Strawberries are ideal for growing in an aquaponics environment. They not only grow faster in an aquaponic system than they do on soil, but the berries are bigger, juicier, and have better flavor. While strawberries are relatively simple to grow, there are a few crucial considerations to keep in mind. This article will help you manage strawberries as you decide to add them to your aquaponics garden.
Why grow strawberries in aquaponics?
- Aquaponics compatibility: Strawberries are a great choice for aquaponics because they require only a small area to thrive. Strawberries are a strong contender for growing in an aquaponics system because they flourish in soilless surroundings. Most significantly, strawberries are low care and a fantastic choice for novices because they require minimal effort to thrive.
- Nutritious food: These tiny berries can help your body avoid certain kinds of diseases. In extensive observational studies (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12514290/; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17906180/), including thousands, berry eating is linked to a decreased risk of heart-related fatalities. Numerous studies have also been conducted proving that strawberries can improve blood antioxidant quality (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20384847/), improve vascular action (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17906180/), and boost your lipid profile (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20136444/).
- Good source of income: Selling your aquaponics strawberries could augment your income since there is a high market demand for them. Fresh strawberries are commonly included in various functional drinks to boost the nutritional value and improve flavor and texture. The fresh strawberry market has benefited from an increase in functional foods and beverages. Furthermore, the strawberry business is mainly driven by its widespread use in processed goods like shortcakes and pastries.
How long does it take to grow strawberries in aquaponics?
Strawberries, on average, take two to three years to bear fruit. Some species, on the other hand, take four or five years to produce numerous berries.
The first stage in your planning process is to choose the proper type to cultivate. June bearers and everbearers are two types of strawberries. As the day duration shortens, June producing strawberries produce bloom buds in the fall.
June bearers and everbearing strawberries both start bearing about the same time. Everbearers, on the other hand, will continue to produce fruit throughout the summer and into the fall. If growing circumstances are favorable, they can yield berries until October. The majority of everbearers develop flowers due to the extended days during summertime. Ozark Beauty, Everest, Seascape, Albion, and Quinalt are some of the most popular everbearing strawberry kinds.
What are the different varieties of strawberries?
Jewel: These strawberry plants are a hybrid that is suitable for use in commercial, home gardens, and pick-your-own functions. Jewel is a mid-season cultivar that ripens from June through August. The plants are immune to the most frequent strawberry diseases, and they self-pollinate, producing excellent fruit with a beautiful aroma and flavor.
Seascape: Strawberries of this variety are herbaceous perennials that reach only 12-18 inches in height (30.5-45.5 cm). They are heat tolerant, disease-resistant, and produce a lot of fruit. Because of their shallow root systems can be grown in containers and the garden.
Tristar: The day-neutral variety "Tristar" strawberries (Fragaria spp.) produce firm, medium-sized fruit throughout the growing season, with the highest output in the fall. Day-neutral strawberries are unaffected by day length, allowing for continuous fruiting in temperatures ranging from 35 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
Albion: Albion strawberry plants reach a height of around 12 inches (30.5 cm) and a spread of 12 to 24 inches in a short amount of time (30.5-61 cm.). They're high producing and everbearing, which means they'll continue to flower and fruit from late spring through fall.
Ozark beauty: These strawberries are one of the best everbearing types available. They yield berries bigger than their contemporaries. This kind is also everbearing, deep red in color and honey-sweet, and is suitable for producing preserves.
Tribute: This variety has resistance to typical strawberry diseases, such as red stele, powdery mildew, leaf scorch, and leaf blight. Tribute" is a day-neutral variety, which means it sets buds and produces fruit as long as temperatures are moderate. This is unlike a short-day or June-bearing variety, which develops buds in the fall and produces one large crop in late spring.
Which variety is best for aquaponics?
I recommend growing the following varieties of strawberries in your aquaponics garden: Ozark beauty, Seascape, Tribute, and Albion. As discussed above, these are everbearing and have high resistance to diseases and pests.
Which aquaponics setup suits growing strawberries?
