Garden strawberries, or remontant strawberries, have been increasingly grown on the balcony or loggia in recent years. Such cultivation can be carried out all year round, but in order to grow a productive plant, it is necessary to correctly determine the choice of the variety and strictly observe the cultivation technology, taking into account the botanical and varietal characteristics of the berry culture.
Features of year-round cultivation
Home gardening is becoming more and more popular and in demand. Compared to the cultivation of vegetable crops such as cucumbers and tomatoes, strawberry bushes have an undeniable advantage in terms of compactness and relative unpretentiousness. Berry culture does not need a lot of soil, which allows cultivation on a balcony or loggia using a tiered arrangement.
Balcony cultivation of strawberries all year round does not require too large financial costs. The main costs are associated with the purchase of high-quality seed or seedlings, nutritious soil mixture, special fertilizers and planting containers. The use of self-made soil is allowed. To grow a berry culture from seeds or seedlings, you must adhere to the recommendations for choosing a variety.
The best remontant varieties
If in the late spring and summer periods you can use balconies and loggias without glazing for growing strawberries, then it is possible to grow a berry in the cool season if you organize a mini-garden in a closed room. It is impractical to grow classic varieties of garden strawberries on balconies, because fruiting is formed only once a year. The best alternative for balcony gardening is the cultivation of remontant strawberries.
| Variety name | Description of the bush | Description of the berry | Advantages and disadvantages | Varietal features |
| "Clery" | Small compact bushes with dark green leaves | Large and beautiful, conical, deep red color with shine | The indicators of resistance to diseases of the root system are good, and the resistance to damage by white and brown spots is moderate. | The earliest variety among KSD varieties |
| "Florence" | Vigorous, slightly spreading shrubs with lots of dark green glossy leaves | Large, aligned, conical, dark red | Possesses good winter hardiness and forms a small amount of whiskers | High yield, suitability for long-term storage |
| "Geneva" | Ampel variety with fairly compact bushes | Large to medium in size, with a pleasant sweet and sour taste | High resistance to gray mold, fruiting before frost | High-yielding variety, very popular in the middle lane |
| "Zenga-Zengana" | Bushes vigorous, tall, semi-spreading, with a slight formation of rosettes | Wide conical, angular, dark red, shiny | Average winter hardiness and resistance to tick infestation. High risk of infection with gray mold | High yield and versatile use of the crop |
| "Homemade delicacy" | Bushes are globular, with a good level of foliage, compact | Very large and dense, beautiful berries with excellent taste | Abundant fruiting from June to severe frost | An early maturing remontant variety widely used in ornamental horticulture |
Growing from seeds
Surface sowing of seed on a moistened soil mixture is carried out in early February. With this method of cultivation, fruiting begins in mid-August. It is allowed to use both ready-made soil mixture and soil prepared independently for sowing and growing:
- mix high-moor peat, turf soil and sand in a ratio of 6: 3: 1;
- mix high-moor peat, turf soil and humus in a 1: 1: 1 ratio;
- mix high-moor peat and sawdust in a 1: 2 ratio with the addition of a small amount of vermicompost.
Crops must be covered with foil to create a greenhouse effect. If the temperature regime is observed, the seedlings appear in about three weeks, after which the film coating is removed, and when three or four true leaves are formed, a pick is carried out into separate flower pots.
Strawberries on the balcony: planting features (video)
Planting seedlings
The cultivation of berry crops must be carried out on the balconies located on the south side of the house or in the presence of sufficient lighting for a longer time of the day. Growing on a glazed balcony is optimal. When planting seedlings, flower pots should be preferred. The use of special balcony boxes is also allowed. In such planting containers, strawberry seedlings should be planted with a distance of at least 20-25 cm from each other. Any planting containers must necessarily have drainage holes to remove excess moisture from the soil.
Strawberry bushes do not like drafts, which should be taken into account when preparing shelving on a balcony or loggia. When growing garden strawberries in a glazed balcony, you can plant seedlings in separate planting containers as early as mid-March. If you cultivate a berry plant on an open loggia or balcony, then planting is done a little later, around mid-April. When planting, it is very important to ensure that the heart of the seedling is located at the same level with the soil. Planting is carried out in abundantly moist soil.
