Strawberries are definitely not an easy crop and CEA technologies can always help us to provide ideal conditions to improve production window, yield per area and fruit quality. Growers are finding out the great benefits of growing strawberries using the help of CEA. This is the reason why now hydroponic greenhouse production of strawberries is growing rapidly across the world. The present guide has the objective to provide specific information about how to grow strawberries in a hydroponic system inside greenhouses.
Continue reading Free Download: The Guide for Growing StrawberriesTag: Strawberries
The Advantages of CEA in Strawberry Production
By Karla García
Strawberries (Fragaria × ananassaDuch.) are an important crop grown in the U.S. with a market value of more than $2.2 billion dollars, producing 1.12 million tons of strawberries in 2019. Most production of strawberries in the U.S. is done in open fields. In the U.S., year-round production is achieved by shifting production between regions across California and Florida. Recently U.S. growers are confronting challenges in open field production. In California, where more than 90% of the total strawberry production is done, annual acreage for strawberries is getting lower due to prolonged drought periods in the field; also, dry weather is increasing pests, making it challenging to manage and control diseases (Green, 2014). Another challenge of U.S. production is the emergence of strong competitors in the strawberry market, Mexico and China.
Continue reading The Advantages of CEA in Strawberry ProductionEssentials for growing hydroponic strawberries successfully
Hort Americas has the products and technical expertise you need to grow strawberries in controlled-environment, hydroponic production systems.
Strawberries are a high value crop recognized for their flavor, color and nutrient content. However, growing strawberries can be a challenge.
Continue reading Essentials for growing hydroponic strawberries successfully
High tunnels enable growers to increase production of high-value berries
High tunnels can be a part of a production system that allows growers to produce berries year-round while improving fruit yields and quality.
Continue reading High tunnels enable growers to increase production of high-value berries
New online tool enables growers to diagnose strawberry problems
Scientists and IT developers at North Carolina State University are creating an online diagnostic tool that will assist strawberry growers in determining and resolving crop-related issues.
are creating a web-based interactive diagnostic key for growers. It will have application to both outdoor- and indoor-produced strawberries throughout the United States.
The key will be accessible through users’ computers, tablets and smart phones. It will be available through the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Strawberry Growers Information website.
Brian Whipker, professor of floriculture–research and extension, who heads up the project, said the key
is based on attributes.
Whipker said the key allows users to narrow down the problem identification by using a series of filters.
Whipker said the key template that was used for the strawberry diagnostic tool would have application to other crops.
“We produced an iPad-based book for the tomato disorders,” he said. “It is also available as a print-on-demand book at Lulu.com.
For more: Brian Whipker, North Carolina State
University, Department of Horticultural Science; brian_whipker@ncsu.edu.
A team effort
Hannah Burrack, Department of Entomology
Frank Louws and Barbara Shew, Department of Plant Pathology
Rob Ladd (developer) and Rhonda Conlon, Extension Information Technology
David Kuack is a freelance technical writer in Fort Worth, Texas; dkuack@gmail.com.
University of Arkansas scientists tour Belgian strawberry research facility
University of Arkansas researchers gear up to look at
better ways to grow strawberries in controlled environment production
facilities.
Research Centre Hoogstraten (Proefcentrum Hoogstraten) in Belgium, hosted a
tour for University of Arkansas horticulture researchers. The Research Centre
conducts studies on strawberries, tomatoes and peppers. Gerson Van’t Wout, import/export
manager at Hort Americas, joined the tour and filed this report.
Strawberry specifics
The University of Arkansas researchers were at the Research
Centre to look at the various aspects of strawberry production being studied.
Although many of the systems being used to produce strawberries, including the
use of gutters, drip irrigation, fertigation and supplemental lighting are
similar to what American greenhouse vegetable growers are currently using,
Van’t Wout said that there are differences in how the crops are grown. He said
there will be a learning curve for U.S. growers who want to add
greenhouse-grown strawberries to their product mix.
