trends & technology
Hydroponic strawberries are a popular greenhouse and commercial crop.
“
OR THOSE
NEW TO BERRY
PRODUCTION,
STRAWBERRIES ARE
THE IDEAL CROP
WITH WHICH TO GAIN
SOME EXPERIENCE.”
78
grow cycle
Hydroponic growers can buy chilled
runners or plugs (called “frigo” or “pre-
conditioned” plants), which have had
a period of four to eight weeks under
refrigeration (34-37°F). Or, growers may
chill their own stock by wrapping the
clean runners or small plants in damp
paper and plastic, and placing them
in a refrigerator for four to six weeks.
Either way, the artificial chilling repli-
cates the cold conditions of winter,
which is especially great for those in
tropical locations or where winters are
very mild. Once planted out into the
warmth and light, the plants resume
their spring growth pattern of foliage
development. They flower relatively
quickly, followed by fruiting.
While pre-conditioned runners or
plugs are available almost year-round
in some regions, this type of plant-
ing stock is raised pretty much exclu-
sively for outdoor gardeners and
thus is often only available in spring.
Indoor growers therefore may need to
consider raising their own planting
stock if they want to produce berries
out of season. Strawberry plants are
relatively easy to propagate from
runners produced at the end of the
fruiting season, and there has been
a recent development of large fruited
types that can be raised from seed.
Hydroponic systems for strawberry
production are diverse. With a suitable,
high intensity lighting set-up, straw-
berries can be grown in vertical stacks
or towers, which make an impressive
display when in fruit. However, care
needs to be taken on the lower levels
of vertical systems, where light and air
flow are often restricted, resulting in
lower yields and increased occurrence
of fungal pathogens.
The strawberry plant is particularly
sensitive to moisture and crown/root rot
is the number one cause of strawberry
plant deaths. Beginners are advised to
try their first strawberry crop in a free-
draining, media-based system, such as
perlite or a 50/50 coconut fiber/perlite
combination. Even rockwool cubes can
work, provided they are well-drained.
This way, the plant can be easily posi-
tioned with the crown just above the
surface of the media. Drip irrigation
systems are preferred, as ebb and flow
can cause salt buildup around the crown,
which also leads to problems.
Strawberries can be grown well in
nutrient film technique (NFT), aero-
ponics, and various modifications
on these systems, but plants need to
be well supported so they don’t slip
down into the nutrient flow. Only
clean plants—i.e. not those coming