How To Grow Hydroponic Strawberries For Fast, Fresh Berry Fruits In A Clean And Fuss-Free Way

Growing hydroponic strawberries is increasing in popularity for many gardeners. It uses less space and 90 percent less water than strawberries grown in soil. Plus, soil-borne diseases are eliminated, as well as many pests. If all that wasn’t enticing enough, there are no weeds to pull!

So if you fancy growing strawberry plants in a cleaner and potentially faster way, try something new and learn this simple deep-water-culture system. Hydroponically grown strawberries are easy to grow, especially in the summer. They do, however, require detailed maintenance. Follow this guide on effective and rewarding hydroponic strawberry cultivation to enjoy some fascinating fruits of the future.

What are Hydroponic Strawberries?

Hydroponic strawberries are simply strawberry plants that have been grown in water without using soil. A porous substrate like perlite, LECA pebbles, gravel or Rockwool is often used to support the roots. For successful strawberry hydroponics, nutrients are also added to the water to sustain the plants as they grow.

You can buy container structures such as a vertical strawberry tower or a stack system. However, it is also possible to make a design yourself. Instructions are available from your local Cooperative Extension office, and online. For home gardeners, an effective indoor hydroponic gardening system in the form of a simple deep-water-culture setup involves a plastic container and lid or a five-gallon (19L) bucket with a lid.

Getting Started with Hydroponics

The key thing to consider when sourcing basic hydroponic equipment is light. You will need full sun outside or, if you are growing strawberry plants indoors, you will need lighting such as LED or fluorescent bulbs. A pH test tape or test strips can come in handy to test the water. Then check off the following items:

• Strawberry plants (seedlings or plugs)
• Plastic, food-grade container to hold water
• Lid to secure plants, like styrofoam with holes cut out for the plants
• Fertilizer for feeding your hydroponic strawberries
• Net pots: these come in a range of sizes, and have slits or holes on the sides which allow the roots to absorb the nutrients and water
• Substrate to support the roots.

Make sure everything is kept clean to prevent bacteria contamination, and clean again between crops or when reusing materials. Before using the container, wash and sanitize it thoroughly. For example, use a bleach solution such as one tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water.

Growing Strawbs with Net Pots

For your plants, you can purchase plugs or grow your own the conventional way in soil trays, but rinse off all the soil when the seedlings are ready to go into the net pot. Soak your net pot materials for 24 hours before using them, and rinse before transplanting your seedlings into the medium. Your net pots can be secured in the lid by drilling a hole large enough to hold the net pot just above the opening. You can use the lid that came with the container, or styrofoam or XPS insulation.

Air is accessible to the growing plants in the gap between the water line and the lid. To avoid a key mistake growing strawberries hydroponically, make sure the net pots are never completely submerged in the water and check the roots are only one-third to one-half submerged after they grow beyond the net pot. This enables the tops of the roots to absorb the air, and the lower parts of the roots to absorb nutrients from the water.

Perfecting the Water System

When preparing the water, check the pH. A high or low pH can affect the plants’ ability to use nutrients. The optimal pH for strawberries is between 6-7. To increase the pH, you can add baking soda to the water in small increments till the correct pH is reached. To decrease the number, add sulfuric acid, citric acid or phosphoric acid. Check the water pH before and after adding fertilizer, because it may change.

Water quality is also affected by the alkalinity of the water, which is the presence of bicarbonate. If it is high, the pH of your water system will rise. If you suspect your water has high alkalinity, check the pH value more often and adjust as needed. Using an acid-plant fertilizer will help.

To fertilize plants in water, use a commercially available fertilizer for hydroponic strawberries. The nutrients needed in a water system are vastly different from those needed when feeding strawberries in soil. Follow the instructions on the label, which will indicate how much fertilizer to use per gallon of water.

Caring for Your Strawberries

As your plants grow, the water in the container decreases and needs to be refilled. For strawberries that will grow all season, you can do a couple of complete water changes to assure plant health. Clean the container with soap and water before refilling. Be sure to add the right amount of nutrients for the amount of water you are adding. When you’ve finished, check the pH and make any necessary adjustments.

Hydroponic gardening results in faster-growing plants, so prune your plants as needed to keep them a manageable size. Use sanitized pruners and clip off old leaves, runners and excess growth. A lot of small flowers will produce a lot of small fruits so thin some strawberry flowers to increase the size of the fruits. Happy hydroponic strawberry growing!

Frequently Asked Questions

More Delectable Berry Projects to Try

• Want to boost your chances of growing a bumper crop of the juiciest strawbs? We round up five tips on how to grow bigger strawberries to help max out your harvests.
• If we have whetted your appetite for cultivating strawberries in unusual and inventive ways, read our guide on how to grow hanging strawberry plants that are both gorgeous to look at and exquisite to harvest.
• Looking for sustainable fruiting shrubs you can grow easily on your patch? These native berry bushes are lovely, low maintenance and full of tasty fruit potential.

This article features products available from third party vendors on the Gardening Know How Shop. Keep in mind that our plant inventory is limited – so if you’re thinking of purchasing, don’t wait!