Balcony cultivation of berry crops does not involve particularly difficult care. Cultivation technology involves the implementation of the following activities:
- timely and relatively abundant watering at least twice a week, in the evening, using the "through the pallet" method;
- accurate and shallow loosening of the soil at least once a week;
- removal of the first peduncles, which guarantees the receipt of the most abundant and high-quality subsequent harvest;
- depending on the varietal characteristics, it is allowed to leave a small part of the mustache with side rosettes, on which the crop is also formed;
- for the purpose of artificial pollination, it is recommended to use a regular art brush with a soft bristle.
The first feeding of the berry culture should be carried out after the appearance of the fifth or sixth leaf on the plant. Bushes should be fed at least twice a month. For feeding, special fertilizers are most often used, but self-prepared formulations can also be used. The following type of berry crop feeding gives a good result:
- fill in a third a three-liter jar with carefully crushed egg shells;
- add about 200 g of wood ash and fill with settled water;
- insist fertilization for at least five days in a dark and cool room;
- dilute the resulting infusion with water at room temperature at the rate of 1: 3.
You can replace ready-made mineral fertilizers with humus diluted with water in a ratio of 1:20. If the cultivation is carried out on an open balcony, then for the winter period it is recommended to insulate the berry bushes with sawdust. In the conditions of a glazed balcony at a temperature of at least 2 ° C, the plants do not need to be covered. Experienced gardeners transfer containers with bushes of garden strawberries to the cellar or garage. As a balcony crop, strawberries can be grown for no more than three years, after which it is necessary to replace the soil and the plants themselves.
Disease prevention
When growing a berry crop on balconies and loggias, the plants need less use of strong preventive chemicals. However, garden strawberries need protective measures.
Strawberries: variety selection (video)
It is allowed to process berry bushes with insectofungicides or more gentle means in the form of infusion of bitter capsicum, horse sorrel and elderberry. Standard three treatments per month must be supplemented with preventive examinations and the immediate removal of all aboveground plant parts affected by diseases or pests.
It is widely believed that there are some specific varieties of strawberries for growing in an apartment and for open ground. This statement is incorrect, because plants of this type cannot be divided into groups, thus there is no hard division.
Growing in a pot.
It should be noted that strawberries on the balcony can be grown with little difficulty, but only with a responsible approach.
These plants react quite sharply to improper growing conditions, pollination, so in some people they die without bearing any fruit.
A warm and glazed balcony is great for growing strawberries, and you can do this all year round, because it needs a room with good ventilation. In addition, the plant needs a lot of root space and natural fertilizers.
Soil preparation and planting seedlings
It is very important to create the most optimal conditions for growing berry plants, since it will be possible to grow strawberries on the balcony only when a suitable microclimate is formed for it.
To make the earth breathe, foam balls are sometimes added.
Finding good soil and fertilizing it is only half the battle.
You will also need to carry out the following work:
- Drainage installation. With the help of the drainage system, all excess moisture will be promptly removed from the container that was chosen for growing strawberries. To arrange a kind of drainage, you need to take a prepared container, make 3-4 holes in it, so that excess water can safely go beyond its limits. In addition, it is recommended to put some coarse-grained materials (for example, crushed stone, gravel, small stones) on the bottom of the container. It is not necessary to pour too much - it is quite enough for the material to completely cover the bottom of the container. Due to the use of gravel or crushed stone, excess water will be removed as quickly and efficiently as possible, so the bushes will not be damaged by waterlogging.
- We create the most fertile soil. The following components are required here: sand, peat, black soil, fertilizers and loam. We take everything in the required proportions (it is better to check the amount of each part with specialists), mix thoroughly with the help of improvised materials and fall asleep on the drainage.
- It is also imperative to fertilize the prepared soil with active elements that act as quickly as possible. They are necessary for the plant to take root in the container, and a quick start is excellent for this. Here you can choose from a wide variety of growth stimulants that are sold in specialized stores. You can limit their use for the first 10-14 days after planting, then they become unnecessary.
- Determine a suitable location for the seedling container. The place should be warm and light so that strawberries can photosynthesize and form all kinds of substances throughout the day.
Seedlings can only be planted in properly prepared soil.
It is desirable that the ground and ground be warm, because this will help the roots take root as well as possible. In addition, before planting seedlings in pots, it is recommended to cut the roots a little from the bottom, because they die off from the ends (2-3 cm). Before planting in a pot, you need to stir up the soil and make it free. This will allow the strawberry roots to sprout quickly in all directions. As soon as the plants are planted in pots, they must be watered and left in a well-ventilated place where the temperature does not drop below 20 degrees (further, temperatures can be reduced to 15 degrees).
