the next harvest.

How to grow seedlings

Growing from seed can be a time-consuming endeavor, which is why many gardeners choose to grow their berries by planting seedlings. Varieties that reproduce with a mustache form rosettes that are rooted and used as a seedling the next year. Beadless varieties at the age of 3-4 years are rejuvenated by dividing the bush, getting ready-made seedlings.
When the seedling is separated from the mother bush, it needs a dormant period of 2-3 weeks. At this time, it is placed in the soil and taken out to a cool place.

After such a quarantine, they land:

1. The soil and container are prepared as described above.
2. The seedling is lowered by roots for 3-5 minutes in a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate.
3. Drainage is placed at the bottom of the container, a hill of soil is poured.
4. Place the seedling, straightening the roots.
5. Falling asleep with soil, it is gently tamped and crushed at the stem so that the roots do not penetrate to the surface.
6. Instead of regular watering, irrigate the soil with a heteroauxin solution to increase the chances of rooting.

Care in the future is the same as for adult seedlings of seed-grown bushes. The flowering period for seedlings begins about a month after planting, after another month you can try the first harvest.

Diseases and pests

At home, plants are easier to care for, because everything is at hand. However, there are errors that lead to the appearance of insects or plant disease.

spider mite

loves dry air and heat. Therefore, with insufficient watering or stagnant air, this insect is a frequent "guest".

You can detect it by black dots on strawberry leaf plates. You need to fight insects with acaricidal agents, such as Agravertin, the solution is prepared in a ratio of 2 ml / 1 liter of water, the bushes are sprayed over the leaf.

Did you know?In 1712, Antoine de Frezier, an officer of the French navy, brought several bushes of large-fruited strawberries from Chile to the court of Louis XIV. Until now, in French, strawberries are called "fraise" in his honor.

root rot

Affecting the root system of the plant, the disease threatens the entire bush. Manifested by darkening of the stems, starting from the roots. In the shortest possible time, it can destroy the entire landing. For treatment, the biological preparation Alirin-B is used, the soil is shed with a solution of 1 tablet / 5 l of water, the bushes are sprayed with a solution of 2 tablets / 1 l of water. Re-treat the bushes in a week.

Aphid

Gray rot

Once in the soil, the spores of the fungus quickly spread up the stem, infect the fruits with a fluffy, gray mold. At the fruiting stage, it is impossible to use chemical preparations, therefore, a biological agent is used, for example, Baktofit. To destroy spores in the soil, it is shed with a solution of 3 ml / 1 liter of water, the bushes are sprayed with a solution of 1 ml / 1 liter of water.

Blackleg

Manifested by rotting of the stem in the region of the root neck, usually manifested at the seedling stage. Therefore, it is necessary to inspect the bushes constantly as they develop, to monitor the norms of watering, the disease develops in a humid environment. Methods of prevention will serve as methods of disinfection(pot and soil), disinfection of seeds or roots of seedlings. The biological remedy "Baktofit" can help in the fight against rot. Plants should be sprayed twice with an interval of 6 days, with a solution of 1 ml / 1 liter of water.

It is not difficult to grow strawberries at home, in return for the labor spent, the gardener gets an excellent vitamin harvest, and even all year round. In addition to benefits for the body, flowering and fruiting bushes will serve as a beautiful decor.

Every year there are more and more people who want to taste self-grown berries, fruits and herbs in the home garden. In addition to the usual tomatoes, cucumbers and a variety of greens, strawberries can be grown year-round on the windowsill of the house. In winter, it is especially nice to eat homemade berries. About the features of growing strawberries on the windowsill, how to choose suitable varieties, not to miscalculate with the timing of planting, to plant and grow a healthy berry correctly, skillfully cutting and feeding, will be discussed in this article.

Some gardeners argue that an ordinary variety cannot be forced to bear fruit 3-4 or more times a year, since the plant is guided by the length of daylight hours and has a biological clock like animals. And if you try to grow it, you get a much smaller crop and a maximum of 2 times a year.

In fact, everything is far from it. Each plant has its own time of formation of generative buds, from which fruits are then formed. The usual variety is genetically "coded" for 1 harvest and it can be both in the middle of summer and in winter, depending on the conditions of its cultivation.

