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Growing strawberries in a greenhouse might be a good idea if you want fresh strawberries from your garden before the harvest season starts. Yes, you can grow strawberries in a greenhouse. You may even be able to eat fresh strawberries picked in the greenhouse before and after the fruit from your garden. Read on for more information on strawberry greenhouse production. We’ll also give you tips on how to plant strawberries in a greenhouse.
For gardeners seeking an extended harvest of juicy homegrown strawberries a greenhouse offers the perfect solution. With proper care and planning, it is quite possible to grow strawberries in a greenhouse and enjoy fresh berries nearly year-round.
Overview of Greenhouse Strawberry Production
Greenhouses allow control over growing conditions like temperature, light, humidity, and pests. This makes them ideal for strawberry cultivation beyond the normal outdoor season. Reasons to grow strawberries in a greenhouse include:
- Extending the fruiting season earlier and later than outdoor beds
- Protecting plants from harsh weather and frost damage
- Reducing pest problems from birds, rodents, and insects
- Managing soil moisture and nutrients more effectively
- Growing off-season varieties not suited for outdoor planting
- Maximizing sunlight exposure for sweeter, more flavorful fruit
Greenhouse strawberries require attentive care but produce abundant harvests of juicy berries with gourmet flavor. With some planning most gardeners can succeed at greenhouse strawberry production.
Choosing a Greenhouse for Growing Strawberries
For strawberry growing, look for a greenhouse with these features:
- Sturdy framing to withstand wind, rain, and snow loads
- Glazing material like polycarbonate that transmits ample sunlight
- Roof vents and windows to control interior temperature and humidity
- Adequate height for plants and ventilation space
- Durable, level flooring or benches for containers
- Access to electricity and water sources
- Sufficient square footage for desired number of plants
A greenhouse with excellent light transmission, temperature control, and height of at least 8 feet works best for strawberry cultivation.
Selecting the Best Strawberry Varieties
When choosing strawberry varieties for a greenhouse, prioritize day-neutral and everbearing types that fruit continually in favorable conditions. Great options include
- Albion – Large, sweet berries; high yields
- Seascape – Large, firm, adaptable to containers
- San Andreas – Sweet, sizable berries; vertical gardening
- Tristar – Small to medium berries; steady production
- Fresca – Aromatic, medium berries; heavy yields
- Quinault – Sweet, juicy; steady fruit production
- Eversweet – Small to medium berries; sweet flavor
Disease-resistant varieties like ‘Albion’ and ‘Seascape’ perform especially well in a greenhouse environment.
Caring for Greenhouse Strawberries
To flourish, greenhouse strawberries need:
- Daytime temperatures of 60-80°F
- Nighttime temperatures of 45-55°F
- At least 6 hours of direct sun daily
- Regular moisture – take care not to overwater
- Weekly balanced fertilizer applications
- Vertical gardening systems or raised beds
- Hand-pollination for fruit development
Providing optimal sun, temperature, moisture, and nutrition ensures abundant fruiting and healthy plant growth.
Growing Strawberries in Containers
For greenhouse cultivation, grow each strawberry plant in a pot, grow bag, or other container filled with a lightweight potting mix. Use 5-7 gallon containers for mature plants. Opt for shallow, wide pots to accommodate the shallow strawberry root system. Raised beds also work well.
Avoiding Common Greenhouse Strawberry Problems
Challenges like pests, disease, and frost damage arise less often in a controlled greenhouse environment. However, potential issues to watch for include:
- Botrytis gray mold – Ensure adequate ventilation and airflow
- Leaf scorch – Provide shade in intense sunlight
- Blossom frost damage – Maintain appropriate night temperatures
- Red stele disease – Improve drainage; plant resistant varieties
- Spider mites – Mist plants to increase humidity
Careful monitoring and prompt treatment can resolve most problems.
Enjoying the Benefits of Greenhouse Strawberries
With protective growing conditions, greenhouse strawberry production offers many advantages:
- Prolonged harvest period from late spring through fall
- Earlier fruiting by 1-2 months before outdoor berries ripen
- Ideal sweetness and texture from consistent light and warmth
- Lower pest pressure from birds, rodents, and harmful insects
- Less risk of frost damage, rain, hail, or other inclement weather
- Ability to grow off-season and rare specialty varieties
- More control over plant health and growing factors
With attention to variety selection, planting methods, and care, growing luscious strawberries in a greenhouse can provide a nearly year-round bounty of delicious berries.
Key Takeaways on Greenhouse Strawberries
- Greenhouses allow growing berries earlier and later than outdoor beds.
- Select everbearing varieties suited to container growing like ‘Albion’ and ‘Seascape’.
- Grow each plant separately in pots or bags using a quality potting mix.
- Monitor temperature, sunlight, moisture, and nutrition daily.
- Avoid pests and disease through attentive ventilation and care.
- Enjoy extended harvests of ultra-sweet berries beyond the normal season.
With proper planning and care, savoring juicy, homegrown strawberries from a greenhouse is an attainable goal for gardeners everywhere.
Can You Grow Strawberries in a Greenhouse?
There’s a huge difference between the taste of grocery-store and homegrown strawberries. That’s why the strawberry is one of the most popular garden fruits in the country. What about strawberry greenhouse production? Is it possible to grow strawberries in a greenhouse? Yes, but you’ll need to be careful about which plants you choose and make sure you know everything there is to know about it before you start.
If you want to try growing strawberries in a greenhouse, you’ll find that there are many advantages. All greenhouse strawberries are, by definition, protected from sudden and unexpected drops in temperature.
Before the plants flower, you’ll need to keep the temperature at about 60 degrees F. (15 C. ). Obviously, it’s critical for your berry plants to get as much sunlight as possible while fruiting. Place the greenhouse where it gets direct sunlight and keep the windows clean for the best strawberry crop.
Growing strawberries in a greenhouse also reduces pest damage. That’s because it will be difficult for insects and other pests to get to the protected fruit. However, you may want to bring bumble bees into the greenhouse to help with pollination.
How to Plant Strawberries in a Greenhouse
When you are growing strawberries in a greenhouse, you’ll want to take care to select healthy plants. Purchase disease-free seedlings from reputable nurseries.
Plant individual greenhouse strawberry plants in containers filled with soil high in organic matter. Strawberries require well-draining soil, so be sure your pots or grow bags have plenty of drainage holes. Mulch with straw to regulate the soil temperature.
EASY BUILD Strawberry GUTTERS in the GREENHOUSE!
FAQ
How do you pollinate strawberries in a greenhouse?
Can you grow berries year-round in a greenhouse?
Can it get too hot for strawberry plants?
Do strawberries grow better in pots or containers?