Can I grow strawberries on the balcony?
This article explains whether you can grow strawberries on the balcony and shares some green plant maintenance tips related to indoor strawberry growing methods. Next, the editor will introduce them to everyone.
Strawberry Seedling Raising
To grow strawberries in flowerpots at home, you first need to cultivate strawberry seedlings. You can buy some strawberry seeds, use loose, breathable, and fine potting soil as the matrix, level the soil after filling the pot, then evenly sprinkle the strawberry seeds on the surface of the pot, spray the surface with a spray bottle to make it moist, and place it in a warm and sunny environment to care for. When the potting soil dries, spray water. The seedlings should emerge in about a week.
If you find it troublesome to raise seedlings yourself, you can also buy ready-raised seedlings from merchants and plant them directly. This method is more convenient and you don't have to worry about the germination rate.
Planting in Pots
After the strawberry seedlings are cultivated, you can prepare to plant them in pots. You can choose the pots randomly. Small pots can be planted with one or two seedlings, larger ones can hold several, or you can use old foam boxes, plastic pots, etc.
1. Potting Soil Selection
The potting soil for planting strawberries is crucial. Do not use soil that is too sticky or has poor permeability. You can prepare the potting soil separately, such as mixing coconut bran, garden soil, river sand, and adding a small amount of organic fertilizer. As long as the soil is loose and breathable and rich in nutrients, it will allow the plants to grow vigorously.
Can I grow strawberries on the balcony?
2. Transplanting Seedlings
After digging out the strawberry seedlings with soil, make a small hole in the pot, plant the seedlings in the pot, gently press the surrounding potting soil, water it thoroughly, and temporarily place it in a semi-shaded environment to recover. When the plants return to normal growth, gradually expose them to sunlight.
Maintenance Methods
1. Watering
Strawberries are plants that enjoy warm and humid conditions. During maintenance, do not let the potting soil become too dry. Water it when the soil dries and keep the potting soil slightly moist to allow the seedlings to grow quickly.
When the plant grows many branches and starts to form flower buds and fruit on the branch tips, reduce watering appropriately and do not let the potting soil be too moist. Water when the soil dries to allow the plant to bear fruit better.
2. How to Fertilize?
When planting strawberry seedlings in pots, you can add some decomposed organic fertilizer to the potting soil. There's no need to fertilize much during the whole seedling stage. You can water with some dilute fertilizer to encourage more branching.
When it's almost time to bloom, supplement with phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to promote flowering and fruiting. You can water with a 1:1000 solution of potassium dihydrogen phosphate liquid fertilizer once a week, which can increase the plant's flowering and fruiting yield.
3. Pollination
For strawberries grown in pots at home, since there are no bees to pollinate, manual pollination must be done to increase the fruiting rate. During the plant's full bloom, choose the time between 10-11 am to gently brush the pollen on the flower stamen with a brush or small brush and then brush it onto another flower's stamen.