If you have minimal experience in growing at least greenery for your table on windowsills, then there is a great temptation to aim for something much more interesting, for example, getting juicy and fragrant strawberries in the depths of winter. Let's try!

Is it possible to grow strawberries on a windowsill and balcony?

Nothing prevents you from growing strawberries from seeds at home. This will not require much expense or effort. If winter is chosen as the harvest season, you will need to provide artificial lighting. Phytolamps are well suited for this purpose, which today can be purchased in the same stores that sell pots and soil for planting.

The secret to getting a strawberry harvest on your balcony making the right choice seed material, which should be undemanding to growing conditions. Our tips will help you get a guaranteed excellent result.

Strawberry varieties for growing on a window at home

A common mistake is to buy varieties intended for greenhouses to grow strawberries from seeds at home. Only remontant varieties that are insensitive to daylight hours and temperature fluctuations in the apartment are suitable. Hanging varieties that are sown in hanging containers and flowerpots are also perfect.

To all year round To please your family with balcony strawberries, you should pay attention to the following well-proven remontant varieties:

How to care after planting and before harvesting, step by step

Carefully considering each stage of cultivation is exactly what will increase the chances of fruitfully growing strawberries in winter at home. Properly selected varieties tolerate a lack of light well, but are demanding in terms of temperature conditions, as well as fertilizing, and soil quality. Our tips for growing strawberries will help you avoid common mistakes and get a great harvest the first time.

Place

The best place for planting will be southern windows, but eastern and western windows in the apartment are also suitable. Only northern ones are not suitable, since natural light still plays a role important role in the growth of 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, flowerpots, you can try using multi-tiered floor flowerpots. They have only one drawback - to approach such a bed from all sides it requires a lot of space.

Strawberries in a pot on the balcony

The rapid ripening of berries directly depends on the length of daylight hours. Ideally, it should be 12 hours. In summer this is not difficult to achieve, but in winter you will need a phytolamp. You do not need to turn it on all day, but only in the morning 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 quite loyally. It is important not to fall below the acceptable minimum. For strawberries it is + 18 0 C. Optimal humidity– in the range of 50-75%. IN heating season The air in apartments can be very dry. Spraying the bushes with a spray bottle in the morning helps solve this problem. clean water room temperature.

What container to plant in?

Considering that a bush lives in one pot from 2 to 5 years, it is best to use clay containers of at least 3 liters in size rather than plastic ones. There should be enough holes at the bottom for drainage, 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 4 bushes can be planted at once. Small stones, expanded clay, and crushed eggshells must be placed at the bottom of boxes and pots.

Pot for indoor strawberries

However, it is important to consider the type of planting material. Only bushes with several leaves can be planted in large pots. If you germinate seeds, then first they are sown in small cups. This approach is quite justified, since the weak root system seedlings are not able to draw enough moisture from the soil to prevent its stagnation and the appearance of mold.

What soil to plant homemade strawberries in?

If you go to a specialized store to buy soil, you can look for a special substrate, or purchase a universal one for vegetables or flowering plants. indoor plants. However, you can prepare soil for growing strawberries in boxes yourself. To do this, take sand, coniferous soil, and 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 added.

Advice: you cannot take soil from the garden. It may 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 0 C.

Preparation of planting material

Planting material can be purchased at specialized markets and stores. You can buy seeds, but they take a lot more work, because you need not only to sow, but also to nurture young strawberry plants in pots for a very long time until they gain sufficient strength to bear fruit. Of all the bushes, the strongest ones are selected, which are thoroughly washed in a disinfecting solution (for example, Fitosporin). This will prevent you from worrying about root rot.

If the seed method is nevertheless chosen, then stratification is required for all varieties. The seeds are placed on damp gauze, rolled up and placed in a sealed bag. It is placed on top shelf refrigerator, where they need to stay for 2-4 weeks.

Direct landing

Seedling bushes for growing strawberries on the balcony should be planted in pots very carefully, carefully straightening the roots so that they reach their full height. If the spine is too long, it can be shortened.

Stratified seeds are planted in a common box, where they are planted to a minimum depth. Then the box is wrapped in film and placed in a warm place. There it stands until shoots appear. Only after this the film is removed and the box is transferred to a bright place. Transplantation into pots can be done at the stage of 2 true leaves. The ideal time to grow seedlings is early spring or late summer.

Don't forget about fertilizing:

Comprehensive mineral fertilizer It is recommended to fertilize the soil twice a month.

