Hydroponics Online Home Home Store Blog Forums FAQs Lesson Plans Pictures

Go Back   Hydroponics Forums Discussions > Hydroponics Discussion Forums > Hydroponics

Strawberry Tower


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 01-24-2017, 03:57 PM
centralFlaJack centralFlaJack is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 4
Default Strawberry Tower

I have a DIY strawberry tower in a small greenhouse. I have changed my first pump because nutrient coverage was uneven. I think that fixed the problem.
Now I need to get some details about interval timing. I am currently 3 min on and 15 min off. Is that satisfactory?
What strength nuts seems best for Strawberries? I watch youtube videos and they don't tell me details.
Also, how do I pollinate? Cukes is male flower to female and that works well. Tomatoes using an electric toothbrush is excellent. I once used a small artist brush in an outside patch, but that was difficult and I'm not sure it was me or wind or bugs doing the pollinating.

Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 01-27-2017, 02:00 PM
GpsFrontier GpsFrontier is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Lake Havasu AZ.
Posts: 1,855
Default

Hello centralFlaJack,

Quote:
I need to get some details about interval timing. I am currently 3 min on and 15 min off. Is that satisfactory?
I'm assuming that your tower system is a low pressure aeroponic system. As long as your plants aren't wilting that should be fine.

Quote:
What strength nuts seems best for Strawberries?
75% to 100% strength depending on the growing environment. Hot and/or dry conditions I would go more on the lower end around 75% to 80%. In cooler or more humid conditions I would go closer to the higher end 90% to 100\% strength.

Quote:
Also, how do I pollinate?
Strawberry are self pollinating. But will most likely develop more fully with help pollinating from insects. If the plants are outside the bees will find the flowers.
__________________
Website Owner
Home Hydroponic Systems
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 02-01-2017, 12:54 PM
centralFlaJack centralFlaJack is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 4
Default Strawberry Tower

I used 2" net pots with the bottom cut out so I could get the roots through and keep the crown out of the nutrients. I have 28 sites on the tower. The plants started to show green leaves almost immediately but then there was a general pause while new roots developed. Then, some seemed to dry up and those showed no new roots. I had some spares and I swapped out the "sick" looking plants. I also moved the ones with heavy old roots to the bottom thinking they were blocking the smaller plants. But today I noticed one of the plants had slid in the net pot so that the crown was getting wet. This plant seemed very healthy with new white roots abundant.
Was I wrong to keep the crowns out of the nuts? Should I allow the nuts to wet the crowns for a week and then pull them up? I did not use the clay stones in the net pots. Is that an issue?
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 02-03-2017, 01:25 PM
GpsFrontier GpsFrontier is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Lake Havasu AZ.
Posts: 1,855
Default

Hello centralFlaJack,
The roots in the baskets should be surrounded by a moist growing medium, and the roots hanging out of the basket should be getting moisture as well. The crowns should NOT be getting wet or they will rot.
__________________
Website Owner
Home Hydroponic Systems
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 03-24-2017, 07:30 PM
khawn khawn is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 6
Default

I have a 7 foot tower that I just built. The research that i did seemed to indicate that 15 minutes on and 15 minutes off was OK. I'm using a 1/2" hose to pump water to the top and then it is dispersed to spray down the sides of the 5" tower. If you are right I will have to change my timer settings. I'm hoping to find the right answer soon.

Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:53 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.