Berries and business: growing strawberries in a greenhouse all year round with positive profitability. How to make money growing strawberries

Growing strawberries is a promising business area. The demand for berries of domestic origin has increased significantly over the past 4 years. This niche of the agricultural industry is just being explored by entrepreneurs, which means you have an excellent chance of successfully “joining” it.

Do you want to know how to start a strawberry growing business, how to find buyers and get a stable income? Read new article on our website!

Business and product description

Growing strawberries is a business with many advantages. Do you have any doubts? Let's find out!

Strawberries are a healthy, sweet berry. Russians buy it all year round. Peak demand is from May to October, when ground berries bear fruit. This area has not yet been mastered by Russian entrepreneurs like growing herbs, potatoes, and vegetables, so competition is still low.

Factors of profitability of a strawberry business:

1. Reducing the volume of imported products.
2. Greenhouse cultivation does not depend on the season and climatic conditions.
3. Different ways cultivation (hydroponics, open or closed ground).
4. Some varieties produce two harvests per season.
5. According to experts, the costs of starting a business pay off after the first harvest.
6. Great customer demand even in the off-season.
7. Annual increase in product prices (on average 25-45%).
8. The business does not require significant start-up investments.
9. Strawberries are not fancy. She needs light, warmth and moisture.
10. It will take only 2-3 months to “launch” the business.

Start your business in a small town. In its suburbs it is cheaper to rent a plot of land. It is easier to enter the market and there is less competition.

Description of the sales market

Sales methods depend on the amount of products grown. Think over your sales routes at the stage of drawing up a business plan. The berry quickly loses its marketable appearance; it needs to be sold quickly.

Let's look at ways to sell crops:

• independent sale on the market. You will need: trading place, counter, refrigeration equipment for storing berries, scales, packaging for packaging goods;
• sale to supermarkets, food stores, catering establishments. You will need: registration of individual entrepreneur, certificate of product quality from the laboratory;
• wholesale sales to companies engaged in repurchase of products. You will need: registration of individual entrepreneurs, certificates of product quality.

You will get the maximum price per kilogram of berries only from retail sales on the market. Sales to stores and wholesale resellers are carried out at a low purchase price. This is a way to realize a large harvest.

Sales and Marketing

To increase sales and attract customers, advertising is needed.

1. Bright outdoor advertising. Make effective advertising on cars delivering berries to supermarkets, above trading place in the market, near the greenhouses where the berries are grown.
2. Advertisements in local newspapers.
3. Use the Internet. Online trading platforms like Avito, social media, local forums - use them to find like-minded people, exchange experiences and find buyers.

The more information the consumer sees about you, the more trust you will inspire in him. Your task is to be remembered during the sales season for ground strawberries, so that during the “off-season” buyers have maximum confidence in your berries.

Position yourself as a producer of high-quality berries of domestic origin, focusing on the naturalness and taste of the product. Accompany your advertisements with photographs of strawberries growing in a greenhouse.

Step-by-step production plan

Before installing the greenhouse and starting production, draw up detailed plan actions. Reflect in it all the stages that you have to carry out to produce and sell berries.

A plot of 6 acres is suitable for organizing a business. It is enough to allocate 50 square meters for a greenhouse. m., on 100 square meters you can grow strawberries in open ground.

Let's consider each point of the production plan in detail.

Step 1. Preparation and execution of documents

To sell strawberries to supermarkets and hand them over to wholesale companies, you need to register an individual entrepreneur. Select OKVED code: 01.13.21. It is responsible for the cultivation of berries and fruit crops. This activity falls under agriculture. Complete the Unified Agricultural Tax (USTA). His rate is 6% of profit.

To register as an individual entrepreneur you will need:

• application for registration;
• photocopy of all pages of the passport;
• receipt of payment of the state fee for consideration of your application.

You can provide documents for registration in person or by mail.

Step 2. Installation of the greenhouse

A practical and reliable option is to install a polycarbonate greenhouse on a metal frame. The size and number of greenhouses depends on the scale of production.

It is rational to start with the construction of one greenhouse. To save money, build it yourself. There are many ready-made installation diagrams on the Internet. Choose one of them and adapt it to your project. Don't forget the foundation. It serves as the basis for the structure, protects against pests and freezing.

Step 3. Install the necessary equipment

Is the greenhouse installed? Proceed with installation of equipment.

To grow strawberries year-round you need:

• an irrigation system or a hydroponic system if you are using Dutch soilless growing technology;
• shelving to increase the usable area of ​​the room and combine different growing technologies;
• lighting;
• heating;
• ventilation system.

At first, you can water the plants manually with a hose. This is the most economical option. Suitable for a small greenhouse homemade system drip irrigation.

Another option for saving money at the start is using solar heating. It's not about solar powered, but about improvised means that accumulate heat. With them you will provide plants with warmth and stabilize the temperature in the room.