Diseases and pests

Under natural conditions, strawberries can be subject to a wide variety of diseases and pests. And on the windowsill in the apartment she is most often threatened gray rot And spider mite. Rot often appears due to thickening of the planting or hypothermia of the bushes. Following recommendations for planting density and monitoring room temperature will help avoid the occurrence of the disease.

But spider mites are a frequent visitor to window plantations. Garlic tincture will help get rid of it. Crush two cloves and pour a glass of water. You need to infuse the mixture for two days, and then pour the expressed liquid into a spray bottle and spray all the bushes.

Timing of germination and harvesting

The exact ripening time depends on the variety. The peculiarities of growing strawberries are that the timing of flowering and appearance of berries is influenced by many factors: frequency of fertilizing, length of daylight hours, room temperature.

Ideally, 2 months should pass from planting the seedlings in the pot until the first berries appear.

Then it all depends on the variety, because many bloom and bear fruit continuously, while others require a month to rest between fruitings. If you see that there are no flowers or berries on the plant, then it’s time for rest. It is necessary to stop intensive watering and fertilizing until the strawberries have rested and resumed their growing season.

Pollination of strawberries at home in winter

Knowing how to grow strawberries on the balcony, we must not forget about pollination. Under natural conditions, bees do this. And now you will have to work instead of them.

Take a watercolor brush and carefully brush the bristles over the flowers, not forgetting any. If this is not done, then there will either be no berries at all, or they will be deformed and tasteless.

How to grow strawberries at home, video

Now you see that growing strawberries all year round is not that difficult. It’s quite possible to try, especially if you have the opportunity to buy seedlings.

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Strawberries on the balcony are a surefire way to shock your neighbors

Strawberries on the balcony are grown, as a rule, not out of a desire to make money, but rather out of interest. Nothing prevents you from placing several dozen bushes in pots or on original “beds” among the flowers. Their design does not require specific materials, care is simple, and the reward will be fresh, environmentally friendly berries.

Balcony-bed

Berry bushes growing on the balcony cause delight and bewilderment - despite its simplicity, this practice has not become widespread, most likely due to contrived difficulties. In fact, growing strawberries on the balcony will require:

• container for planting;
• seedlings;
• soil;
• irrigation system.

If the balcony is located on the south/southeast side, problems with lighting will not affect you. But how can “northerners” or those living “in the west” grow sissies? In this case, you will need additional illumination with cold glow lamps:

• LED;
• luminescent;
• phytoluminescent ( perfect option, but high price).

What to plant

It may seem to an inexperienced person that any variety will do as long as the berries are ripe, but it turns out that there are strawberries that can be grown in such conditions, but others should be avoided.

The choice should be based on the following basic properties of the plant:

• productivity in low light conditions;
• long fruiting period;
• ability to self-pollinate.

The operating principle of a vertical bed is as follows: water is poured into a narrow pipe and a plug/plug is put on top. Through small holes, moisture is absorbed into the burlap and then gradually into the ground. You can simply check whether the soil is dry: test the soil in the hole with your finger.

Those who doubt whether it is possible to grow in such a bed remontant strawberries, we can advise leaving a free lower hole under the bush. When a rosette is formed on the tendril, the “hole” will be ready for it.

The advantage of vertical strawberry beds from plastic pipes obviously:

• low price of material;
• most compact location;
• absolutely pure harvest.

Trouble-free conveyor

Is it possible to make sure that strawberries not only grow on the balcony all year round, but also bear fruit? This can be achieved:

• on a glazed, heated and illuminated (14 hours a day) balcony;
• periodically replacing “spent” bushes with new ones, thus renewing the plantings;
• a selection of varieties with different ripening periods.

You can prepare strawberry bushes at your dacha in the fall. They can be stored for up to 9 months in the refrigerator on the shelf/basement.

For this purpose, remontant varieties have also been bred, in which there is no periodicity in the formation of generative buds. In other words, flowering and ovary formation occur when favorable conditions occur, and this depends on your desire.

The soil is tasty and healthy

The specific conditions in which your pet will grow require careful attention to the preparation of the soil mixture. Although specialized stores sell ready-made formulations, for those who like to do everything with their own hands, I present easy recipe"tasty" land:

• chernozem – 10 parts;
• peat – 10 parts;
• humus - the same amount;
• sawdust – 3 parts;
• coarse sand – 1 part.