The ideal aquaponics techniques for strawberries are nutrient film technique and deep water culture. Some growers even used the aquaponics tower to propagate strawberries. This approach enabled them to experience a good harvest.
Nutrient Film Technique
In this aquaponics setup, you have plants growing in a container, usually long PVC pipes, filled with nutrient solution. There is always some water running through it to provide continuous availability of nutrients. To make sure your system is doing well, you have to manually pump the liquid up onto the film at regular intervals so that it can drip back down again. Some growers still water their strawberry plants manually to ensure that the roots are wet.
Deep Water Culture
This next aquaponics technique is another excellent choice to grow strawberries in soilless systems. Some consider the deep water culture as the most beginner-friendly aquaponics setup.
The plants are cultivated in a particular container that does not have a lid and is filled with water. In some cases, the plants are placed in a raft where they are evenly spaced. Because they float on top of the water, you need not have to worry about drowning them or keeping them wet like you would with soil-grown plants.
Aquaponics Tower
Many growers are now adopting aquaponic towers to cultivate strawberries. These systems have some considerable advantages for growing strawberries.
Most aquaponic systems only allow for growing sites on the "top" side of the grow pipes or growth tray. However, aquaponic grow towers will enable you to space your grow sites all the way around the tower. Setting up grow towers is also considerably faster than putting together other more intricate aquaponic grow systems.
What are the factors to consider in growing strawberries in aquaponics?
Strawberry seedlings: You can purchase strawberries as runners if you decide to grow them in your aquaponics system. To clone itself, the plant sends forth runners. These clones are then separated and used to produce the next generation of fruit-bearing plants.
Growing strawberries from seed is not a practical option because fruit development can take two to three years. Strawberry plants may be found in almost any garden store and should thrive in your system.
pH range: The pH of the water should be between 5.5 and 6.0. When the pH of the root zone (or drainage solution) surpasses 7.0, your plants' young leaves turn yellow-green, indicating an iron shortage that limits plant growth. Such a situation will adversely affect your harvest.
Water temperature: Water can be considered as one of the essential components of any aquaponic growth system. Strawberries thrive in water temperatures ranging from 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (16 to 27 degrees Celsius). Lowering the temperature to roughly 55°F (13°C) and allowing the plants to "cool out" overnight is a clever strategy for increasing yields.
Air temperature: It's worth noting that air temperature has a more significant impact on the plant's ability to blossom and, ultimately, produce fruit. While the daytime temperature should be kept between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit, the nighttime temperature must be between 55 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit. These temperature ranges may slow the growth of your plants but encourage the fruits to grow larger.
Fish species: Using the right fish is another important factor for your aquaponic strawberries. Fish provide the nutrients in aquaponics, so picking the proper species is of utmost importance for growers.
Crappie, carp, and koi are common choices since they are better suited for strawberries. Tilapia is highly recommended for novices since it is easy to keep and produces enough nutritious food for the plants.
What are the advantages of growing strawberries in aquaponics compared to traditional soil farming?
Here are some noted advantages of cultivating strawberries aquaponically in contrast with its traditional growing method of soil farming:
- Less water usage: Compared to conventional farming, one of the significant advantages of aquaponic growth is reduced water wasted. In any setup of aquaponics, growers utilize 95 percent less water than traditional farming.
- Absence of synthetic pesticides: Aquaponics is a self-contained and balanced ecosystem. In an aquaponics system, no synthetic pesticides are used to help the plants grow and thrive. Consequently, you harvest strawberries that have not been applied with harmful chemicals.
- Soil-related issues are avoided: Since aquaponics cultivation does not necessitate fertile farmland, it can thrive in any terrain. Furthermore, because aquaponics does not use soil, there will be relatively few weeds in your garden, giving you more time to enjoy gardening.
Conclusion:
Your success in cultivating aquaponics strawberries lies in how well-managed your system is. This includes several factors such as the choice of strawberry variety, appropriate aquaponics setup, and other related issues. The information in this article can equip you with the necessary knowledge you will need to have a thriving aquaponics system for strawberries. Thus, ensuring a profitable harvest.