Step 4. Selection and purchase of seedlings

At this stage you need good theoretical preparation. Explore agricultural forums, chat with those who have already succeeded in growing strawberries. For year-round cultivation you need different varieties: early, mid-season, late.

The most popular varieties: Honey, Darenka, Victoria, Sonata, Rusanovskaya, Octave, Alba.

Buy seedlings from those who professionally grow strawberries. These are greenhouse complexes and nurseries. Take several varieties to get to know their characteristics. Choose those that ripen faster and bear fruit longer.

Step 5. Pollination and berry care

The main principles of berry care are the creation of optimal conditions of humidity, light, and temperature. Strawberries do not like overflow, so it is better to water them using the drip method. Along with water, additional feed is introduced through a drip system. This irrigation system is convenient for greenhouse production and open ground.

In open ground, flowers are pollinated by wind and insects. In greenhouse conditions, pollen is moved using fans. The second way is to transfer it from flower to flower with a soft brush. Flowers are pollinated by hand only on small plantations.

Plant flowering is affected by light. During the flowering period, plants need more light and warmth.

The video will tell you in detail about planting berries in greenhouse conditions, lighting and watering:

Organizational structure

At the initial stage, to maintain the strawberry beds, you will need two or three auxiliary workers, as well as two security guards (if you rented a plot for a greenhouse complex and did not build it in your yard).

Personnel cost table:

As production volumes increase, the staff will expand. You will need a driver to deliver products to the place of sale, general workers, and an accountant. Hire an outsourcing specialist to reduce the cost of paying an in-house accountant.

At the initial stage, engage in production yourself. Many entrepreneurs who choose to produce herbs, mushrooms or other crops at home work themselves together with family members. This way you will save on personnel, try out production technologies, and get a feel for the specifics of the industry.

Financial plan

This part of the business plan reflects all the costs associated with starting a business. This includes the costs of purchasing materials for constructing a greenhouse, purchasing seedlings, advertising, wages employees.

Costs are divided into starting and ongoing.

They are displayed in the summary table:

The cost depends on how you grow garden strawberries and on what scale: at home, in closed greenhouses, in open ground, in bags, on racks with a hydroponic system in your own basement, or in several greenhouse complexes.

In addition to expenses, the financial plan includes projected profits. The price of strawberries in the “off season” reaches 600 rubles. In summer it fluctuates between 230-270 rubles. The average net profit will be 150-170,000 rubles. If you organize sales of your products well, you will recoup your start-up costs for the first harvest.

Risk factors

Risk factors for this agribusiness sector:

• low yields due to violations of production technologies and climatic features of the region;
• plant diseases;
• sales problems.

If you don’t want to depend on climatic conditions, set up greenhouse production that allows you to get a good harvest even in winter.

Reduces the risk of crop failure right choice seedlings, treatment of plants against diseases, compliance with production technologies. Invite a specialist for consultation. His recommendations will help you follow technological conditions, correctly organize the process of planting, care, and harvesting.

How to avoid implementation problems? Study the market, analyze competitors' offers, offer competitive prices, and actively advertise for yourself.

Berries that have lost their marketable appearance will be used for jam. Jam is another profitable type of business, but that's another story.

Additional details on this topic can be found in our article. Strawberries in a greenhouse all year round as a business.

Download business plan

The path of every entrepreneur begins with a business plan. It includes the goals and objectives of the project, schedule, costs of starting a business, description of risks, marketing plan, production plan.

What will writing a business plan give you?

1. A clear action plan.
2. Control of all production launch processes.
3. Forecast of income and payback.
4. Possibility of obtaining investments from a bank or government agencies.
5. Insurance against errors and unnecessary expenses.
6. Saving time and effort.

To prepare a business plan, it is not necessary to hire a specialist. Download a sample with calculations on the Internet.

You can't blindly follow a model. This is an example for drawing up a document reflecting the features of your project.

We have prepared one of these for you. This is a plan for the production and sale of vegetables in greenhouse conditions. It provides sample calculations, describes varieties, irrigation systems, etc.

Conclusion

The most profitable type of “strawberry business” is industrial cultivation berries in the greenhouse. It is considered profitable even taking into account the fact that its opening requires start-up capital to purchase equipment, purchase or rent land, and seedlings.

Your main task is to establish sales, plant plants and harvest all year round.

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Strawberries are certainly loved by many, but there is one problem - the seasonal ripening of the berries. The harvest takes place in June - July, then it can be eaten only in preparations (jam, preserves, frozen) or you can buy an imported product, which does not always have good quality due to long transportation and a huge amount of chemicals introduced into the berries to increase shelf life.

Is it possible to provide yourself with fresh strawberries all year round?

Yes, you can! And not only provide for yourself, but also make good money at the same time.

In order to get significant profits, you don’t need so much - work out a business plan, decide on the place of cultivation, choose best seeds or seedlings, grow a crop and, of course, sell it.

So, let's open a strawberry business.

Business plan or calculating the costs and profitability of growing strawberries

First, you need to decide how and where the plants will be grown; the level of costs directly depends on this point.