Fresh sawdust acidifies the soil. To prevent this from happening, instructions from specialists will help you: before using sawdust, soak the sawdust in water with urea (1 l/2 tbsp.). After a few hours, add 1 cup of chalk and stir. The resulting composition can be added to the soil mixture.

Summarizing

The strawberry balcony looks undeniably original, and its owner is known as a cute eccentric in the most in a good way words. If you think about it, at the distance of an outstretched hand it turns green, exudes delicate aroma strawberries on the balcony, out of reach of voracious boys and malicious slugs. Small sizes plantings allow you to pay attention to each plant, which pays off with a healthy harvest of environmentally friendly berries.

The video in this article will tell you about popular remontant varieties for your balcony.

If you have your own suggestions/comments regarding growing strawberries on the balcony, feel free to leave them in the comments.

September 7, 2016

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A city balcony will begin to bear fruit in the literal sense of the word if you organize a small vegetable garden on it. You can grow everything - from healthy greens to tomatoes. But it’s especially pleasant when you are greeted in the morning by delicious, fragrant, home-grown strawberries: on the balcony there are all the conditions for making this dream come true. Let's consider step by step how to choose a variety, create a suitable microclimate and achieve the result good harvest.

They say that garden strawberries are not picky berries, they easily develop, bloom and bear fruit even in the dark. suitable conditions. However, letting the growth process take its course is risky, because even in greenhouse conditions it is not always possible to achieve the desired result.

Even in the photo, red juicy berries look fresh and appetizing

In order for the seedlings to take root well and flowering to begin on time, a number of requirements must be met:

• Try to endure temperature regime. The favorable temperature for planting seeds in the ground is +18°C; when the first shoots appear, it should be lowered to +14°C, and from the moment the first flowers appear and throughout the entire fruiting period, it should be increased to at least +20°C.
• Provide good lighting. Garden strawberries love not only warmth, but also light, so best option for growing - a balcony or loggia overlooking south side building. If natural light not enough, install phytolamps. Minimum daylight hours for berry culture should be no shorter than 11-12 hours.
• Follow the rules of care: prepare containers for planting, select nutritious soil, organize replanting on time, carry out regular watering, carry out the pollination procedure correctly.

To bring the conditions for growing strawberries on the balcony closer to natural ones, regularly ventilate the room, but beware of drafts; sharp winds are contraindicated for the plant.

Benefits of remontant strawberries

Southerners are accustomed to the fact that strawberries produce several harvests during the long summer, but the northern climate allows them to harvest a juicy harvest only once - approximately in the middle of summer. To ensure that berries appear on the bushes 2-3 times per season, remontant varieties are specially bred. If you choose the right variety, provide the crop good care, then remontant strawberries on the balcony will bear fruit all year round - from spring to December, that is, approximately 3-4 times.

Limited container volume is not an obstacle to vigorous fruiting

All remontant varieties are usually divided into 2 groups: DSD and NSD. The first abbreviation means that plant buds appear during long daylight hours, and the second - during incomplete daylight. Crops of the first type are more capricious, therefore they are limited to a double harvest (in July and early September), but not all can withstand the second fruiting. The second type is unpretentious, so we advise you to choose some of its representatives.

Of the remontant varieties, preference should be given to hanging plants, as they are easier to place in pots on the walls. The lower tiers can be devoted to bush crops with large berries.

What varieties are suitable for balconies?

Specific varieties of strawberries for the balcony are chosen at your discretion. The main thing is that they take root well and further develop in greenhouse conditions. However experienced gardeners already know which types have proven themselves well, here are some of them:

• Queen Elizabeth II. It was loved for its yield and pleasant sweet and sour taste. The bushes bear fruit all year round, and the berries are large and juicy. A special feature of cultivation is the increased volume of the planting container, since the root system is relatively large.
• Homemade delicacy. This is a special variety designed for growing on terraces, loggias, and balconies. With proper watering and frequent ventilation, the plant bears fruit until the coldest weather and produces a harvest of relatively small (5-centimeter) but numerous berries. The advantage is the small root system, which allows planting in ordinary flower pots.
• Supreme It is a self-pollinating crop, which makes caring for the plant easier. This variety loves loose soil and light moisture, so mulch of moss and bark can be added to the soil. Fruiting occurs until October, and under suitable conditions all year round. Each bush can produce up to 2 kg of strawberries over the entire period.
• Moscow delicacy. It has good germination - approximately 80-85% of the seeds sprout and develop according to schedule. Approximately 4 months after sowing, you can enjoy the first harvest. This plant is known not only for its delicious fruits, but also for its large, beautiful flowers.

