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Ariz Naeem
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6 min read
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Aug 12, 2023
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What is Hydroponics? It is the growing of crops without soil to produce nutritious fruits and green leafy vegetables. These soil-less plants are kept in an environment that is free from pathogens and they are provided with water and nutrients containing nitrogen ( used by plants for protein synthesis ), phosphorus (a vital component in the process of plants converting the sun’s energy into food, fiber, and oil ), and magnesium ( help plants in the formation of chlorophyll- a green pigment necessary for photosynthesis ), etc.
Hydroponic gardening has revolutionized the way we cultivate crops, offering efficient, space-saving, and resource-conscious alternatives to traditional soil-based farming. Just as hydroponic systems have yielded incredible results with tomatoes, the same techniques can be applied to another favorite fruit: strawberries. Imagine plucking luscious, sun-ripened strawberries right from your hydroponic garden. This guide will walk you through the essential steps to achieve the best hydroponic strawberries, turning your garden into a berry haven.
strawberries growing on a hydroponic farmWell, the answer to that depends on the variety being grown. Some varieties ( mentioned later ) take more time while others less. But in general, It takes anywhere from 90 to 120 days for hydroponic strawberry plants to produce fruit.
Before growing strawberries hydroponically, it is imperative that you contemplate what variety to grow as that can have a huge impact on the yield and finance that would be generated. For strawberries, it is best to grow varieties that are specifically bred for hydroponic or container gardening, as they are better suited in the confined environments that are present. There are three such varieties: Albion, Seascape, and Eversweet.
The Albion strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) is a relatively newer cultivar that has gained immense popularity for its unique combination of sweetness, size, and disease resistance. With its vibrant red color, firm flesh, and delightful aroma, Albion strawberries are highly sought after by consumers and growers alike. Their compact growth habit makes them an excellent choice for hydroponic gardening, as they can thrive in confined spaces.
Albion StrawberriesThe Seascape strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa) is a hybrid variety celebrated for its disease resistance, hardiness, and prolific fruit production. Developed by the University of California, this cultivar is well-suited for hydroponic gardening due to its compact growth habit and ability to flourish in controlled environments. Seascape strawberries produce large, juicy berries with a balanced sweetness and a hint of tartness, making them a delightful addition to any hydroponic garden.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of what is a container farm. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.
Seascape StrawberriesEversweet strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa) are a sought-after variety known for their outstanding flavor and remarkable sweetness. These berries are a delightful blend of juicy and sugary, making them a favorite among strawberry enthusiasts. With their ability to adapt to controlled environments, Eversweet strawberries are well-suited for hydroponic gardening, offering the joy of homegrown berries that burst with flavor.
Eversweet StrawberriesNow that, you have chosen the right variety, you can look into other factors to make sure that you grow the best possible strawberries that you desire. Before that, it's best to know about the best setup to grow these various varieties hydroponically. For a system to grow strawberries, you can either choose NFT (Nutrient Film Technique) or DWC (Deep Water Culture). Both methods are extremely efficient as they make sure, through the proper use of reservoirs and channels, that the essential nutrients are very easily made available to the roots of the strawberries being grown. This allows for the optimum growth of strawberries. A drip system along with these provides the perfect combo as precise nutrients are supplied directly to the root zones. Providing nutrients perpetually without any knowledge of the amount already present can have worse effects than not providing them at all so a drip system is necessary. Moreover, it is best that you make use of vertical towers to maximize the space available for strawberries to grow without any hindrances. This is one of the reasons strawberries were chosen as an option for vertical farming ( hydroponics ).
Now that you know what is the best setup and varieties for growing high-yield and juicy strawberries, you can start worrying about the factors that need to be maintained.
Firstly, the nutrients that you will be providing have to contain the right ratio of NPK content in it. The fertilizer used also needs to have essential micronutrients otherwise there are chances you might not succeed in your pursuit of growing your strawberries. For example, if there is a lack of magnesium in the nutrients provided, leaf chlorosis may happen which causes leaves to turn yellow and hence, incapable of producing sugars for energy and so the plant growth decreases drastically.