Numerous strawberry production systems, including NFT troughs, are being studied at Research Centre Hoogstraten in Belgium. |
Belgian strawberry growers who have switched to greenhouse
production have had an easier time controlling environmental factors including
temperature, humidity and light levels. They also are better able to manage
irrigation, pests and diseases. Van’t Wout said most of the Belgian growers who
have not made the switch to greenhouse production are the ones who have been
doing field production for a long time and are comfortable with that method.
management, lighting research
Van’t Wout said that Belgian strawberry breeders are not
hybridizing strawberries specifically for greenhouse production. When a new
variety is introduced by the breeders, he said researchers and growers will try
to produce it in various controlled environment and outdoor growing situations.
Van’t Wout said U.S. greenhouse growers should be able to adapt Belgian-bred strawberries
to their production systems.
growers are thrips and spider mites. Several trials are being conducted at the
Research Centre with natural enemies, including predatory mites, to determine
their effectiveness on controlling these pests.
light bulbs with LEDs, including Philips GreenPower LED flowering lamp. Van
Delm said that strawberry trials have shown that deep red/white/far red LEDs
are “an effective and energy-efficient replacement” for incandescent bulbs.
Strawberry research at Research Centre Hoogstraten in Belgium has included the use of LEDs to replace incandescent bulbs for greenhouse production. |
Gerson Van’t Wout, Hort Americas LLC, infohortamericas@gmail.com; https://hortamericas.com.
National Strawberry Sustainability Initiative, http://strawberry.uark.edu. Research
Centre Hoogstraten (Proefcentrum Hoogstraten), http://www.proefcentrum.be/en.
Visit our corporate website at https://hortamericas.com
Workshop focuses on starting an urban farm
Hort Americas attended the “Starting Your Urban Farm”
workshop in April in Fort Worth, Texas. Presented by Texas A&M AgriLife
Extension, the workshop started with a webinar by Texas A&M University
extension vegetable specialist Joseph Masabni. He discussed the basic requirements needed to start an urban farm including a plentiful water supply,
adequate soil type and desirable environment.
Masabni said one of the major pitfalls to operating a
successful urban farm is the lack of a marketing strategy. Since most produce
is perishable, it is critical that a grower have a marketing plan developed before
a crop is planted. He said development of markets and market plans are the
first steps necessary for profitable production. Because market windows are
narrow and precise, Masabni said growers need more options to sell their
products. Market-related questions that need to be answered include:
The second part of the workshop was a tour of Gnismer
Farms in Dalworthington Gardens, Texas. Owned by Lynn and Cynthia Remsing, the husband
and wife team farm 6 acres producing a variety of crops including asparagus, strawberries,
lettuce, cantaloupes, onions, rhubarb, kohlrabi, cabbage, potatoes, watermelons
and pumpkins.
Lynn Remsing, owner of Gnismer Farms, uses plant compost to grow his crops. He doesn’t use any animal manures. |
Lynn Remsing said having the right soil is critical. He
composts wood chips he receives free from the local power company along with
grass clippings. He doesn’t use any animal manure.
Not wanting to be dependent on inconsistent and limited rainfall,
Remsing uses Netafim irrigation tape and black plastic mulch. During the hot
Texas summers when temperatures can easily exceed 100ºF, Remsing said using the mulch allows him to water
every 14 days. Remsing said he is working with Texas A&M to trial a double
layer of plastic mulch to determine its effect on production.
Gnismer Farms in cooperation with Texas A&M University researchers is trialing a double layer of plastic mulch to determine its impact on crop production, including strawberries and lettuce. |
Remsing is setting up another 360-acre farm in Waco,
Texas. To ensure that he has enough water for irrigation, he is installing a
couple of 40,000 gallon water tanks.
Some of the “tips” that Remsing offered workshop
attendees included: be willing to mechanize when possible, look for ways to
conserve water, don’t try to operate a farm on a shoestring and look for ways
to be able to sell your products before your competitors.
For more:
Gnismer Farms, http://gnismer.com.
Visit our corporate website at https://hortamericas.com
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