There are two options:

1. Open ground.
2. Greenhouse.

An open ground business is the least expensive option, but it is only suitable for traditional summer berry harvesting and is not suitable for achieving stable, year-round income.

It is believed that growing strawberries at home is not as profitable a business as, for example, in open areas or in a greenhouse. This opinion is not entirely correct; it all depends on individual conditions, the availability of free space for planting, as well as the choice of the right varieties.

Costs for greenhouse cultivation

If you don't want to grow strawberries in traditional ways - in boxes, containers or beds, try growing them in large plastic bags. This method does not require large areas, which increases the profitability of growing strawberries, and it is much easier to care for the plants.

Profitability

According to statistics, every year the demand for strawberries increases by an average of 40%. In this regard, the profitability of its cultivation, especially in autumn, spring and winter, can be 100 percent or more.

For example, let’s consider the profitability of a small farm, i.e. there is 1 heifer with an area of ​​80 m². In such an area, 65 m² of shelving can be freely placed, each m² of usable area with fruit-bearing plants produces about 5 kg of berries per month - 65x5x400 rubles. (cost of berries in the off-season) = 130,000 rub. - profit.

From such simple example it is clearly seen that even taking into account all the necessary expenses when growing strawberries in a greenhouse, this business is very profitable.

According to experts, the payback of the primary costs of the strawberry business, when growing berries in a greenhouse, is no more than 3 months, to this it is necessary to add another 3 months for plant growth, ovary and ripening of berries. As a result, it turns out that within six months you can get a net profit.

Business – strawberries all year round. Agrotechnics of cultivation

Choosing a greenhouse

Soil

To ensure intensive and continuous fruiting, ordinary garden or vegetable soil is not suitable; it is necessary to use only an enriched, highly nutritious substrate. For self-cooking 500 kg of suitable soil, you will need:

• Straw (wheat or oats) – 300 kg.
• Mullein or chicken droppings – 190 kg.
• Ground chalk – 7 kg.
• Urea – 3 kg.

After preparing all components, composting is carried out. To do this, they are laid out in a pile in layers: 20 cm straw, 12 cm dung or mullein, urea. Lay out layers until a pile is formed with a height of about 1.8–2 m; its width can be arbitrary, but it is more convenient if it is 1.5 m. When forming a pile, each layer is poured with warm (not hot) water. water. On average, the fermentation process begins within a week. In order for fermentation to proceed evenly, the components are mixed every 10 days, adding chalk in equal doses. After completing the composting process, the nutrient soil (substrate) should have:

• color – dark brown;
• structure – homogeneous, light;
• There is no ammonia smell.

When creating a home business, strawberries are grown under the same conditions as in a greenhouse: light level, preparation of a nutrient medium, watering. The only thing that agricultural technicians recommend changing is the containers for planting seedlings. There is no need to install racks with bulky boxes in a room, garage or on a balcony. Instead, you can propagate plants using the Dutch method in bags or grow them in some kind of hanging compact container.

Watering

It is optimal to use the drip irrigation method for irrigating strawberries. Such a system consists of simple structures:

• flexible, rubber hoses with pre-drilled holes;
• dropper;
• the source of water is an ordinary tap or watering container.

With drip irrigation, water flows directly under the plant, to the root system, nourishing it without waterlogging the soil.

How to make money on strawberries - implementation

Don't know how to make money from strawberries? Before starting a business, you need to think in advance about how and where to subsequently sell your products. Considering the properties of strawberries (a delicate berry that cannot be stored without special equipment), this question is very relevant.

Marketing methods

• Independent sale.
  The method is quite problematic since, firstly, it is necessary to rent retail space, at least some kind of stall, secondly, to purchase equipment for storing and cooling berries and, thirdly, to have a lot of free time for trading.
• Sales of berries to retail chains - supermarkets, private sellers, mini-stores.
  This option is not bad. After concluding a supply agreement, providing a certificate of product quality and a document about the fertilizers used during cultivation, you can supply the berries to the retail chain and receive your legal income without worrying about anything.
• Supply of berries to processing plants.
  As a rule, such enterprises pay significantly less for the products provided than what can be received from sellers fresh berries, but there is also positive point– volumes. For people who have large areas of strawberry planting, this option can be extremely profitable if they sign a long-term agreement with the company with regular supplies of raw materials.

Video about strawberry business for beginners

The beauty of berries garden strawberries depends on the introduction of biological technologies that create all the conditions for growing healthy, environmentally friendly berries all year round. How to grow strawberries all year round? The question is very relevant for industrial and amateur gardening. Thanks to biological products and new biotechnologies, you can get healthy, environmentally friendly berries. How does the experience of growing berries throughout the year differ from the technology familiar to gardeners?

Any gardener can easily master the techniques of growing wonderful berries at home. For successful work it is not necessary to have a greenhouse or a heated greenhouse. You can make a real profit by learning how to grow strawberries all year round in an ordinary flower pot on the windowsill.

