Early fruiting.

Strawberries are a very popular and much favorite product and production-of-season strawberries - a profitable and profitable line of business. Cultivation of early strawberries produced in greenhouses on small-volume hydroponics in the substrate.
Early strawberries were grown in plastic greenhouses, or under low tunneling film shelters.
Growing and early-season strawberries, based on market prices, to create a highly profitable farm business, but management should be set up to produce a sufficient amount of product that would provide employment for staff and high yield production. A prerequisite of success is to equip the production of normal modern facilities and respect for clear wastewater technology.

Strawberries can be grown year-round, but for this it would have to create special conditions, conduct pre-market research, and business analysis of potential revenues, costs, and profitability of the enterprise.

In the greenhouse you can grow strawberries, not only as an early but as the off-season, that is, with the harvest during the winter months. Depending on the varieties grown, small adjustments are made in agricultural techniques. The main factor that allows receiving off-season harvest of strawberries, is the length of daylight and the air temperature in the greenhouse. Flower buds are laid in autumn when the length of daylight decreases. Therefore planting material for distillation or early growing strawberries in greenhouses, as a rule, is grown and harvested in the open field, in special queen cells, or in specialized greenhouses.
Strawberry flowering dates also depend on the length of daylight. The longer it is, the earlier the bloom strawberries. At day length of 14 hours, with additional lighting, strawberries bloom 10 and begin to bear fruit after 35 days, and at a length of 8 hours of the day - bloom, respectively, through 14, and fruit starts 48 days. The minimum duration of daylight to stimulate active flowering plants, it is considered 12 hours of light per day.
An important factor - the temperature. The following are considered the optimum temperature: the night 15-17 ºC and in the afternoon 22-24 ºC

Planting material.

For planting in greenhouses used sockets, formed in plants mustache. For the distillation and growing early strawberries must use well-formed young plants with an extensive root system, healthy and, if possible, the same kind.
Harvested in autumn planting material stored in refrigerated chambers until landing at minus 2 degrees. This technology is called "Frigo". However, more and more recognition and development receive "Fresh" technology in recent years, that is, the landing of fresh, seedlings. This technology allows you to get much better products in less time. For the cultivation of strawberries in winter, use day-neutral varieties. Such variety allows obtaining products in the winter without any problems and without large expenditures such as supplementary lighting plants.
For nursery mother plants selected area with light, fertile soil. Soil should be light sandy loam, neutral, or slightly acidic, with sufficient organic content. The soil in the beds treated with the cutter, remove the stones, large plant residues. For the cultivation planting material quality in large quantities, it is necessary to use a combination of drip and sprinkler irrigation devices together with the addition of fertilizers in irrigation water to create optimal conditions for the growth and development of uterine plants. This technology makes it possible to obtain powerful and strong mother plants that give a large number of outlets. It is desirable to use thin mini sprinkler atomization and low water usage. This will facilitate rapid rooting whiskers and reception quality landing material. Such an irrigation system must be provided at all queen cells because moisture in the second half of the summer is not sufficient, and an additional sprinkler irrigation system besides the main function performs additional - it can help to reduce the peak temperature in the hottest periods and increased humidity, which also promotes actively the development of plants and seedlings.
From one mother plants can receive up to 20 seedlings, and professionals using intensive technologies to manage to obtain several hundred plants.
When planning the cultivation of strawberries and knowing how much you need to planting material for planting, we can calculate the area of the liquor. If the parent plants to provide ideal growing conditions, the output of high-quality planting material can be significantly increased.
After young plants forming the root system, they are transplanted into a nursery scheme 15x15 cm. The soil is prepared also on ridges mill, spread out tube drip irrigation ridge covered with mulch film, watered, and then planted young plants. With this technology plant survival practically 100%, and turns to autumn is excellent, planting flat conditioned. The mulching film also protects the planting material from diseases and pests. Ready planting material, before frost, digs up and transferred to storage in the refrigerator before planting or planted in a permanent place, if you plan to use tunnels or getting the harvest in winter.
Ready dig seedlings are removed from them, and old leaves laying on storage in a refrigerator at a temperature of 2 degrees and keep them under these conditions before the start of the landing on a constant.

