I have an AeroGarden, which provides a controlled, counter-top hydroponic environment for growing fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers. I would like to grow strawberries in this device.
Does anyone have advice regarding the cultivation of strawberries in a hydroponic system?
Many thanks in advance...
Hydroponic Strawberry culture
Aeroguy, Aerogrow sells strawberry plants that's pre-grown for the system.. I would advise those.. I tried sowing some strawberry seeds in my system but that didn't quite take after initial germination.. Not sure of the reason though..
Thanks Icosden,
The aerogrow strawberry plants are not yet available. I want to grow a wild French strawberry called Mara des Bois, sold by White Flower Farm. they come bare root and would like to try them in the AeroGarden. Any suggestions regarding the planting of these bare root plants in the AeroGarden.
Aeroguy
Actually I have those but I have those in regular potting soil.. Not sure how well those would take to the hydroponic system since the one that aerogarden wells are already grown in the sponge pods.. Unless you using runners that haven't rooted yet or seeds, not sure how you would get them to root through the sponges..
BTW, Mara des Bois is a cross breed of 4 different cultivar. The berries are a bit on the small side but very flavorful and sweet enough to eat out of hand without sugar.. They are a bit on the pricey side through WWF. And FYI, I know some people complain about how small the plants are that they get from WWF. Since you're in NY, I'd advise going to the WWF nursery up in CT to buy there. The plant there are much bigger than the ones they sell online..
I am dabbling in hydroponics and am growing strawberries in an ebb and flow system named MultiFlow (from Greentrees Hydroponics at Hydroponics.net). I first planted 25 plants in the MultiFlow buckets filled with expanded clay pebbles. They all died. Then, I planted 25 more. All but one died. But then, this one plant grew runners, and the runners sent out runners. I now have about 50 plants distributed in about a dozen buckets. They are all blossoming and producing berries now.
I chose a day-neutral everbearing variety, Tribute, because I wanted continuing production of berries independently of the lighting cycle. The MultiFlow system is in my heated outdoor greenhouse in Mercersburg, PA, so there is natural winter sunlight, but I also have supplemental lighting, using two 800-watt multi-spectrum grow lights, mounted in the ceiling of the 8' x 14' Riga greenhouse. I use Flora hydroponics nutrients from General Hydroponics, and am still experimenting with the ratios of nutrients.
I had some difficulties with aphids, that destroyed my melon, cucumber, and tomato plants before I went to my county extension agent, who identified the problem from plant samples and recommended an organic treatment of insecticidal soap and BotaniGard ES (that contains beneficial fungal spores that attack the aphids).
The attached photo shows my strawberries in bloom. The buckets are underneath. There were so many extra runners that I started cutting them off, until I got the idea to put the runners into little planters, filled with soil. I expect that the runners will root an provide me with plants that I can transfer to my outside strawberry bed in the Spring.
One thing with growing strawberries is you will need to pollinate them.
I use a blush make up brush and dab from flower to flower.
Post a Reply to this Thread
More Alternative Gardening Threads
-
Shein Coupon Code 20% Off [HD8N3 ] For Existing Users
started by rhaddan0351
last post by rhaddan035110h ago010h ago