Growing garden strawberries is a very profitable home business. The profitability of such economic activity is 100%.

Technology used for growing strawberries all year round

To grow strawberries at home, Dutch technology is used, used by gardeners and large farms. The method is simple, and when proper care From one bush you get about 150 kg of fresh berries.

The technique ensures the cultivation of berries all year round. There is no need to use soil, fertilizers, machinery, or special equipment. There is no control of crop pests. The demand for the products is very high; the product will grow environmentally friendly and free of chemicals. An important fact is that, having mastered this technique, the owner becomes the owner of excess profits.

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Correct selection of strawberry seedlings

To propagate garden strawberries, you can purchase ready-made seedlings or grow them yourself from seeds.

Seeds are subject to long-term storage. They are taken from the middle part of ripe berries. Cut off one layer, place it on paper and dry. Before the time for planting, they are placed in an environment with a low temperature of + 2 + 4°C. Then moisten and mix.

To prepare planting material, you can grow seedlings yourself from seeds or choose ready-made material.

There are several ways to harvest seedlings. To grow strawberries, young rosettes are cultivated on mother plantations. Rooted mustaches are dug up in the fall on the main plantations. Seedlings are stored at a temperature of 0 to 2°C.

More often, cassette seedlings are used for growing. It has a well-formed root system. You receive it in 35 days. The finished cooled sockets are placed in plastic containers. After 3 days, the length of the roots will be 3-4 cm, on the 10th day the root system is formed. After 5 weeks, the cell is completely filled with roots.

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List of strawberry varieties for growing in a greenhouse

When starting his highly profitable business, the gardener selects strawberry varieties that have neutral daylight hours. To grow strawberries all year round, choose a strawberry variety that continuously produces inflorescences, ovaries and berries. The ovary is formed during long daylight hours. Longline cultivation involves the use of varieties “Pineapple”, “Brighton”, “Elizabeth” and others. In practice, the varieties “Selva” and “Elizabeth II” produce crops throughout the year.

Strawberry varieties are divided according to purpose: for closed ground and for open ground. Indoor varieties require uniform air temperature, constant humidity and light. The harvest ripens all year round. The first berries are produced in June: the fruits are large and resistant to powdery mildew, viltu.

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The cold method of storing seedlings is the basis for a full harvest

Growing a full harvest of garden strawberries involves using seedlings stored in the refrigerator or cellar. It is prepared in advance for long-term storage. Stop the growth of bushes by stopping watering them. The plant is constantly monitored: after 10-15 days it is watered again to prevent it from overgrowing. In the fall, the rosettes are dug up, sorted, and placed in storage. The thickness of the root collar of the seedlings should be 6 mm, the rosettes have 3-4 leaves, the length of the roots is 5 cm.

Bunches of seedlings are placed in boxes and placed in the cellar. It is stored from 1.5 to 10 months. Plant it as needed. Storage temperature +6 +2°C, humidity - 90%, CO₂ content - 5%, oxygen - 2.5%. Sudden changes in the microclimate should not be allowed.

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Equipment of premises, preparation of plants for planting

The room for growing berries is prepared in advance. This could be a non-residential room, a garage, a barn. It is necessary to prepare bags of strawberry seedlings. They are installed in a vertical position along the entire room. The distance between the rows is 90 cm, between the bags - 15-30 cm. In the first and second rows, the bags are slightly offset in relation to each other. The distribution density of bags is 2-3 per 1 m².

Prepared:

• container for supplying the solution;
• adapter;
• plastic pipe;
• nozzles;
• clamps;
• fluorescent lamps;
• metal corners;
• foil;
• dropper tubes;
• bag.

The container for the nutrient solution is mounted on the bracket. Using adapters, create a branch for the pipeline. Clamp clamps are attached to it, which keep the bag upright. Bags for strawberries can be placed in 2 tiers with a distance of 30 cm between them. Install a lighting system by installing fluorescent lamps. To grow strawberries all year round, the lamps must illuminate the entire planting area. There is foil on the walls that acts as a light reflector.

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Growing strawberries vertically

Growing strawberries vertically allows you to get a large harvest of berries. Vertical planting is done to save space and collect environmentally friendly berries.

To create a vertical bed for strawberries, you will need the following tools:

• bit;
• drill;
• plastic pipe;
• stub;
• leg-split;
• sackcloth.

Measure the required pipe length. Drill holes in the top. The pipe is covered with burlap and coated with twine. In the pipe larger size drill 3-4 holes in each row. A total of 4 rows are formed. A plug is placed on the bottom hole. The workpiece is attached to a fence or mesh. A narrow pipe is placed in the main pipe and covered with a 10 cm thick layer of gravel.

Strawberries are planted in the windows on the main pipe. A second landing option is possible - through pyramids. To create them you need a similar set of tools. The design saves space. Take 3-4 old tires, make a hole in each with a diameter of 10-20 cm. Lay them in a pile in the form of a pyramid, cover it with soil. Before planting, the soil is fertilized with humus.

