How to Grow Strawberries in a Greenhouse? A Detailed Guide to High-Efficiency Cultivation Techniques

I. Site selection and fertilization.

It is advisable to choose sandy loam with good permeability, convenient drainage and irrigation, and fertile soil. Before planting, plow the soil 30 cm deep and apply 3000-5000 kg of decomposed farmyard manure per mu.

II. Seed selection and planting.

For greenhouse strawberries, it is advisable to choose varieties with a short winter dormancy period and early flowering and fruiting. To ensure survival after planting and high yield, choose seedlings that are free of pests and diseases, with thick and short stems, many new roots, short petioles, and more than 4-6 normally unfolded leaves, and transplant them on a cloudy day or in the afternoon of a sunny day. To reduce leaf evaporation, trim off excess leaves before planting, leaving only 3-4 heart leaves per plant. Generally, planting is done from mid-September to early October, with maturity in early February and completion at the end of June. If planted too early, the higher temperature can easily affect the survival rate of the seedlings; if planted too late, the yield will be unstable. The plant spacing is 15 cm x 30 cm, with 8000-10000 plants planted per mu. When planting, keep the soil block around the roots, ensuring that the crown is not buried too deep and the roots are not exposed; at the same time, the seedlings should be lifted and planted immediately, and after planting, water thoroughly, then water thoroughly once every 2-3 days, about 4 times in total, keeping the soil moist to improve the survival rate.

III. Timely mulching with plastic film and covering the greenhouse.

Plastic film mulching can prevent mud from staining the fruit after rain and improve the commercial value of fresh fruit. At the same time, it can reduce field humidity, alleviate diseases, and reduce losses from diseased and rotten fruit. The plastic film should be applied in early November, preferably when the daytime temperature is below 20°C. To prevent weed growth, opaque black plastic film can be used. Choose a sunny day to lay the film flat over the seedlings, cut openings according to the seedlings, lift the seedlings above the film, and seal the openings and the base of the plants with fine soil. When the nighttime temperature drops to about 10°C (around late October), cover the greenhouse in time. In the early stage after covering, control the daytime greenhouse temperature at 25-30°C and keep it above 10°C at night. After budding, keep the daytime greenhouse temperature at about 25°C, not exceeding 30°C; from flowering to fruit ripening, keep the daytime greenhouse temperature at 20-25°C and above 5°C at night. For small tunnels, after December, when the nighttime temperature drops below 5°C, the small tunnel film should be covered in time. When the minimum temperature inside the small tunnel film is below 3°C, add straw curtains, and uncover the straw curtains and small tunnel film at 8-9 a.m. and cover them at 16-17 p.m. every day.

IV. Auxiliary pollination during the flowering period.

To improve the quality and yield of strawberries and reduce deformed fruit, bees must be released for pollination, or artificial auxiliary pollination can be used. For bee release in the greenhouse, generally 2 boxes per mu is sufficient. For artificial pollination, use a small brush to apply pollen to each flower from 9-10 a.m. every day to improve the fruit-setting rate. In addition, diseased fruit, old leaves, diseased and damaged leaves, and excess side buds and runners should be removed regularly to reduce nutrient consumption and increase the weight of individual fruit.

V. Pest and disease control.

The main diseases are gray mold and powdery mildew. The main pests are aphids, red spiders, and others. Imidacloprid, pyridaben, abamectin, and others can be used to control aphids and red spiders, and the humidity in the greenhouse should be reduced as much as possible to reduce the occurrence of diseases. Spraying chitosan-based agents can prevent and control diseases. Shen Xiangjun