Hydroponics: equipment for growing strawberries, installation, how to do it yourself

Strawberries are called tasty and fragrant berries, which have not only pleasant taste, but also useful properties. Most often, berries are grown by the classical method, however, some growers use hydroponics with special equipment to grow strawberries.

What is hydroponics?

The hydroponic method of growing plants has recently begun to gain popularity. The main feature of the technique is that the planted plants are grown without soil. Instead, they use developed artificial environments that promote the growth and development of planted seedlings.Such an environment can be both solid and air-humid. It should have moisture capacity and have good porosity, which contributes to the supply of oxygen to the root system of plants.

Most often, gardeners use nutrient solutions that contain the components necessary for the development of strawberries.

When using a hydroponic technique, the following rules must be observed:

• choice of a strawberry variety that is ideal for hydroponic growing;
• buying or making your own hydroponic system;
• creating a feed mixture that would fully provide the growing crop with micronutrients.

Advantages and disadvantages of installation

Before using hydroponic equipment, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the main advantages and disadvantages of this method of growing strawberries. The advantages of the technique include:

• Regulation of nutrient intake. Using hydroponics, it is easier for gardeners to control the nutrition of grown berries. This allows you to make sure that only those nutrients that the plant lacks get into the strawberry root system.
• Reducing water consumption. It's no secret that for the normal growth of strawberries you will need a large amount of water. However, when growing hydroponically, the liquid will not be absorbed into the water, and therefore, a lot of water can be saved when watering.
• Increasing the viability of bushes. Hydroponically grown plants have a strong immune system that protects them from many diseases.
• Accelerated biomass growth. The hydroponic method promotes the growth of green mass. Bush growth is improved due to the fact that the nutrient solutions used contain a lot of nitrogen components.

However, this technique has several disadvantages, which include the following:

• Constant temperature control. Within the root zone, temperature indicators should be at the level of 17-20 degrees. At an elevated temperature of 30-35 degrees above zero, the root system stops developing and begins to die.
• Not suitable for all varieties of strawberries. Not all varieties of berries can be grown in hydroponics. Therefore, it is recommended to select plants that can be cultivated in this way in advance.

Features of equipment selection

To choose the right equipment for strawberries and strawberries, you need to familiarize yourself with the main types of systems and their features:

• Lechuza. An efficient hydroponic system that consists of large pots that are filled with an inorganic mixture to develop the root system.The features of Lechuza include the fact that such a system is equipped with a special device for automatic irrigation of planted plants. Thanks to this, the number of waterings per year is reduced significantly.
• Try-System. This system is suitable for young growers who have just started growing strawberries. It is made from small plastic containers that have a custom irrigation system built into them.
• AquaFarm. A highly efficient system often used for planting and growing strawberry seedlings. The containers of such an installation are filled with expanded clay. They are connected to special tubes responsible for the supply of nutrients.
• EcoSystem. A huge multi-level system equipped with lighting fixtures and ventilation. EcoSystem also has a special microcontroller responsible for regulating the supply of water and fertilizing.

Nutrient solution

When using the plant, plants are fed with mineral components that strawberries need for normal fruiting and growing green mass. To make a nutrient solution, non-mobile and mobile components are used. The first group includes:

• Calcium. Any feeding composition must have calcium-containing substances that are needed for the development of the above-ground parts of plants.
• Bor. Needed by plants to improve absorption of other micronutrients.
• Sulfur. Fertilizers containing sulfur are used to improve the palatability of a ripened crop.

Mobile components include the following:

• Nitrogen. The component is added to the solution in the first weeks of growing strawberries, since in the future the need for nitrogen gradually decreases. Most nitrogen is found in urea and ammonia.
• Phosphorus. Phosphorus-containing dressings are used during fruiting, flowering and active growth of the root system.
• Potassium. Potassium components improve plant immunity and make them more resistant to temperature changes and diseases.

Hydroponics DIY

Before you create hydroponics for strawberries with your own hands, you need to prepare the necessary materials and tools:

• container into which the feeding solution will be poured;
• cups to accommodate young seedlings;
• foam sheet;
• nutrient formula;
• compressor;
• mineral wool or other fillers.

When creating a hydroponic system, follow these guidelines:

• Punching small holes in the styrofoam into which cups will be inserted.
• Filling containers with water to test compressor performance. If many small bubbles appear during operation, the compressor is connected correctly.
• Filling the tanks with formula and installing the compressor.
• Installing planting cups in foam and planting plants.

Growing strawberries in hydroponics

It is recommended to familiarize yourself with the basic methods and conditions for growing strawberries in advance.

Growing methods

There are three methods of growing strawberry bushes in hydroponics:

• Based on drip irrigation of seedlings. In this case, the seed is planted in a special substrate, into which the nutrient liquid is supplied by drip. A dropper is used to supply the nutrient solution, which is brought to the bottom of the stem.
• Using N.F.T. The use of such a nutrient layer ensures constant circulation of the feed mixture. The system is connected by hoses to containers in which strawberries are grown.
• Water culture technique. This method is rarely used when breeding strawberries, as they do not belong to the group of moisture-loving berries.

Growing conditions

Growing strawberries, you need to follow:

• Lighting. The berry needs long-term lighting so that the daylight hours are not less than eight hours. To increase the yield during fruiting, additional LED lamps are installed near the bushes.
• Temperature. The yield of strawberries depends on the air temperature. When growing in a greenhouse, care must be taken to ensure that its performance does not fall below fifteen degrees.

Strawberry varieties suitable for growing in hydroponics

The most important step in the application of hydroponics is the selection of the most suitable strawberry variety. There are many varieties of strawberries that can be grown this way. However, only a few of them have high yields:

• Zenga-Zengana;
• Festival;
• Elvira;
• Everest;
• Bitter;
• Gigantella.

Conclusion

Some gardeners grow strawberry seedlings hydroponically. Before planting, you should familiarize yourself with the disadvantages and advantages of this method, as well as deal with the features of creating a vertical hydroponic structure on your own.

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