How to grow strawberries at home and enjoy fresh berries all year round

The taste of strawberries is associated with warm summer days, but what if you don't have the opportunity to grow these berries outdoors? Don't worry! With proper care and optimal conditions, strawberries can grow right in your home, giving you fresh fruit all year round. 

In this article, UNN shares tips on how to grow strawberries at home, which varieties are best suited for this, and when you can enjoy the harvest.

When to plant strawberries 

You can grow strawberries indoors at any time of the year, as you are not dependent on weather conditions. However, it is recommended to sow strawberries for seedlings in late February or early March. It is important to do this process on time, because if you do it later, there is a chance that strawberries will not begin to bear fruit until next year. 

But are all strawberry varieties suitable for growing at home?

For growing at home, remontant strawberry varieties that produce several harvests a year are particularly suitable. Alpine varieties are recommended because they grow compactly, take up less space, and produce small but very tasty berries with a rich flavor. One of the popular varieties is heirloom pineapple, which has a sweet flavor with hints of pineapple.

You should also pay attention to the seascape and albion varieties, which produce larger berries than the alpine varieties but require more space. They are also suitable for growing in containers.

Neutral varieties that are not dependent on daylight hours are also great for growing indoors, as they produce fruit at any time of the year.

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Care requirements

1. Temperature

Strawberries need room temperature for normal growth. The optimum temperature for growing strawberries is around 21 degrees Celsius, with slight fluctuations.

2. Lighting

Strawberries love a lot of light. For best results, you should use additional growth lamps indoors to provide the plant with 12-14 hours of light per day. Insufficient lighting is one of the biggest mistakes when growing strawberries indoors.

3. Water

Strawberries also like regular watering, but it's important not to get too carried away with it so as not to flood the plant. The water should be well drained to avoid rotting of the root collar. Plants can be watered once a week, depending on soil moisture.

Monitor the soil moisture by checking it with your finger every few days and adjust the watering schedule accordingly.

Strawberries prefer well-drained soil. At home, a universal loamy plant mix is best. The soil should not be too clayey or heavy. It also needs to be fertile, but loamy - almost soft. 

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Reproduction

When strawberries begin to ripen, they have a natural tendency to reproduce by releasing tendrils that form new shoots. In a container, these shoots can stretch out and hang down, trying to reach the ground. But don't worry - you can use them to increase the number of plants. 

Prepare several new containers with well-drained soil to transplant these sprouts. They will remain attached to the mother plant at first, but will eventually take root in the new pots. After a few weeks, you will see the new plants start to grow, and when they bloom (after about a month), you can separate them from the main bush. If necessary, cut off the shoots for easy transplanting or to create individual plants. This method allows you to safely propagate the plants and increase the amount of harvest without having to buy new seedlings.

Harvesting

Strawberries ripen about a month after flowering. One of the main signs that the berries are ready to pick  is their deep red color.

To harvest berries, carefully tear off or cut the fruit, leaving about half an inch of stem next to the berry. Avoid damaging the plant as this can affect future growth and yield.

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