Strawberries are grown in a wide range of different production systems with the objective of producing high yields of quality fruit with sufficient flexibility to meet market demands and labour availability. I have come across these production systems during my recent visit to a strawberry farm:
High tunnels are simple polyethylene-covered unheated structures placed over drip irrigated ground beds. They are used to extend the production season of a wide variety of crops including strawberries. The tunnels provide protection from unfavourable weather conditions, such as wind, hail, frost, and excessive rainfall resulting in better survival rate of strawberry plants. High tunnels also provide a sheltered environment for pickers at the time of harvest.
Tabletop strawberries:
Tabletop systems enable growing strawberries off the ground in grow bags. Following are the advantages of this system: plants are easier to pick, there are no weeds, no soil borne diseases and no slugs.
Tabletop systems enable growing strawberries off the ground in grow bags. Following are the advantages of this system: plants are easier to pick, there are no weeds, no soil borne diseases and no slugs.
Matted row strawberries:
Mother and daughter plants grow side by side with plants trained to run in narrow rows. The noted advantages of this system are relatively low initial investment costs and exploiting the natural growing habit of the strawberry plant.
With improvement in technology the quality and quantity of the agricultural produce can be increased thereby expanding the nutritional options as well as quality of life available to people.Technology and nature can work together to feed a growing population.
Strawberries are a gift of nature to mankind and as humans we should appreciate this and encourage their growth in abundance.
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