How to Grow Strawberries Effectively With Coco Coir in Greenhouses For High Yields
Growing strawberries is currently a trend that many people care about and know. Because strawberries are a delicious, nutritious fruit, containing high nutritional content that is processed into dishes and drinks to produce the most delicious and attractive taste. Moreover, this fruit tree also brings high economic value, so many farming households have invested in a greenhouse model to grow strawberries for the highest efficiency. According to research, strawberries grown in coconut fiber substrate will have a faster growth rate than in conventional soil. Therefore, this combined planting method has been known by many growers and they are willing to invest to produce the best strawberry growing efficiency.
What are the benefits of growing hydroponic strawberries in a greenhouse?
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Benefits of hydroponic systems for strawberry cultivation
- To grow strawberries with high efficiency, the hydroponic method of growing strawberries in a greenhouse is the most effective method.
- Growing strawberries in a safe, protected hydroponic environment allow the growth of plant pests and diseases to be minimized.
- Hydroponic systems give better control over the number of nutrients the plant (strawberries) needs and help optimize resources for the most savings.
- Thanks to this system that collects and drains water from the hydroponic system, the fruit is kept fresher, better quality, and achieved in a higher quantity in less time.
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Benefits of the greenhouse model for growing strawberries
- Growing strawberries in greenhouses (using hydroponic growing systems) helps growers to estimate production dates quite accurately compared to other traditional farming systems.
- It is possible to obtain higher yields from crops per square meter since the system allows for an increase in crop density.
- Good control of temperature and humidity appropriately.
- Limit the types of pathogens and insect attacks.
- Prevent various types of animals and rodents from infesting strawberries.
- Protect strawberry plants from bad weather conditions.
- In addition, it is possible to change the temperature conditions to grow off-season crops.
- Easily change the plant habitat through each stage of growth.
The perfect trio for high yields: Greenhouse, strawberry varieties, and coir
Greenhouse – the ideal environment for strawberries
A greenhouse is an environment capable of protecting strawberries from harmful agents such as bad weather, pests, and pathogens,… In addition, we can get a lot of benefits from planting trees in this model.
With all crops, sunlight is an essential factor for growth, and strawberry plants are no exception, however, nothing is difficult with the greenhouse model and it is also the ideal place to produce strawberries that are most efficient since they receive direct sunlight through glass windows.
Coco Peat and its advantages
Coconut fiber substrate is a natural product, biodegradable, and has a great capacity for water retention and aeration. Therefore, coir is widely applied in the production and cultivation of crops, contributing to good root development.
Unlike ordinary soil, coco peat is not infected with any harmful fungi. In contrast, coco peat is also an environment for the growth of beneficial fungi and bacteria.
In addition, coco peat also has good water retention, which is very suitable for growing strawberry plants. The high level of aeration as well as good drainage in the coir will also assist in enhancing root growth to its fullest capacity.
Why grow strawberries with coco peat?
Coconut Coir in crop cultivation today is no longer a new concept because it brings a lot of benefits to plants and is recognized by everyone. According to research, crops in general and strawberries in particular when grown in coco peat will bring higher efficiency as well as increase yield quickly. Here are the reasons for you to choose coir for your plants.
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Does not contain harmful pathogens:
There is a major drawback to growing strawberries in normal soil which is the problem of pathogens. Unlike normal soil, coco peat is not infected with any harmful fungi. In contrast, coco peat is also an environment for the growth of beneficial fungi and bacteria.
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Create conditions for beneficial bacteria to grow:
Coco Coir contains lignin, an organic compound that helps grow beneficial bacteria, thus reducing the spread of harmful bacteria on plants, especially strawberry plants. These beneficial bacteria remain in a symbiotic relationship with the plant and thereby increase the yield.
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Great Water Absorption, Retention and Drainage Capacity:
Coco peat has the ability to absorb and retain water extremely well, very suitable for plants. Growing strawberries with coco peat will not require frequent watering and also eliminates the problem of water-logging (due to its excellent drainage).