Care of growing strawberry bushes
Growing any berry plants requires a responsible approach, because you can only grow strawberries on the balcony if you follow certain care rules. If the container for the bush is small, and the room is not systematically and efficiently ventilated, then the growth of the bushes will be very slow. Despite this, in any case, you will have to use special foliar dressings.
Here, the choice of funds is quite wide, so it is quite possible to purchase a universal remedy. Usually it is a powder that needs to be diluted in a certain proportion with water and sprayed onto the strawberry leaves every few days. With the help of such events, it is possible to somewhat compensate for the shortcomings of the conditions created for growing strawberries.
As the strawberries grow, caring for the plant will only get more difficult. For example, you need to remove all antennae in time, which will take almost all the energy and nutrients from the plant. It is necessary to remove the antennae immediately after detection, because otherwise, with a large number of long mustaches, it will be possible to say that the bush simply will not have the strength and trace elements to ripen the berry. As a rule, you can start cutting off the antennae a couple of weeks after planting.
At the same time, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of some varieties. For example, certain varieties of strawberries are known to form quite a lot of flowers during germination, of which about half, or even 2/3, will need to be removed. the bush will not be able to cope with such a heavy load in balcony conditions. Of course, the berries will appear, but they will be small in size. In this case, it is recommended to take quality - leaving a limited number of flowers, you can get quite large and juicy berries.
Pollination methods
Pollination of flowers is probably the most difficult thing that growing berry plants is known for. Strawberries on the balcony are not in optimal conditions, which are far from being formed outdoors. Pollination of flowers can be done using the following methods:
- Wind. You need to understand that in the process of flowering, a sufficiently large amount of pollen will begin to be released, which, for fertilization, must end up on the mother of the flower. After the pollen enters the generative organs, the berry begins to set. In natural conditions, the pollen gets to the right place due to the wind. On the balcony, you can create such conditions by making a small draft. In this case, it is very important to ensure that the temperature in the room does not drop below 15 degrees. If this cannot be prevented, then the wind must be made warm with the help of a fan - the lowest speed is quite enough. We direct the fan to the plants and keep it there for several days;
- Insects. For the conditions of a loggia and a balcony, this method is unlikely to work, and also if you grow strawberries all year round. If, for example, cultivation takes place on the street and on large areas, then a hive with bees is set up for quick and most efficient pollination. Of course, it is categorically not recommended to put a hive or to have other insects capable of pollination of flowers on the balcony, because this will lead to very unexpected and negative consequences;
- Manually. A fairly effective method that is highly effective. To solve all problems with pollination, even if strawberries are grown all year round, we take a brush, moisten it a little in water and drive it over all the flowers. As a rule, it takes 30-40 minutes for high-quality pollination of all bushes. The option is not the easiest to use, however, if you plan to plant strawberries all year round on a balcony or loggia, then this method is worth all the effort.
Features and general rules
Of course, you can grow strawberries on the balcony all year round. To do this, it is enough to create optimal climatic conditions, properly care for the bushes and be able to pollinate plants in one of the ways proposed above. If you plan to grow strawberries all year round, then you need to choose the most convenient planting option. The most common are hanging pots, shelves, solid rectangular containers, and vertical beds.
Vertical beds are very effective. The video is below.
It is worth noting that strawberries on the balcony can be grown all year round. Moreover, the possibility of growing for a whole year only slightly depends on the type of plant (you can choose absolutely any in the store, but preferably a remontant one and enjoy delicious berries all year round).
Some of the intricacies of home growing. The video is below.
The main thing is proper care and pollination.
If you have minimal experience of growing at least greens for your table on windowsills, then it is great temptation to aim at something much more interesting, for example, to get juicy and fragrant strawberries in the middle of winter. Let's try!
Is it possible to grow strawberries on the windowsill and balcony
Nothing prevents you from growing strawberries from seeds at home. This does not require much expense and effort. If winter is chosen as the season for harvesting, then artificial lighting will need to be provided. Phytolamps are well suited for this purpose, which today can be purchased in the same stores where pots and soil for planting are sold.
