Holland is a small country, so over the years they have been inventing methods for obtaining large yields from small territories. The technology of continuous cultivation of strawberries gained worldwide acclaim.
To collect fresh strawberries all year round is the cherished dream of every lover of delicious berries. And for a hardworking gardener - this is also a great way to make money.
One of most effective ways to continuously grow this berry is the dutch method. Although in practice it is quite a laborious process, it pays off with tangible profits.
The essence of technology
Naturally, in order to get berries in winter, they are grown indoors. If you need a little strawberry, just to enrich the table with vitamins, then you can do with a few bushes. Planted them in pots on the windowsill or on a closed balcony. For sale, when you need a large number of berries, strawberries are bred in the greenhouse.
In order to make the seedlings to bloom and bear fruit, they are sent to “hibernation” for some time before planting: they are placed in a refrigerator, basement or any other cool place. The temperature there should not fall below -2 degrees. Here strawberry bushes can be up to 9 months. If necessary, the plants are gradually planted in the greenhouse.
Strawberries in greenhouses grows in small containers: pots (about 70 cm in height and 18–20 cm in diameter), containers or plastic bags. Bags are popular with farmers, as they are the cheapest material and save space because they can be placed vertically.
In this case, the plants are seated each other in a staggered manner. However if seedlings are placed vertically, it is necessary that the walls of the greenhouse must be transparent in order to provide the bushes with natural light as much as possible.
Abroad, gradually refuse plastic bags, citing the fact that plant root can rotand the bush dies prematurely. Recently, there are increasingly grown strawberries in pots. This container after washing and disinfection can be reused many times. In addition, in this case, it is easier to organize watering, and water from the pallets to apply again.
Useful video about the intricacies of growing strawberries by the Dutch method, and also see how the greenhouse is organized according to this technology in the garden:
Variety selection
For growing strawberries in a greenhouse or other premises, it is advisable to use self-pollinating varieties. Otherwise pollination process will have to perform yourself using a small brush. There is another option: place a hive with bees in the greenhouse.
The advantage of this choice is that such seedlings ripen early and does not depend much on the length of daylight. The most popular varieties are Brighton, Elizabeth II, Corona, Moscow delicacy, Queen Elizabeth, Red Rich, Selva, Honey.
Seedling
Since the cultivation of strawberries according to the Dutch method requires constant updating planting material, the question arises where to get it in such quantity. Of course, seedlings can be bought in various agrofirms. However, it will be cheaper to breed it yourself.
You can grow seedlings in the country. For this, a separate plot is allocated, to which mineral and organic fertilizers are applied. In the spring, strawberry bushes are planted, preferably on ridges about a meter wide.
IMPORTANT! First year from the mother plant it is necessary to remove mustaches and flower stalks!
The following year, each bush gives about 20 whiskers with small rosettes, which immediately rooted. In October, you need to dig up young plants and gently cleaned from the remnants of the earth. Then they should be decomposed into three piles:
- category A: diameter up to 15 mm, there are two peduncles;
- discharge A +: diameter about 20 mm, up to 4 peduncles;
- grade A + extra: diameter over 20 mm, more than 4 peduncles.
Sorting helps determine the future crop of strawberries. The lowest class gives close 150 grams. from a bush, the average - 200 gr., and the highest - about 400 gr.
Priming
Capacities for seedlings are filled with substrate. It can be perlite, mineral wool or coconut fiber. The most commonly used disinfected natural soil or peat mixed with sand and perlite, which promotes the ventilation of the soil.
Soil from the garden categorically can not take! Likewise, organic dressing is prohibited! All this is done to avoid the spread of disease and the appearance of pests and weeds. Also regularly should be fed plants mineral fertilizers.
Optimal conditions
To grow strawberries according to Dutch technology in a greenhouse all year round, certain conditions are required. Insofar as strawberries ripen well only with sufficient heat and light, it is desirable to organize in the greenhouse the appropriate mode. The recommended average temperature is 18-25 degrees. Before tying the buds, the temperature should be below 21 degrees, then it is raised to a maximum of 28 degrees. You can maintain the temperature automatically or by airing the room.
Humidity should be at the level of 70-80%. To do this, use sprayers, however, during flowering plants, should be carefulso that water does not get on the flowers. In this case, it is recommended to spray just into the air.
The minimum light day for strawberries is 8 hours. However, it is better to extend it to 15-16 hours. In this case, the fruit can be collected in a month, which is two weeks faster than the first option. For this except natural light plants should highlight artificially.
Seedlings are watered daily, while ensuring that water does not fall on the leaves or flowers. It is best to organize a drip irrigation system for this purpose.
It is also necessary control soil acidity. It must always be neutral.
Of course, in order to please your loved ones with delicious juicy berries for the New Year, you need to put a lot of work. But if you follow the methodology and fulfill all the requirements, you can not only diversify your menu with a useful berry in the freezing season, but also make excellent money on it, because strawberry in winter is exoticwhich is expensive.