Leaf ChlorosisSecondly, you need to maintain the optimum pH. Any drastic shifts from the optimum value can have instant and horrendous impacts such as the denaturation of important enzymes and many more. For strawberries, the optimum pH value is 6.5–6.8 so making sure it doesn't fluctuate from that range ensures high yield.
Thirdly, you have to buy a ppm meter and maintain that value as well in order for successful growth. Making sure that the value is in the range of 1260–1580 will promise excellent produce.
Furthermore, In hydroponic systems, strawberries may require manual pollination due to the absence of natural pollinators. Gently shake the plants or use a soft brush to transfer pollen between flowers. Also, make sure to remove runners as that will cause the plant to redirect its energy toward fruit growth.
Most importantly, strawberries require an adequate amount of light ( up to 16 hours of light ) and you can provide that light through LEDs. This light energy is converted to chemical energy for photosynthesis so without it, the plants won't survive and so you can give up on your dreams of seeing your red, scrumptious strawberries.
Now once you have done all these things, when can you expect to see your hard work show results? Well, It takes anywhere from 90 to 120 days for hydroponic strawberry plants to produce fruit so you can expect your effort to show results in this time range. Strawberries are ready to be harvested when they are fully red and have a glossy appearance. Gently twist the berries to avoid damaging the delicate stems. At last, you can enjoy your tasty red strawberries given that you provide the optimum conditions listed above.
In conclusion, hydroponics is growing at a rapid rate and strawberry production has also seen an influx. In some years, we will all be able to enjoy the delicious hydroponically grown strawberries.
You can take runners from a mature strawberry plant. As the plant sends out runners, place a container with water or damp growing medium underneath the ‘nodes’. Let the emerging roots barely touch the surface of the water or medium. Within a few days, you’ll see roots begin growing down into the container.
Runners are ready for transplant when:
When the vine to the new plant (and roots) easily snaps away, it signals that the new root system is established enough to obtain its own nutrients.
Not everyone has a live strawberry plant to take runners from. That’s okay too. Your local gardening store or nursery more than likely has runners in stock. Of course, you’ll need to ask for them specifically- they’re not generally out with other plants for sale. Nurseries often keep runners refrigerated for growing strawberries next season. The cold temperatures allow runners to ‘hibernate.’ You can do this with some of your runners too, if you want to save some you have pruned off your plants. Then, even if you switch crops later on, you can still grow strawberries.
Before you transplant, make sure you have the right conditions to grow hydroponic strawberries. Check your system and make sure it’s positioned for easy harvesting and pruning. Once that’s in place, make sure you have the environment strawberries need.
A slightly acidic pH is ideal. Most strawberry varieties do best with pH between 5.8 and 6.2. Really, for some plants pH can be as low as 5.5, and as high as 6.5. Test your water before adding plants to the system. If your pH is too high, you can use pH down products to get it in range.
Unlike some fruiting plants, strawberries prefer lower salts. The target EC can depend on the variety, but 1.0 to 1.4 suits most strawberry plants. There are plenty of nutrient solution formulas made just for growing strawberries. If you are not comfortable with mixing nutrients yet, you can use these.
Strawberries do best with cooler, somewhat warm temperatures. Anywhere between 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, or 15.5 to 26.6 Celsius, is a good daytime temperature. Remember, at night, plants should have temperatures lowered about 10 to 12 degrees F, or about 5 degrees Celsius, from the day temperature.
Your best bet is using full spectrum grow lights. One great thing about growing hydroponic strawberries is that their lighting needs don’t really change as they mature. Most varieties do well with 8 to 12 hours of light. Some varieties can take a little more light and produce good yields with up to 14 hours of light.
When it comes to growing medium, you have plenty of choices. Perlite and vermiculite are popular choices, provided you mix them with another growing medium. Clay pebbles are a good ‘mixer’ since they add aeration and help the growing medium drain nutrient solution properly.
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