The secret of getting a strawberry harvest on the balcony is in choosing the right seed, which should be undemanding to growing conditions. Our tips will help you get guaranteed excellent results.
Strawberry varieties for growing on the window at home
A common mistake is to buy greenhouse varieties for growing strawberries from seeds at home. Only remontant varieties that are insensitive to the length of daylight hours and temperature fluctuations in the apartment are suitable. Ampelous varieties that are sown in hanging containers and pots are also perfect.
To delight 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 harvest, step by step
Thoroughly considering each stage of cultivation is exactly what will increase the chances of fruitful cultivation of strawberries in winter at home. Correctly selected varieties tolerate the lack of illumination well, but they are demanding on the temperature regime, as well as top dressing, and the quality of the soil. Our tips for growing strawberries will help you avoid common mistakes and get a great crop the first time.
A place
The best place for planting will be the southern windows, but the east and west windows in the apartment will also work. Only the northern ones are not suitable, since natural light still plays an important role in the growth of the bushes. Artificial supplementary lighting only partially solves this problem when growing strawberries at home. 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, you can try using multi-tiered floor planters. They have only one drawback - a lot of space is required to approach such a bed from all sides.
Strawberries in pots on the balcony The rapid ripening of berries directly depends on the length of daylight hours. Ideally, it should be 12 hours. It is not difficult to ensure this in summer, but in winter you will need a phytolamp. You need to turn it on not for the whole day, but only in the morning hours 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 selected loyally enough. It is important not to go 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 apartments is very dry. The morning spraying of the 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 from 3 liters in size. There should be enough drainage holes on 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 you can plant 4 bushes at once. Small stones, expanded clay, crushed eggshells must be placed on the bottom of boxes and pots.
Pot for indoor strawberries However, it is important to consider the type of planting material. Only bushes with multiple leaves can be planted in large pots. If you are germinating seeds, then first they are sown in small cups. This approach is quite justified, since a weak root system of seedlings is not able to draw out enough moisture from the ground to prevent its stagnation and the appearance of mold.
What soil to plant homemade strawberries in
If you go to a specialized store for soil, then you can look for a special substrate, or purchase a universal one for vegetables or flowering indoor plants. However, you can also prepare the soil for growing strawberries in boxes yourself. To do this, take sand, coniferous soil, humus in equal proportions. The second option is to prepare a mixture of vermicompost and peat. The result should be an airy and slightly moist mixture, into which phosphorus fertilizer is immediately introduced.
Advice: you cannot 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 ° C.
Preparation of planting material
Planting material can be purchased at specialized markets and stores. You can buy seeds, but there is a lot more work with them, because you need not only to sow, but also to nurture young strawberry plants for a very long time in pots until they gain sufficient strength for fruiting. Of all the bushes, the strongest are chosen, which are thoroughly washed in a disinfecting solution (for example, Fitosporin). This will allow you not to be afraid of root rot.
If, nevertheless, the seed method is chosen, then stratification is required for all varieties. The seeds are placed on damp gauze, rolled up and tucked into an airtight bag. They put it on the top shelf of the refrigerator, where they need to lie for 2-4 weeks.
Direct landing
Planting seedling bushes in pots for growing strawberries on the balcony should be very careful, carefully straightening the roots so that they take a full-length position. If the spine is too long, it can be shortened.
The stratified seeds are planted in a common box, where they are planted to a minimum depth. Then the box is wrapped in foil and placed 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. Potting can be done at the stage of 2 true leaves. The ideal time to grow seedlings is early spring or late summer.
Do not forget about dressing:
It is recommended to fertilize the soil with a complex mineral fertilizer at intervals of 2 times a month.
Diseases and pests
Under natural conditions, a wide variety of diseases and pests can trap strawberries. And on the windowsill in the apartment she is most often threatened by gray rot and spider mites. Rot often appears due to thickening of the planting or hypothermia of the bushes. Compliance with the recommendations for planting density and control of the room temperature will help to avoid the appearance of disease.
But the spider mite is a frequent visitor to window plantations. Garlic tincture will help to get rid of it. Crush two cloves and fill with a glass of water. For two days you need to infuse the mixture, and then pour the expressed liquid into a spray bottle and spray all the bushes.
The timing of emergence and harvest
The exact timing of ripening depends on the variety. The peculiarities of growing strawberries are that many factors affect the timing of flowering and the appearance of berries: the frequency of fertilizing, the length of daylight hours, and the temperature in the room.