Some varieties, in addition to rich fruiting, are highly decorative. For example, Tuscany strawberry bushes are completely strewn bright pink flowers. The berries are small, but appear in large quantities. Regular care of the crop and growing this remontant variety on the balcony turns small room into a real garden.

Magnificent flowering strawberry Tuscany

In addition to the listed varieties, pay attention to Kama, Clery, Darselect, Florence, Festivalnaya, Desnyanka, Roxana, Zagornaya, Rusanka, Bolero. Each variety has its own advantages. For example, berries of the Florence variety for a long time retain freshness and do not spoil, and Kama is considered one of the best garden berries for making preserves and preserves.

Main stages of cultivation

Garden strawberries grow well on balconies and windowsills, provided they have good regular care. In this way, it is no different from its garden relatives, which also need to be planted on the ridges in time, and as the bushes grow, weeding, watering and timely harvesting are carried out.

Preparing containers

You need to start by preparing containers in which the strawberry bushes will feel comfortable and free. If there is not enough space for the roots to develop, the harvest may not wait.

Strawberries in a regular flower pot

Depending on the root system of the selected variety, traditional crops are selected for cultivation. home grown containers:

• flower pots installed on shelves and in wall planters;
• special narrow boxes for balconies, up to 1 m long;
• wide boxes reminiscent of containers for food or bottles;
• baskets with a liner made of dense material;
• special multi-tiered structures made of several pots or boxes.

Sometimes simple plastic bags are used, tightly filled with soil and placed on solid foundation or hanging along the railing.

Good harvest in an alternative growing container

The minimum size of pots for plants with a compact root system is 0.15 m in diameter, width balcony box- from 0.2 m. The depth should also be at least 0.15 m, however, these are minimum indicators; many varieties require a larger volume of soil.

Which soil is better

There are several schemes for compiling fertile soil specifically for growing garden strawberries. The first popular option is a universal mixture from the supermarket for gardeners, for which you will have to pay a small amount. However, a similar composition can be selected independently, using peat as a basis. 3 parts peat equals 1 part river sand and 1 part vermicompost (humus).

The soil for strawberries should be loose and nutritious.

The second option is collected according to the same principle, but approximately 20% of chernozem and the same amount of sawdust are added to the total volume. The function of sawdust is to create loose, slightly moist soil, allowing the roots to breathe. To prevent the wood from turning sour, before mixing, the sawdust is treated with urea and a little chalk is added to it.

For protection, a vitriol solution is added to the soil, and natural fertilizers are added for fertility. However, the latter should be introduced with caution so that the specific smell does not spread to the entire home.

How to grow strawberries from seeds

Many people believe that the richest harvest on the balcony comes from strawberries grown from seeds, when the entire agricultural process is done with your own hands “from scratch.” For ease of care, the seeds are sown in long boxes, but not sprinkled with soil on top. Having thoroughly moistened the soil, they are covered with glass or thick plastic film for insulation and protection from the wind.

As soon as the sprouts hatch, the film is removed, and the containers with the plants are moved to a lighted place, closer to the sun.

The appearance of the first leaves on the sprouts

The first leaves indicate the time for transplantation.

Planting seedlings

The sprouts are planted in pots, preferably 1 at a time, so that the root system develops fully and the growing process proceeds according to plan. If the roots of the selected variety do not differ large sizes, then standard pots 15 cm x 15 cm are quite enough. But in each of them it is necessary to arrange drainage: pour a layer of pebbles, small crushed stone or gravel onto the bottom, in which holes have been made in advance.

The transplanted bushes bloomed

After landing on permanent place During growth, the soil can be fertilized with universal growth stimulants or fertilizers recommended for growing garden strawberries. If the seedlings are purchased and not your own, they can be further processed - cut off dried roots, remove limp leaves.