Fortunately, modern breeding plots have bred special remontant varieties, in which there is no periodicity in the formation of generative buds. That is, the main thing is to create optimal conditions for the development of the fetus, and there is no difference when this happens. This can be in the summer, spring and at any other time every 2-3 months. Getting 5 harvests during the year is not difficult. Remontant varieties bloom constantly, but greatly deplete the soil, so very serious plant care is required.

Consider the best varieties that are acclimatized on the territory of the Russian Federation.

• Queen Elizabeth 2. An excellent variety, it became famous due to its high yield - about 5 kg of berries grow on one bush in one harvest and this is not a record! With excellent care, you can get up to 19-25 tons per hectare, which is why Queen Elizabeth is the best option for those gardeners who are seriously engaged in growing berries for sale. The mass of one fruit can reach 150-200 grams, the average berries - 60-80 grams each. Has a very sweet taste. The remontant variety allows you to get up to 4-5 crops per year with good soil fertilization and constant watering. Resistant to powdery mildew and fungal diseases - they almost never happen on the stem when grown in greenhouses.
• San Andreas. California remontant variety, but for more than 15 years acclimatized by Russian breeders, recommended for industrial use. The high density of berries allows them to be easily transported over any distance and stored in the basement. Up to 2 kg can be collected from one bush, up to 10 tons per hectare. Resistant to fungal diseases, especially brown spot. The fruits have a very sweet taste.
• Temptation. One of the best remontant hybrids, which is characterized by high yields and large fruit sizes. From one bush you can collect up to 1500 grams, each of which will be at least 60 grams. Thus, with good irrigation and constant fertilization of the soil with organic matter, you can get up to 50 tons per hectare. It has a high decorative effect, the inflorescences are bright, the bushes are not sprawling. Harvesting can be carried out as early as 2 months after planting a new bush in the soil, the full maturity of the bush comes in a year.
• Lyubava. If you are looking for year-round cultivation of strawberries in a greenhouse, then you should pay attention to this variety. Despite the small size of the berries (30-45 grams), the yield reaches 2 kg from one bush and up to 250 c/ha, since the planting density is relatively high. It is very sweet, has an excellent presentation and smell. Even young bushes bear fruit, and they begin to bloom immediately after they take root. The remontant variety practically does not require pollination, it is enough for him that the bushes will be in close proximity. Another advantage of this plant is that it forms very few whiskers, as a rule, no more than 7 pieces. Thus, you do not have to constantly care for the plants and cut them off to increase yields.

The main secrets and subtleties of year-round strawberry cultivation

Technology for growing strawberries

Those who are not yet familiar with this technology and do not know how to grow strawberries in a small room, while getting the maximum yield, should know that the technique is very simple. Its essence is the regular planting of new seedlings, which ensures continuous harvesting even in cold winters. Of course, this can only be achieved by creating favorable conditions for active vegetation, flowering and fruiting of strawberries.

Commercial cultivation of berries according to the Dutch technology involves the use of a stationary greenhouse with a full set of equipment that provides plants with additional lighting, drip irrigation, and regulates humidity and temperature. In addition, the required number of seedlings should always be available, which are planted to replace the old bushes (after the end of fruiting, the bush is simply thrown away). Such an enterprise requires financial investments, but its profitability is so high that all expenses pay off literally in the first months.

If you are not going to plant strawberries in such volumes, but plan to grow several pots on the windowsill for yourself, the Dutch technique may also come in handy. Growing strawberries at home in small containers does not require any additional investment, except for the purchase of seedlings or seeds for growing them, as well as the purchase of a substrate and pots. Estimate the usable area planned for year-round cultivation and decide on how to place the containers. According to the Dutch method, seedlings can be planted in any container, even plastic bags, which are very convenient to hang vertically.

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

In order to successfully plant and grow strawberries at home on the windowsill, certain rules and conditions must be observed. We will talk about them in more detail later.

A place

The best place to grow remontant strawberries is on a windowsill facing south or east. It is possible to grow a crop on the eastern and northern windowsills only under the condition of constant supplementary illumination.