In recent years, the technology of cultivation of planting material has undergone major changes. High-quality, clean from infections and infestations are now planting material is grown in the greenhouse, in special cassettes. It is the most advanced method for producing seed material that gives a very high yield of conditioned plants. When grown in trays or pots need, without fail, provide plants with a reliable drip and sprinkler irrigation and plant nutrition via fertigation systems.
In recent years, a growing number of professional nursery moves to modern and efficient technology. The use of certain technological methods can significantly increase the production of planting material and significantly reduce the required space for the nursery. In addition, during the growth of seedlings is not in the ground and in the substrate, we avoid contamination of plant pests such as the nematode, which lives in the soil, as well as significantly reduce the fungal infection. Healthy and high-quality planting material - a guarantee of high yield.
 

Growing commercial crops.

Cultivation of winter greenhouses with artificial lighting and heating, it is possible all year round, and in the southern countries and regions, they do in greenhouses, even without supplementary lighting and heating. Planting material, preferably fresh category planted in containers, according to the process plans schedule for finished product output at a predetermined timing.
When growing strawberries in soil with low film tunnels, the plants are planted in the ground in August. In November and December ridge harbor, harvest, depending on the weather, harvested 2-3 weeks earlier than when grown without shelter.
In the greenhouses, "distillation" can start from mid-November, keeping the temperature at 12-17 ° C at night and 20-24 ° C during the day. From the end of September desirable to apply supplementary lighting to achieve daylength 12-14 hours. With the onset of flowering greenhouse need to air regularly, to reduce the humidity and, associated with this, the risk of fungal diseases.
It recommended fertilizing carbon dioxide. It accelerates the onset of fruiting and increases productivity. Such a dressing is effective only in winter, resealable greenhouses.
Strawberries need to be watered regularly. Flowering and fruiting plants watered so that water does not get to them. For this purpose the most suitable drip irrigation. However, fogging sprinklers may also be used, but you can not moisture the air in the greenhouse, especially in the afternoon and into the evening.
When grown in the ground it is highly recommended to use a mulch film. This creates optimal conditions in the root zone of habitats reduces the humidity in the greenhouse and protects plants and berries from diseases. When growing strawberries in natural conditions, that is in the soil, you can get a so-called "organic" products. The soil in the greenhouse organics, fertilize and directly before planting in the soil making complex fertilizers. Seedlings planted in the ridges of the scheme 25 x 30 cm.
When grown in small greenhouses have to carry out artificial pollination of strawberries. The main insect pollinator is a bee. But in the winter successfully and actively used as pollinators bumblebees. Bumblebee is more active in the cold season, and it works out well to pollinate plants.

On large plantations in the period of flowering, in a greenhouse or tunnel placed beehives. One bee family can pollinate 1000-1500 sq. m strawberry plantations. Very effective for pollination of flowers bumblebees. Currently, there are specialized farms producing and supplying of bumblebees for pollination in greenhouses. For production on schedule to be applied supplementary lighting, especially during the winter and spring months, when daylight length is small.
If you bet to accelerate fruiting strawberry plantations using low tunnel film, cover them ridges in December. If the winter will be severe frosts, the plants are covered with straw under the film. In the spring they are released from the straw but leave it in the aisles as mulch. Otherwise, the techniques care strawberries are the same as and when grown in a greenhouse. In unheated rooms, it is recommended to use portable heaters in the spring in the event of unexpected cold snaps.

Method greenhouse cultivation of strawberries in containers.

As containers used pots of 12-15 cm diameter, special containers, and especially bags generating units (GrowBox), filled with an organic or mineral substrate. Containers or containers may be placed on the shelves, on the high ridges, or the special suspension.

Hanging containers
 

Containers on shelves

Growing and cleaning

Agrotechnology growing focuses primarily on Plant Protection from diseases and pests. In greenhouses and tunnels, it is much easier to implement. The use of healthy, disease-free planting material, use of mulch, and drip irrigation also greatly facilitates the care of plants and reduces the risk of damage to the crop diseases.
Harvesting grew on shelves or in hanging containers, greatly simplified and cheaper due to the fact that collectors are not bending over and working day collect significantly more products.
For hanging containers, there are special devices on wheels, where the collector can even work while sitting or simply boxes are placed on trolleys, which greatly facilitates the work of people to harvest.
On high ridges, mulch film, and straw mulch between rows, work is also somewhat alleviated.
Hothouse strawberries harvested 2-3 times a week. Berries are sorted and placed in special boxes, baskets, and where delivered to the consumer.
In the photo - the harvest of strawberries grown under low tunnels film on high ridges mulch. During the cleaning, as well as in the hot daytime tunnels are opened, and in the cool days and at night they are closed. This is the best mode of cultivation of berries.