Rules of care

To achieve maximum effect, each bush requires careful and regular care, which includes the following procedures:

• Pruning - removing the lower three leaves before replanting (5-6 pieces should remain), as well as cutting off the top after the plant has risen by about 10 cm. In the future, you will have to cut off the mustache, and in some cases, excess flowers, so that the plant’s energy flows for eating berries.
• Fertilize with natural or complex fertilizers once every 2 weeks. Suitable infusion eggshells and ash, aged for a week (for 3 liters of water - 1 liter of ground shells and a couple of spoons wood ash). Many speak well of the mineral supplement Kemir Lux.
• Watering is carried out regularly, depending on the demandingness and moisture-loving nature of the variety. It is also necessary to monitor the temperature and rate of evaporation of moisture in the pots - it is advisable that the soil does not dry out, but is always slightly moist.

If the bushes are planted in a common box, then the distance between them should be maintained at least 20 cm. In addition to watering, spraying is necessary, which should be carried out every 3-4 days.

Secrets of Pollination

Not all varieties are self-pollinating, so you will have to learn how to pollinate yourself. This is a responsible and scrupulous process, you have to act very carefully. The pollination tool is usually dipped in clean water cotton swab or thin one art brush with soft bristles.

Brush pollination process

It is necessary to wait until the flowers have fully bloomed and are ready for the procedure. Then take a brush and carefully, trying not to damage the petals, brush it over the stamens and pistils. It is advisable to remember or mark which flowers have already been processed, otherwise the process may take a long time.

When the first berries appear, you will have to check the containers for their ability to withstand the heavy load of the harvest. Stands for especially prolific plants may be needed so that the berries are placed more freely and continue to fill.

Videos about the rules for growing balcony strawberries

To find out whether it is possible to grow strawberries on the balcony, we suggest watching videos with useful recommendations.

Some personal successful experience:

Remontant strawberries from seeds:

The process of obtaining berries on the balcony is very similar to greenhouse cultivation, but it has its own nuances. Observing simple rules, you can achieve amazing results all year round. However, during the period of frost, it is better to leave the strawberry bushes alone: ​​slightly insulate them, shield them from sun rays and put in a cool room until spring.

Reading time: 7 minutes.

Juicy, bright and fragrant strawberries always look tempting. For many, this pleasure is available at summer cottage, and those who don’t have their own land, but have a balcony, also have the opportunity to grow own harvest strawberries True, its quantity will be somewhat limited, but there will be quite enough berries to enjoy. You can plant strawberries on the balcony overlooking sunny side: southern or eastern.

Which variety of strawberries to choose

It should be immediately noted that there are no special “balcony” strawberries. For growing on the balcony, use the usual garden strawberry, but varieties are selected that are most adapted to cramped conditions. For example, it is recommended to choose varieties that form compact bushes no more than 25 cm high. Suitable strawberries are Glery (early), Darselect (mid) and Florence (late). By planting crops of different ripening periods, you can pick berries throughout the growing season. Also ideal for balcony growing wild strawberry And hybrid varieties, obtained as a result of selection of garden and forest crops.

Advice. Remontant varieties Strawberries bear fruit from spring to autumn, and some of them, if favorable conditions for growth are created, produce crops all year round.

Which method to choose

There are two ways to grow strawberries on the balcony: grow seedlings with your own hands from seeds, or plant ready-made bushes purchased at the market. Growing strawberries from seeds is a longer and more complex process, but it has its advantages. Unlike purchased seedlings, the seed method guarantees the production of strawberries of the desired variety.

You can prepare the seeds yourself or buy them at a specialty store. To obtain seeds from berries yourself, select well-ripened berries and carefully cut them upper layer pulp along with brown specks, and laid out on paper in the sun. When the strawberry mass turns into a dry crust, it is ground to a dusty state and stored until sowing time in paper packaging, placed in the refrigerator. It is not necessary to separate the seeds from the pulp, as some gardeners advise, since they will germinate in any case.

Growing strawberries from seeds

Let's start with the more complex process of growing strawberries. You should prepare for its implementation in the summer by preparing seeds (if non-purchased ones will be used).

Preparing seeds for sowing

The germination of seed depends on its proper preparation. The main stage of pre-sowing treatment is stratification, or the creation of conditions close to natural. Stratification will help harden the seeds, making them more resilient and strong.

Stratification of strawberry seeds:

• Dense cotton fabric is folded in several layers, moistened in water, wrung out well and placed on the bottom of a plastic container;
• The seed is poured into the container and distributed over a damp cloth in a thin layer;
• The seeds are covered with a wet cloth on top. It is better to use white material, since dark seeds are clearly visible on it;
• The container is closed with a lid with holes made in it for ventilation;
• First, the container is kept for 2 days at room temperature, after which it is placed in the refrigerator in the vegetable compartment for 2 weeks. During stratification, the moisture content of the fabric is controlled and, if necessary, sprayed with a spray bottle.