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Growing strawberries using a drip irrigation system

To grow berries you need to prepare:

• droppers for solution;
• opaque film;
• pallet;
• plastic bags;
• water pumps;
• nutrient solution

Strawberries are placed in the substrate. Using droppers, the supply of the nutrient mixture to the root part of the plants is established. The substrate is peat mixtures or mineral wool. All substrates are placed in film and placed in a tray. It accumulates excess nutritional mixture, which is supplied under pressure from the dropper. To do this, connect water pumps or place a tank with a solution above the required watering level.

In order to grow strawberries using the nutrient layer system, the following is prepared:

• plastic box;
• hoses;
• pipes;
• water pump;
• cups for planting plants.

Using this method, strawberries receive nutrition from a solution contained in plastic boxes. In them, the solution is pumped through hoses or pipes from the main tank. Plants are placed in cups. Their bottom is raised and does not touch the nutrient mixture.

In a grown plant, the roots are in a nutrient medium. The universal solution contains all the necessary micro and macroelements.

Strawberries need to be grown while maintaining a certain temperature regime. At night the temperature should be +18°C, during the day +25°C.

With a drip irrigation system, the water consumption will be 3 liters of water per day per 1 m of container length. Adjustment of the drip irrigation system is carried out by increasing the number of holes in the hose.

The strawberry growing business is considered profitable. The sweet berry is in demand all year round, especially in winter. Breeders have developed remontant varieties that bear fruit 5-6 times per season, and new growing technologies make it possible to obtain a harvest even indoors.

Important information! 80% of the market today is occupied by imported strawberries. If it is profitable to transport berries by plane from the Dominican Republic to Moscow or Irkutsk, it is worth thinking about plans and ways to implement a profitable idea in your homeland. Experts estimate the annual growth of the strawberry market at 25-30%.

What you need to know before starting a strawberry business

There are differences in growing strawberries for yourself and for sale. On 3-5 acres of free soil, berries are grown for home consumption, but there is no talk of serious income from the sale of strawberries. To make money in this business, they develop an area of ​​20 acres or more or use new methods of harvesting: in bags, boxes, film or polycarbonate greenhouses.

A good plan to make money on domestic berries requires detailed elaboration. This is not necessarily a one-time summer income; you can earn income all year round. A profitable strawberry business requires fulfilling a number of conditions:

1. the selected variety is adapted to the local climate and gives maximum yield under the given conditions;
2. varieties are selected in such a way that the sweet product ripens at different times;
3. the berries are suitable for transportation (a plan for collecting and marketing the products has been thought out, suitable containers and equipment have been prepared).

Important to remember! The taste of the berry is directly related to its ripening period and tolerance to transportation. The sooner it ripens, the easier it tolerates travel, the less moisture and sweetness it contains. Therefore, they grow sweet late varieties for themselves, and early, resistant to unfavorable conditions climate. The taste of the latter is usually worse, but the presentation is better.

Growing strawberries outdoors

The home method of growing berries on open ground depends on the weather, so the main task of the gardener is to protect the seedlings from rain, drought, cold and pests. For this purpose, they not only carefully select varieties, but also stock up on film to retain heat, a mulch coating to protect against weeds and diseases, mineral fertilizers for feeding, and chemical protection against diseases. Including additional materials in the plan will require financial expenses, but will significantly increase yield and income.

The maximum profit from a strawberry plantation will be received by those who follow the full cycle of work: independently germinate the seeds, prepare planting material from adult plants, independently (without intermediaries) pack, store, and export for sale. A good income comes from surplus strawberry seedlings (remaining after picking). In this case, it is not necessary to resort to the help of hired personnel. As a last resort, during the harvest period, businessmen hire seasonal workers to pick berries.

This is interesting! If you manage to grow a sweet product without “chemicals”, organic food stores will gladly take it. True, in this case you will have to obtain a certificate from Rosselkhoznadzor and a declaration of conformity from the SES.

The Dutch way of growing garden strawberries

A home-based strawberry business organized indoors (Dutch method) is recognized as good and profitable. A house, barn, garage - an area of ​​10 square meters - is suitable for this. m. is enough to start a business, because strawberry plantations are located on 3-4 “floors”. Using boxes or bags with substrate and humus instead of soil allows you to grow ripe juicy berries for sale all year round.

This is a costly way to obtain a harvest, because sunlight will have to be replaced artificial lighting, natural heat - received from home heating devices. In addition, you will have to take care of artificial pollination. But the price of a kilogram of strawberries in winter is from 300 rubles. In addition, the business does not depend on the time of year and the vagaries of the weather. In the summer (at this time the crops are harvested from the open ground), work takes place indoors. They germinate seeds, prepare planting material, and set up a mini-farm. Instead of soil, the Dutch method involves using plastic bags filled with peat and perlite. Slots are made in it in a checkerboard pattern, where the seedlings are planted. It is recommended to do this at the end of summer so that the harvest can be harvested in October.

