Have you ever wondered where the strawberries are from that you see in your local grocery store? Strawberries may be harvested all year round in certain parts of California. While strawberries in season may originate from nearby fields, 90% of strawberries in the US are cultivated in California. As commercial producers adopt strawberries cultivated hydroponically, this might alter in the future.
Does Hydroponically Grow Strawberries Work?
Although not all plants can be grown hydroponically, it turns out that strawberries can be grown in a greenhouse. In nations like the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany, these procedures have become more and more common. However, in the US, strawberries are mostly produced outdoors.
Depending on the estimate, between 20,000 and 38,000 acres of property in California are used for strawberry farming. Understandably, US indoor strawberry growing technology lags behind European and Asian nations, given the abundance of area available for year-round strawberry cultivation.
Why Do We Hydroponically Grow Strawberries?
Anywhere can have a strawberry hydroponic indoor farm. Imagine having access to locally farmed strawberries throughout the year in cities like Chicago or New York. The environment gains when agriculture is introduced to cities via hydroponic farming.
Compared to conventional agricultural practices, hydroponics utilizes less water and chemicals. Additionally, it enables the fruit to be produced close to the point of sale. Transporting goods to market is estimated to be responsible for 8% of greenhouse gas emissions. By 2050, this number is predicted to rise significantly and maybe double.
The main issues with utilizing a hydroponic system to produce strawberries in the US at the moment are expensive start-up expenses and a lack of research on US strawberry varieties. Hydroponic producers have difficulties increasing plant development and fruit output without a thorough grasp of the cultural needs of various strawberry kinds.
Strawberry Greenhouse Cultivation Requirements
While the particular needs for the best strawberry production vary depending on the cultivar, it is important to pay attention to these basic cultivation requirements while growing strawberries in a hydroponic system:
Temperature: Temperature impacts plant growth, flower output, and fruit size. In a hydroponic system, controlling both ambient and root-zone temperature may enhance plant development and increase fruit production.
Light: Strawberry plants naturally need enough light to flourish, but the Day duration makes them blossom and go into dormancy. These variables may change depending on whether June-bearing, Everbearing, or Day Neutral berries are being grown. Commercial producers are also faced with the difficulty of providing sufficient light to the canopy’s top, middle, and bottom in strawberry vertical hydroponics.
Nutrition: Water is used as a nutrient delivery route in soilless operations. The frequency of irrigation, pH levels, and electrical conductivity must all be tailored to the particular requirements of strawberries in addition to the concentration & ratio of macro and micronutrients appropriate for strawberries.
Humidity: The strawberry plant’s capacity to provide calcium to its leaves is impacted by greenhouse humidity. The calyx and leaf margins become dark when the nighttime humidity is too low. (The leaves on top of the fruit are called the calyx.) This lessens the strawberry’s marketability and surface area available for photosynthesis.
Pollination: While strawberries are self-fertile and capable of pollinating themselves, bee pollination produces greater yields with larger, better-shaped fruit. The proportion of blooms that bear fruit is influenced by the number of bees for each blossom and the species of bees.
In a regulated setting, hydroponic vertical strawberry growing is a cutting-edge business in the US. While more study is required to determine the best ways to produce strawberries, recent lighting and HVAC technology advancements suggest that growing strawberries locally might soon be done all year round.