Ideally, it should take 2 months 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 to rest. It is necessary to stop increased watering and feeding until the strawberries rest and resume vegetation.
Pollination at home strawberries in winter
Knowing how to grow strawberries on the balcony, we must not forget about pollination. In natural conditions, bees are engaged in this. And now you have to work instead of them.
We take a watercolor brush and gently run the pile over the flowers, not forgetting any of them. If this is not done, then the berries will either not be at all, or they will be deformed and tasteless.
How to grow strawberries at home, video
Now you can see that growing strawberries all year round is not that difficult. It is quite possible to try, especially if there is an opportunity to buy seedlings.
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 the spring, the plants will green up the place on the balcony, in the winter on the windowsill. For example, strawberries on the balcony will bring berries and decorate the place. It takes effort, the right conditions and care to get a crop.
Which variety to choose
Better for growing this berry is a glazed balcony facing south. 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, choose 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;
- the possibility of self-pollination.
If the balcony is on the north side, then you should give preference to such varieties as "Elvira" or "Temptation". They adapt well to adverse conditions. Festivalnaya, Desnyanka, Homemade Delicacy, and World Debut have proven themselves to be excellent. The latter is appreciated not only for its delicious berries. He has beautiful deep pink flowers that do. 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 reproduction.
Strawberry / strawberry plant and fruit structure
Another good option is remontant varieties, among which Queen Elizabeth stands out. It grows in one place for several years, gives antennae, so it's easy to grow. The main advantage of such strawberries on the windowsill is that you can feast on berries all year round, since the harvest gives both in spring and autumn.
Also, strawberries grow at home, for example, the "Tuscany" variety. It produces 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 the balcony. Convenient containers are often made from improvised means. Depending on the size of the room, containers are placed horizontally or vertically to maximize the use of space.
Options for growing strawberries in pots
Pots, crates 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. Each bush will need a separate container. The pots are arranged in rows. Or you can act in an original way and place them vertically, thus obtaining interesting beds.
To preserve strawberries in winter, you need two boxes. A thin layer of foam is poured into the larger one. 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. You need to fill them with 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.
Wooden boxes are also suitable for growing. 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 drainage.
If there are not enough pots or boxes, and 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. Moreover, you can place them horizontally and vertically. In the first case, they are cut in half; both parts are used to plant the plant. In the second, a small hole is made in the wall, in which the bush will grow. They are simply placed on the floor, fixed on a wall or 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 which is usually limited. Two plastic water pipes of different sizes are used for this. In the main one, with a diameter of about 20 cm, bushes will be placed. The second, thin, 1.5 cm in diameter, is intended for watering. Narrow should be 10 cm longer than wider.
A lot of holes should be made in a thin pipe, not reaching the bottom edge of 15 cm.Then it must be wrapped in burlap and secured with rope. In the second pipe, holes should also be made, with a diameter of about 10 cm. The distance between the holes must be maintained at 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 are poured. We must make sure that there are no empty spaces left.
The structure must be properly secured. It is very easy to use. Strawberry bushes are planted in the holes. When the time comes for watering, remove the plug from the narrow tube and fill in water. It saturates the fabric and hits the ground. To make sure the soil has received enough moisture, you can simply try it with your finger in one of the holes. The advantages of this method can be considered as compact planting and affordable prices for materials.
It is also allowed to use polyethylene bags. They are filled with soil mixture, holes are made in the side for strawberries, and a reservoir with water is placed on top.
Suitable soil
To get a harvest, you need to know how to grow strawberries on the balcony from seeds or seedlings. You should start with preparing the soil, because this plant is quite demanding on the composition of the soil. It should 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 soaked in urea;
- sand - you need to take coarse without clay.
Strawberry planting scheme
Mixing ratio: 10 parts of soil, 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 the following solution: for 3 liters of water, take 1 glass of mullein and half a small spoonful of copper sulfate.
Features of growing from seeds
You can get strawberries from the seeds on the balcony, but growing this way will take a lot of effort. Sowing starts from February to 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, care must be taken so that the rags do not dry out.
For growing strawberries from seeds, the use of peat tablets is allowed.
After two weeks, the seeds must 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 must also be made in it. After a while, they will start to sprout. There is no need to rush to remove the cover, this should be done gradually. After the appearance of three leaves, they need to be transplanted into small cups 5 by 5 cm in size. 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 enjoy your own grown berries.