Tips and life hacks for men on organizing and promoting their home business

In a room of 10 sq. m. grows 300 kg of strawberries. Selling at a price of 150 rubles in the summer will bring 45,000 rubles. In the winter season - at least 80,000 rubles. Since the berries ripen all year round, income is received several times.

Important! If the premises are your own, the entrepreneur will make shelves with his own hands and come up with good plan automatic watering, this will significantly save start-up capital. There will also be no need for salary expenses - one person can easily manage a compact strawberry plantation.

The nuances of growing strawberries in a greenhouse

A good way to earn income is to combine both options by growing berries indoors in a greenhouse. For serious commercial enterprise glass structures or polycarbonate greenhouses are erected, but the most affordable option is metal or wooden frame with film coating.

Since the film will not protect against frost, the task of the greenhouse is to speed up the ripening of the berries and bring them to the market before competitors. It will also save plants from weeds, weather vagaries and reduce losses from diseases and pests. Construction of a greenhouse on 10 square meters will cost 30,000 rubles, and full organization greenhouse business with a working area of ​​1 hectare will result in the amount of 1,000,000 rubles. But the profitability of growing berries in a greenhouse is more than 100%.

Important tip! The larger the working area, the lower the cost of 1 kg of goods. On an area of ​​20 hectares, a kilogram will cost 10-20 rubles, on an area of ​​less than 1 hectare - the cost increases to 50 rubles. For the profitability of a business in open ground, choose a plot of 0.5-1 hectares, in a greenhouse - 20-30 acres.

Issues of advertising, marketing and transportation of crops

The strawberry business has an obvious disadvantage: it is a perishable product; You can’t take it long distances, you can’t keep it in a warehouse for a month. So the question of where to start a business is decided not by purchasing seedlings, but by searching for someone who will sell the crop. To preserve the berries, a prudent businessman will take care of scales, plastic containers and a refrigerator. As for transport, its purchase is relevant if you plan to sell the goods yourself. If the manufacturer plans to sell on the local market, documenting the business is not so relevant. But when delivering to a supermarket, you can’t do without it. The mini-farm must be registered as an official business; In addition, certificates for berries are obtained from a special laboratory or SES.

Alexander Kaptsov

Reading time: 10 minutes

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The demand for such berries as strawberries is invariably high. Moreover, it grows every year, therefore, its prices also increase. It is not surprising that gardeners are changing their qualifications from hobbyist to entrepreneurial. Some grow strawberries on their own plot, others use rented land. What approach to business will depend on how ambitious the businessman is and what funds he has to start a business. In any case, this type of activity brings profit.

The best strawberry varieties to grow for sale in summer and winter - where to buy good seeds and seedlings for propagation?

Strawberries are valued for their taste and beneficial properties. Reach good harvest This berry can only be grown if the growing technology and other important standards are observed. Cultivation of this crop brings profit not only in the summer, but can be done all year round profitable business, if you approach its organization correctly.

All strawberry varieties are divided into two types:

• Breeding . Their creation is carried out by scientific and research institutions related to the system of state testing of varieties. On the Russian market there are also varieties from foreign breeding developments;
• Local . These are the fruits of amateur gardeners, grown on the basis of selection of the most best forms from local strawberries.

Varieties differ in different yield volumes under the same growing conditions. Each agroclimatic zone requires the selection of those strawberry varieties that are most adapted to the proposed conditions, therefore, their yield will be maximum.

There are remontant varieties that produce several harvests in one growing season:

• Albion . Refers to greenhouse varieties. It has a long period of fruiting - until the onset of frost. The berry has a typical conical shape and a pleasant taste. It can be used in fresh, cook preserves, jams, and make other preparations from it. This variety is characterized by resistance to diseases and bad weather.
• Winona . It can be grown both on mulch and under film, which avoids rot during the rainy season. The variety is late ripening, so it is not processed and is consumed fresh.
• San Anders - a variety bred by American breeders, something of a novelty. It is an improved version of Albion. It requires neutral daylight hours. It produces fruits from the end of May (if covered, then in April) and ending in October. The taste of the berries is balanced, the flesh is firm and resists rain well.

There is an ampelous variety of strawberries - a climbing bush that bears fruit on vertical support. In addition to consumption, it is often used for natural decoration. Fruiting lasts all summer. Climbing strawberry bushes are not prone to diseases caused by contact with soil.

Some varieties of ampelous berries tend to bear fruit all autumn; prominent representatives of the varieties of this variety are:

• Aluba , obtained by crossing two varieties - Flistar and Rapella. It is characterized by: long peduncles, oblong berries, large size, weight up to 40 grams, sweet, dense pulp.
• Geneva . Represents early varieties with an even larger peduncle than Aluba. It has a high yield; you can harvest up to 3 kilograms per bush.

Of course there is one exotic variety, like Pineberry, which comes from the South American wild strawberry. It was preserved thanks to Dutch farmers. Ripe berries small size(up to 23 mm) are white in color, and their seeds are red; the pulp has the taste of pineapple. The variety is most interesting to professionals and decorators.