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Better Aeration capacity than normal soil:
Strawberries need a significant and abundant amount of oxygen in their root zone. So it is essential that the medium for growing strawberries should have good aeration properties. And this is also one of the reasons that coco peat is considered the ideal medium for growing strawberries. With the available characteristics, coco peat has porosity, this will help the soil to be better aerated as well as the roots to grow faster.
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Light growing medium, easy to transport:
Using coco coir to grow plants instead of soil will also make care and transportation a lot easier. Because coconut fiber has the characteristics of a porous texture, the weight will be much lighter.
Besides, coco coir also helps strawberry plants to gradually uptake nutrients, thereby optimizing the growth of plants.
With these great outstanding features, coco coir has been widely used to grow plants not only in greenhouses but also in gardens or outdoor areas.
How to grow strawberries in Coco Peat with high efficiency
The strawberry growing technique is not simply planting, caring, and harvesting, but it also depends on many other factors. And one of the factors that help growing strawberries bring high efficiency is how to use and apply coco peat in farming. Here are ways to help you achieve high strawberry yields with coco peat:
Purchase the Right and Quality Coir:
Coconut Coir is a natural medium suitable for the growth of strawberries because of the benefits it brings. However, not all coir everywhere is qualified, moderated, and safe, with high nutritional content as well as a favorable environment for trees to grow. Therefore, when buying coir to grow strawberries, you need to carefully check the label, brand, and composition,.. to choose the most reliable quality coir.
Strawberry grow bags commonly used for this growing method are coir grow bags in the form of long slabs packed with UV-stabilized PE bags. This type of product will help your strawberries grow roots quickly, retain moisture well and aerate as desired as well as being easy to use, easy to transport, and maximize space.
Establish a good habitat for strawberries
Strawberries require full sunlight for at least six hours a day, so it’s important to choose the space for strawberries carefully. To prevent strawberries from being subjected to adverse environmental effects, the greenhouse system is a great method for you to choose.
The next step is to choose a suitable medium for growing strawberries, which is coco peat. Vertical garden towers are increasing in popularity in urban areas because they require less space. You can also plant strawberries in hanging baskets. Coco coir is a great choice for either of these garden setups because it’s lightweight, making it easier to transport to vertical gardens or hanging baskets, and keeps hanging baskets from being overly heavy.
However, if grown in a garden or in a greenhouse, where there is a large and open space, the product suitable for the best growth of strawberry plants is the Coconut Coir Grow Bag.
Choose strawberry varieties carefully
There are three main types of strawberry varieties. June-bearing strawberries are favored by commercial farmers for their high yields. This type of strawberry ripens within 30 days after blooming and gives the grower 10 days to harvest.
Day-neutral strawberries bear fruit throughout the growing season, with three peak fruiting periods. This type of strawberry can bear fruit throughout the summer and into the fall.
Everbearing strawberries produce twice a year, beginning to bear fruit in the spring and intermittently through summer and fall. This type of strawberry is not as high-quality or high-yielding as others.
Everbearing strawberries and Day-neutral strawberries are recommended in a smaller space.
How to grow strawberries
If the coco coir you buy has not been supplemented with calcium, you can add perlite and compost before planting. One of the recommended combinations is 50% coir, 30% perlite, and 20% compost. However, if we can choose high-grade coir, we can grow it in only a mixture of coir (coco coir) including peat, fiber, and chips. EnvironSoil is a prestigious and reliable supplier of Coco Coir Grow Media, providing the finest products to customers, especially the specialized material composition of coco coir for strawberry planting which is suitable for both large and small cultivation scales.
Always remember to plant strawberries in the late afternoon. Then, plant strawberry seedlings into the coir, leaving a space between them. Cover the roots, but do not cover the tops of the seedlings.
Care and keep strawberry plants healthy
When the strawberry plants grow larger, you will see more and more runners. At that time, you should prune the runners so that the energy of the tree will be more directed to producing fruits. Harvest strawberries 4 to 6 weeks after flowering. Use a sharp knife to cut the stem, do not pick the strawberries as it will lead to plant death. After harvesting, remove dead plants and weeds, add a mixture or compost, and water to promote new growth.