Daylight hours

For rapid growth and ripening of garden strawberries, daylight hours should be 12-14 hours. If in summer the bushes have enough sunlight, then in autumn and winter, when the bright part of the day is very short, strawberries need to be illuminated with fluorescent lamps. Lighting devices are switched on 2 times a day: from about 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 the temperature in the range of +18..+20 C. If the temperature is a few degrees lower, the plants begin to get sick. To prevent such unpleasant consequences, in autumn and spring it will be necessary to turn on additional heating devices (heaters).

Humidity

Strawberries will feel good if the air humidity is in the region of 70-80%. In the midst of the heating season, in winter, when the air in the apartment is very dry, the bushes are sprayed with settled water at room temperature from a spray bottle. However, even in this case, it is worth adhering to the measure: due to too much moisture, strawberries reduce resistance to fungal diseases.

What container to plant

Initially, the seeds are sown in small cups, and as soon as they release the first pair of leaves, they are transplanted (dive) into larger containers. When strawberry seedlings have already formed 5-6 leaves, they can be transplanted into a pot for further home cultivation. Small pots are suitable for growing bush seedlings. Ampel species (for example, F1 Home Delicatessen) feel great in hanging planters.

Dutch greenhouse

Growing strawberries using Dutch technology is, in fact, a classic greenhouse, but with one difference. During the application of this technique, there is no direct contact of the berries with the soil, since the seedlings are grown in film sleeves.

The bags are filled with soil substrate - steamed peat, perlite. The substrate has a high level of moisture absorption, which exceeds its own volume four times. The incoming liquid is enriched with nutrients, introduced into the roots already saturated with useful substances.

Ways to plant strawberries

You can apply vertical and horizontal landing method. This allows you to minimize the occupied area.

Horizontal placement implies the arrangement of bags in a checkerboard pattern, at a distance of thirty centimeters from each other. They are placed in several tiers, observing a gap of about half a meter.

The vertical method involves the placement of sleeves in polymer pipes, which are strengthened in several rows. The holes in which the bags are located are at a distance of thirty centimeters from each other.

How to care after planting and before harvest

Watering. For watering strawberries, like other indoor plants, use only settled water at room temperature. In order not to wait until the chlorine settles to the bottom of the tank, water can be passed through a filter.

Adhering to the technology of cultivating strawberries at home on the windowsill, the soil in containers is moistened 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 after the next moistening is activated, 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.

Top dressing.

Strawberries need to be nourished with useful substances. For this, you can use mineral and organic complexes: nitrophoska, potassium nitrate, potassium sulfate, wood ash, etc. The first top dressing should be carried out during the growing season, with the formation of a couple of real leaves. Choose your favorite dressing recipes, and alternate their use 4 times a year, excluding the fruiting period:

1 tsp nitroammophoski for 5 liters of water;

1/2 tsp boric acid, 15 drops of iodine, 1/2 cup wood ash per 5 liters of water;

soak a liter jar of crusts and slices of rye bread in two liters of warm water, keep for 7 days in a warm place. Add three parts of warm water to one part of the sourdough, and add plant nutrition;

1 part sour milk or whey diluted with 3 parts water;

mix a tablespoon of nitrophoska with a teaspoon of potassium sulfate in 5 liters of water;

1 st. l. dissolve potassium nitrate in 5 liters of water;

50 grams of wood ash per 5 liters of water.

Top dressing should be carried out during the growing season and flowering, as well as after picking berries. At this time, new roots are formed, buds are formed for the next fruiting season. It is important at this time to pay maximum attention to strawberries.

As a rule, strawberries at home are not susceptible to disease. The only feature is the lifespan of plants. Since strawberries of NSD varieties bear fruit more abundantly and more often, which means they age faster, their lifespan is 1 year. As for the DSD varieties, the fruiting of which is several times poorer than the NSD, then their life span will increase proportionally and is 2–3 years.

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

1. On seedlings grown from seeds, the first few flowers are plucked. It is not necessary to cut flower stalks on strawberries bred from seedlings.
2. If further expansion of indoor plantings is not planned, and adult bushes do not need to be replaced, the antennae must be cut. Pruning is also recommended when there is a lack of lighting. As a result of shearing, 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 berries to set after flowering, strawberries need to be pollinated. There are several ways to artificially pollinate at home:

1. The blooming flowers are alternately carried out with a brush for drawing throughout the entire flowering period.
2. A fan is sent to the plants. Under the air flow, pollen from one flower is transferred to another and the strawberry is pollinated.