To others, no less popular varieties early maturation include:

• Honey . This is a high-yielding greenhouse variety. The berries have a dark red color, a glossy shine, and a piquant sour taste. It is characterized by resistance to diseases, temperature changes, and is not afraid of heavy rains and frosts.
• Clery - a creation of Italian breeders, having dense, sweet berries in the shape of a cone, approximately the same size, up to 40 grams. Gives high yield and is perfectly transportable. Less susceptible to disease than others.

To purchase elite varieties of strawberries, you can use the services of a nearby nursery or other farms specializing in plant breeding.

Specialists working in the local government department can advise on this issue. agriculture. In addition, special publications place advertisements for the sale of strawberry seedlings offered by local lovers of this crop.

How to properly grow strawberries at home and on an industrial scale all year round - criteria for choosing a room for growing strawberries in winter and summer

Premises for growing strawberries are used both in winter and in summer. These are greenhouses and greenhouses located on personal or summer cottages.

The advantage of such buildings is as follows:

• Saves space through the use of multi-tiered cultivation (on racks, in hanging pots and so on).
• Maximum crop protection available from the occurrence of diseases and pest invasions - the soil is checked and protected in advance.
• Are being created best conditions for growth strawberries, climate indicators such as light, temperature, and humidity are monitored.
• When installing automatic system management The time required to care for strawberries is reduced and the growing process is simplified.

Premises for growing strawberries must meet the following criteria:

• Square – from a few squares to infinity.
• Sufficient illumination or the presence of additional lighting (long days promote rapid ripening of berries).
• Possibility of influx fresh air into the room.
• Availability of an irrigation system.
• Possibility of temperature control (heating system, opening windows or removable panels).

We should also not forget about artificial pollination of plants, since productivity directly depends on this. Some entrepreneurs manage to grow strawberries in basements and garages. If all conditions are met, then this is quite acceptable, although talking about a large harvest is not possible. These premises are most suitable for preserving seedlings with their subsequent planting in open ground or in a greenhouse (greenhouse).

Features of the technology for growing strawberries for sale - Features of planting material for growing strawberries all year round

Usually planting material for strawberries are tendrils taken from mother plants formed in open ground. This material is obtained as a result of pruning. Next, it is planted in soil, which is suitable as soil after cereals, turf land, peat, but all this must be loosened.

For year-round cultivation of berries, seeds belonging to remontant varieties and not forming a mustache, that is, they use the seed or vegetative method - dividing one bush into 10-15 seedlings. It is more economical than buying ready-made seedlings, but has its own difficulties.

It is necessary to avoid the difficulty of seed germination, for which they must be kept at low positive temperatures in a humid environment. It also takes more time for them to germinate in the soil (about 40 days), which must also be moist. But, as you know, humidity is the friend of mold and mildew.

To eliminate such problems, use for sowing seeds peat tablets. This ensures easy seed germination and rapid development.

Another feature of the year-round growth of strawberries in greenhouse conditions is the use of hydroponics (in this way). This method allows you to use various nutrient mixtures (instead of soil) to nourish the root system.

How it happens: seedlings are planted in a substrate (peat mixture, mineral wool or coconut), after which, using droppers, a solution is constantly supplied to the roots, feeding the plants with mineral salts. Urea, magnesium, potassium, superphosphate and other nutrients are used for feeding.

Modern methods of growing strawberries - what equipment do you need to purchase to grow strawberries on your property or indoors?

There are quite a lot of methods or technologies that allow you to effectively grow strawberries. Each requires its own specific equipment, so novice businessmen need to understand the basic modern methods to choose the most optimal one for your business.

• Growing strawberries using Dutch technology

This technology involves growing berries throughout the year, which requires a greenhouse with constant humidity (up to 80%), sufficient lighting, air circulation, proper temperature conditions(not lower than 18°C ​​and not higher than 28°C). Continuous harvesting is ensured due to the fact that seedlings are planted constantly, an approximate period of 2 months.

The seedlings used are called frigo. It has a shelf life of 7-9 months. It is stored in refrigerators with a constant temperature of 0°C or -2°C, in polyethylene bags with a film thickness of up to 0.05 mm, and defrosted for a day before planting.

Using this method, strawberries grow in any container. These can be pots, containers, polyethylene bags, placed both vertically and horizontally, and filled with a substrate that is moisture-resistant, porous, and non-toxic. Seedlings are planted in them in a checkerboard pattern (pattern 25 by 30 cm). A hole is made in the bags with a depth of 8 cm. The distance between rows is up to 50 cm.

Watering is carried out by drip, which prevents water from entering the plant itself. For a gravity system as a “water tower”, you need a large container with pipes extending from it 70 mm in diameter, then they should narrow to 25 mm. Tubes with a diameter of 6 mm are connected to bags or other containers. And the last condition of the Dutch method is pollination, carried out in a timely manner. It is done either manually with a brush, or by bees (the hive is brought into the greenhouse).