The hardening procedure is carried out immediately before sowing seeds in the ground. For example, if sowing is planned at the end of January, stratification should begin in the first half of the month. Having taken the seed material from the refrigerator, it is heated directly in the container for 2-3 days near a heating radiator, after which the top layer of fabric is removed and slightly dried.

Soil preparation

For growing strawberry seedlings, a light crumbly substrate that is not oversaturated with mineral additives is suitable. You can buy it in a store or make it yourself.

What soil is suitable for sowing strawberry seeds:

• Sod land - 2 parts;
• Sand – 1 part;
• Peat – 1 part;
• Wood ash and rotted manure, 50g per 1 kg of mixture.

You can also take 3 parts of vermicompost and 1 part each of coarse sand and peat with low acidity. If these components are missing, suitable for garden soil prepared in the fall, mixed with river sand.

An important stage in soil preparation is disinfection. The soil contains larvae and eggs of pests, fungal spores and microorganisms that pose a danger to young seedlings. You can disinfect the soil in one of two ways: heat it in the oven for 20 minutes at a temperature of 200 0 C, or steam it in a water bath for 30 minutes. At heat treatment Not only harmful organisms are destroyed, but also beneficial ones, so the container with soil is left for 3 weeks in a cool place to restore the microflora.

Growing seedlings

This is the third step in the process of growing strawberries from seeds. You will need a wide box no more than 10 cm high, with a small layer of drainage on the bottom, as well as cassette containers for seedlings.

How to grow seedlings:

• In the second half of January, the box is filled with substrate, spilled with water, and the seeds (along with crushed pulp) are scattered over the damp surface of the earth;
• The seeds are lightly pressed down with the palm of your hand without being covered with soil. The box is covered with glass or plastic film and left in a warm place;
• After the first shoots appear, the box is transferred to a well-lit window sill or to a heated balcony, where the shoots will receive sufficient light. During this period of growing seedlings, additional lighting is carried out in evening time to extend daylight hours up to 12 hours;
• The soil is constantly kept moist, but not excessively waterlogged, as this will lead to the sprouts stretching out.

Important. If seedlings are grown near heating radiators, the air also needs to be humidified. To do this, spray from a spray bottle 2 times a day.

When real leaves appear, the seedlings are picked and planted in plastic cassettes. The sprout is prying up thin stick, is taken out of the ground, and the tip of the root is pinched off (a dive is performed). Next, a depression is made in the soil in the cell of the cassette, and the sprout is placed in it. The soil is watered and lightly pressed with a finger at the very root. Only one plant can be placed in each cell.

Planting seedlings in pots

Around the end of April, when the plants are stronger, they can be planted in pots on the balcony. At this time, the strawberry bushes no longer need additional lighting and are ready to adapt to temperature conditions on an unheated balcony.

For planting seedlings, flower containers, flowerpots, including hanging ones, and plastic boxes are used. They are filled with loamy soil with the addition of mineral complex fertilizers, or with a soil mixture prepared independently: one part of chernozem, peat and humus with the addition of sawdust (300g) and sand (100g) per 10 kg of mixture.

Potted plants are placed on the balcony so that they do not block each other. Conducted regular watering and shallow loosening and weed removal. In early June, strawberries will begin to bloom, and in June you will be able to see bright, fragrant berries ripening on the bushes.

On garden plot Strawberries are grown by rooting young plants grown on the internodes of the tendrils. Young bushes send out roots without yet contacting the ground; you just need to press them to the soil, and they will immediately begin to grow. This is the natural and simplest method of propagating a culture, and if it is possible to obtain quality material for planting, you can use it.

Advantages of growing strawberries with rooted rosettes:

• A fully developed plant is planted;
• The complex process of collecting, stratifying and germination of seeds is eliminated;
• The picking and transplanting procedure is avoided;
• The harvest is harvested in the year the strawberries are planted.

You can plant strawberry bushes all summer long, as soon as you can obtain planting material. Many gardeners cut the runners without allowing them to take root in order to thin out their strawberry plantings. You can take advantage of this and take young shoots for cultivation on your balcony.

A short video about growing strawberries on the balcony:

Growing strawberries on the balcony allows you to enjoy ripe berries almost all year round. The main thing is the right variety and technology.

