Strawberry Greenhouse

Strawberry climate control is dominated by humidity and airflow. Fruit quality and shelf life collapse when free moisture sits on the fruit surface, so ventilation capacity matters more than heating capacity in most regions.

• Day 18 – 22 °C, night 8 – 12 °C for fruit firmness
• Large ventilation area, 20 – 25 % of floor surface
• Humidity kept below 85 % RH to protect fruit quality
• Air circulation under the gutters to dry the fruit zone
• Bumblebee-safe climate and spray strategy for pollination

Substrate volume per plant is small in table-top systems, so irrigation runs frequently and in small doses. Precise EC control steers the balance between vegetative growth and fruit set across the flowering flushes.

• Coco or peat substrate in elevated gutters
• Frequent low-volume cycles, radiation driven
• Feed EC 1.2 – 1.8 mS/cm, lower than tomato
• Drain collection and recirculation along the gutter run
• Cooling of irrigation water in warm production windows

Strawberry tolerates slightly lower light than high-wire vegetables, so well-specified multi span film greenhouses often deliver better returns. Glass becomes attractive when deep-winter production commands a strong premium.

Harvest labour typically represents the largest operating cost. Gutter height, aisle width, internal transport and picking cart design should be planned as one ergonomic system.

• Gutter layout and row spacing for picking speed
• Internal transport and cooling flow
• Cold chain and packing integration
• Seasonal labour planning