In fact, growing strawberries on the balcony is not difficult. It is very convenient to grow it this way, because the containers with strawberries will not take up much space. Also, strawberries will always be at hand, and freshly picked berries can be immediately put on the table. But the balcony must be sunny. This is a prerequisite for the success of the cultivation. Strawberries should be exposed to the sun for at least 6 hours a day.
Strawberries on the balcony are not only berries, but also decoration
Most varieties can only produce 1 crop per season. To improve the result of growing strawberries on the balcony, when choosing, you need to pay attention to remontant varieties. If you grow this variety in a 15 liter container, then from 1 container you can grow up to 1.5 kg of berries in the first season. A regular variety will yield less yield. Young plants are best suited for transplanting. It is better not to replant old plants.
How to grow strawberries on the balcony?
At first, a 3 liter capacity will be enough. You need to plant plants in the balcony boxes at intervals of 20 cm from each other.
When planting seedlings in boxes with a volume of 15 liters, you can place 3-4 plants in each.
They should be evenly distributed, and there should be holes at the bottom so that excess moisture can drain off.
To equip the bookcase, you need to place a large pot, then a cylinder insert. It will be possible to place a smaller container on it. So you can equip up to 5 floors. The first one can fit up to 6 plants, and at the very top - only 1 plant. But such a device will have a very beautiful look.
Planting seedlings
The main thing is to take care of the soil. For the soil to be of good quality, you need to do the following. Drainage is being installed. Thanks to him, you can get rid of excess moisture. For this, holes are drilled in the container through which excess moisture will pass. At the bottom of the container or pot, you need to put expanded clay or gravel, as you can see in the photo.
The soil must be fertile. To make high-quality soil, you need to mix peat, sand, black soil, fertilizer in a ratio of 1: 1: 3: 1, respectively. You can also add loam there. Everything is mixed and poured over the drain. Now you can plant seedlings.
It is important that the seedlings are planted in warm soil for the roots to take root better.
Planting seedlings must also be planted in fluffed ground so that the roots can grow freely to the sides. Then the soil is watered with water and placed in a well-ventilated place, where the temperature is from 20 ° C, then the temperature can be reduced to 14 ° C.
To grow strong seedlings, it is important to observe the temperature regime.
You need to fertilize strawberries or strawberries with active fast-acting elements. For a better survival of the seedlings, a quick start must be ensured. For these purposes, growth stimulants are used.
For good growth, seedlings need to be placed in a sunny and warm place. This is necessary so that daylight hours stimulate the plant to photosynthesis and the formation of organic matter.
Seedling care
To grow a berry on a balcony, it needs special care. If the container is very cramped or the balcony is poorly ventilated, the seedlings will grow slowly. For this reason, it is sometimes necessary to use foliar dressing.
Special care must be taken for the antennae. They will take a lot of energy from the plant, so they need to be removed.
And the sooner you do this, the more strength the bush will have for the formation of berries. They need to be removed 2-3 weeks after planting strawberries. The smaller the antennae, the larger the berries will be.
It is very important to remove the mustache from strawberries in time.
Shelter in winter
In order for the strawberries on the balcony to survive the winter, you need to do the following. It is pulled out of the container and buried in the ground at the surface level, then it must be watered abundantly. After a while, it will be necessary to compact the soil around the plant bushes. Various shelters are used for additional protection.
On the balcony, it is better to cover the plant with sawdust after the soil is frozen. This is necessary so that the temperature does not drop below 5 ° C. When the thaw comes, strawberries need to be well ventilated, because they can support them due to the warm temperature.
Pollination
Since such a culture at home is devoid of natural pollination, it will be necessary to provide artificial pollination during flowering, which can last several weeks. You can make artificial pollination of peduncles on the balcony by 2 methods:
- direct a fan to the peduncles in the morning (under the influence of the wind, the plant will pollinate in open soil);
- pollinate each flower by hand, brushing each flower daily with a soft paint brush.
For strawberries to grow well, you need to properly pollinate them.
Even inexperienced gardeners can grow strawberries at home, and this does not require significant financial costs. Difficulties can arise only with pollination, especially if you decide to breed extensive berry plantations, because it is not so easy to brush every small flower every day, and with a fan, successful pollination is difficult to guarantee.