Variety selection

There is no special variety of strawberry for the balcony. Most varieties in greenhouses produce worse yields. It is popular because it allows you to pick berries several times a season, they are self-pollinating and unpretentious.

Strawberry fruits of the “Elizabeth the Second” variety are very large in size.

Variety "Elizabeth 2"

Record yields of up to 5 kg of berries per bush per season. The berries themselves are very large, beautiful with a pleasant sourness. Requires a large volume of soil and regular fertilization.

Variety "Sarian F1"

Inferior in fruit size and yield. It is second on the list of recommended ones due to its unique unpretentiousness. The seeds have high germination rate. The first harvest can be harvested 4.5 months after the first shoots appear from the seeds. Seedlings quickly and abundantly produce long tendrils, which are full-fledged adult plants. Looks beautiful in hanging planters. Resistant to drought, frost and fungal diseases.

Strawberries of the Sarian F1 variety are excellent for hanging cultivation due to their long tendrils.

Variety "Supreme"

Self-pollinating and high-yielding. It bears fruit from the end of May until late autumn or winter, when the temperature on the balcony drops to 14 degrees. There are several fruiting peaks: late May, early July, late August, mid-September. During the season, you can collect up to 2 kilograms of aromatic, sweet, somewhat elongated berries from one bush. The size of one berry is up to 40 grams.

Agricultural technology

It is possible to grow strawberries on the balcony that give a good harvest only by creating certain conditions.

Priming

Balcony strawberries (strawberries) are demanding in terms of soil volume. Each bush needs 3-5 liters of soil, respectively, the diameter of a single pot should be from 25 cm.

Strawberries on the balcony love sunlight. Therefore, it is worth choosing south windows.

Lighting

The best results are obtained when grown on southern balconies. When placed on north side It is recommended to use additional lighting with phytolamps.

The minimum duration of daylight is 6 hours, recommended - 12-17.

Temperature

Flowering and fruiting stop at temperatures below 14 degrees.

Temperatures above 35 lead to a decrease in immunity.

To grow strawberries, you can use a drip irrigation system.

Humidity and watering

Moisture-loving. Drainage and holes in the bottom will prevent soil acidification and root rotting.

During fruiting, the intensity of watering is increased.

Harvest

To improve the quality and quantity of your harvest, the following tips will help you.

Artificial pollination

Most varieties are dioecious plants. IN open ground Pollination of strawberries occurs due to insects, which is unacceptable on a loggia or balcony.

You can create conditions for cross-pollination with the help of wind. To do this, create a draft or use fans. During the flowering season, the devices are turned on for several hours every 2-3 days and directed air flow tangentially to the racks or slides with strawberries.

You can pollinate strawberries at home using a damp brush.

At the beginning of flowering, pollination by irrigation with water is acceptable. The pollen drips down onto the flowers below.

The most effective method of pollination in the house is manual pollination. Using a soft, moistened brush, touch the pollen on each flower.

Fertilizer application

Care to increase productivity

Abundantly flowering self-pollinating varieties tend to produce a large number of small berries. To increase the weight of each berry, it is recommended to remove some of the buds.

The largest yield is produced by bushes of the 2nd-3rd year. In the fourth year they are replaced with new young plants.

Wintering

For the winter, containers with strawberries should not be moved into the apartment. If the balcony or loggia is glazed and the temperature does not drop below 5 degrees, it is enough to sprinkle the bushes with sawdust.

When the temperature drops below zero, containers should be insulated with covering materials to prevent through freezing of the soil.

To grow strawberries in a greenhouse or at home, you can use ultraviolet lamps, which can replace sunlight.

Moisten the soil a little when it dries out. Excessive watering in winter leads to rotting or freezing of the roots.

Pests and diseases

If agricultural practices are followed, plants have good immunity and are less likely to suffer from pests.

Strawberries can be damaged by:

• mites;
• weevils;
• nematodes;
• fusarium;
• late blight;
• gray rot;
• powdery mildew;
• brown and white spots.

Prevention and treatment of diseases is carried out during the growing season before flowering or after harvesting.

Growing methods

Planting in boxes is not optimal in terms of space utilization. Ampelous strawberries on the balcony look more beautiful in flower pots or “cascade” type containers. Practical hanging shelf, slides and multi-row narrow racks.

Agricultural canvas occupies a special place. Bags made from fabrics such as spunbond perfectly allow air and moisture to pass through, and are convenient to hang or place in pallets.