• Vertical growing of strawberries

This method is recognized as more economical and is used for year-round strawberry business - much more can be placed vertically in enclosed spaces. more seedlings (on racks in pots, in boxes, in bags). But the organization of lighting should be taken into account: either these are greenhouses with transparent walls, or there is additional uniform lighting. Good air circulation is also important.

• Growing strawberries indoors and outdoors in the garden

Strawberries are grown outdoors in different regions of Russia. It is valued for its richer and more aromatic taste, although its yield in this case is slightly lower. You should also use at least three varieties with different terms maturation.

For this method of growing strawberries, you need to first take care of the garden bed: choose a well-lit place where the soil is sandy or loamy and contains humus. When planting, you should not mix varieties; it is recommended narrow beds– 80 cm with two-line planting, the distance between the beds is one meter. The soil around the seedlings should be well compacted to eliminate voids around the root. Sufficient watering and fertilizing are required.

You can increase the yield of berries if you make a trapezoidal bed and cover it with film or a film tunnel (there are higher and lower ones). To do this, you need to stock up on special equipment that helps form a ridge (high bed) and cover it. This ensures that you receive early harvest and late, in the cold autumn months.

Planting tubers on agrofibre is also widely used for beds; this provides a number of advantages:

1. No weeds.
2. The “mustaches” do not grow.
3. Excess water collects under the spread agrofibre, which means there are no slugs, mole crickets, or ants.
4. Harvesting and routine processing of strawberry bushes are made easier.

• Growing conditions for hanging strawberries

This technology allows you to grow environmentally friendly strawberries without additional hassle, only the seedlings are not planted in boxes or beds, but in special bags filled with soil and hung outdoors or indoors.

This method makes harvesting easier and improves its quality due to the fact that there is no contact with the soil. The main conditions for such cultivation include periodic feeding of strawberries, ensuring sufficient lighting and ventilation of the plants. It is necessary to take into account other factors inherent in greenhouse cultivation of strawberries (watering, air temperature, and so on).

• Growing strawberries according to Mittleider

Basic conditions of the method:

1. Open ground.
2. Narrow beds in the form of boxes without a bottom, filled with multi-layer soil.

Nutrition for seedlings is provided by special mineral compounds applied to the soil fractionally and sequentially. This ensures balanced feeding and develops plant resistance to microorganisms, bad weather and weeds, and increases productivity.

Advantages of this technology:

1. Minimum argotechnique.
2. Reduced watering costs.
3. Reducing the number of weeds.
4. Less time spent on care.

Plants receive the entire set of nutrients, which means they are going to more strawberries– several harvests per year. The technique is relevant for almost any climatic conditions.

• Israeli technology for growing strawberries

The technology is based on vertical way growing berries using hydroponics (there is no natural soil). Strawberry seedlings are located in specially designed plastic troughs filled with a neutral substrate of artificial origin. They are supplied with water containing the entire set of components necessary for successful growth and strawberry fruiting. As a rule, the system for preparing, adjusting the composition and supplying the solution is fully automated.

This technology saves the space occupied by strawberries on the plot. For planting seedlings, pyramidal multi-tiered structures made from any available material are used. The frame is made of boards or wire covered with mesh for enclosures.

The size of the pyramid is chosen arbitrarily, for example, the area is one square meter, the height of the structure is 160 cm, and the height of the tiers is 20 cm, provided that each tier has a smaller perimeter than the previous one. Plants can be planted in the gaps left between the tiers and filled with a nutrient mixture or soil. Such a pyramid can accommodate up to 70 strawberry bushes.

Business plan for growing strawberries for sale - what are the costs and how to calculate profitability and net profit?

• Primary expenses

At the initial stage, for year-round cultivation of strawberries, you can use a ready-made room located on a summer cottage. Let's say it will be a barn with an area of ​​20 square meters. m., converted into a greenhouse. Then the costs at the start will be minimal - up to 30,000 rubles. These include: the purchase of seedlings, peat, perlite, 3-mm-thick polyethylene film, costs for lighting, heating, and wages of employees.

• The easiest way to grow

Bags are made from film - tall containers with welded edges, with round up to 20 cm. They are filled with soil with the addition mineral fertilizers, the top of the bag is tied with twine. Next, peculiar “beds” are located in the greenhouse at the rate of 3 pieces per one square meter. Each bag should have 8 slits with a distance between them of 18 cm; seedlings are planted in them. The irrigation system will consist of plastic bottles, suspended above each “bed”. Several thin tubes are passed from each bottle to the bag.

• Profit calculation

You can get three harvests per year: 1 sq. m. will give about 30 kg of strawberries.

So in a year it will be:

20 x 30 = 600 kg from one harvest.

600 x 3 = 1800 kg for the whole year.

The cost of a kilogram of berries varies depending on the season - 200 rubles in summer, 550 rubles in winter.