Growing strawberries as a business in the Urals. Sweet business: business of growing strawberries. Which taxation system to choose

10.10.2020

Strawberries are very popular, and besides, they are also insanely tasty and healthy. This berry is enjoyed by children and adults, grandmothers and mothers cook fragrant jam, it is served as a dessert in expensive restaurants, juices are made from it at factories and added to fruit yogurts. Business and Strawberry How can they be connected? You must first answer - where to buy strawberries? You can buy it from grandmother gardeners. But for store shelves, this berry is in short supply. So if the situation looks like this, then why not organize a strawberry growing business?

How to start a highly profitable strawberry growing business

Let's start with the fact that for the cultivation of any crops, including strawberries, small businesses, and not only small ones, have the right, as an agricultural producer, to help and support from the state in the form of subsidies, soft loans. This is due to the implementation of the state program "Development of the agro-industrial complex". But for this it is necessary to have the status of an agricultural producer. This status can be obtained by a peasant farm that has organized a home-grown strawberry business. The composition of the KFH may include both family members and employees.

Starting a home grown strawberry business is not very difficult.

At the initial stage, you should not chase large volumes. It will be quite sufficient, both in terms of gaining experience and in terms of initial costs, to start a home business growing strawberries from 10-15 acres on open field and equip a greenhouse on 2-3 acres.

As for the expense side, the home-based strawberry growing business is not particularly costly. First you need to draw up an approximate business plan for strawberries.

So, for example, for growing strawberries on 10-15 acres of open ground and 2-3 acres in greenhouses, no more than 60 thousand rubles should be invested. This figure is given taking into account the construction and equipment of greenhouses, the purchase of seedlings and fertilizers. Now let's move on to the profitable part of a project called a home business - growing strawberries.

Practice shows that the average profitability of the "strawberry business" is about 100%. This is because the product is in high demand, with which so far the supply from the side Russian market still not coping.

Everything described above is available only during the spring-autumn period, but what should a farmer do in winter time? After all, it is in winter that the demand for strawberries reaches incredible heights (here it is - the strawberry business all year round). Today, technology makes it possible to organize a business at home growing strawberries, i.e. not in the garden, not in the greenhouse, but at home, in the room. The harvest will not be as large as in summer, but this will provide the farmer with income even out of season.

And in conclusion, I would like to note that a highly profitable strawberry growing business will become just that if, before starting the journey, you think about the business and pleasure that strawberry lovers will receive, and not about the amount of future income.

Strawberry business. Reviews

A home based strawberry business is very profitable. Its profitability is about 100% - many ordinary people have already joined the ranks of businessmen through the implementation of this business plan.

Thus, the idea of growing strawberries is very beneficial.

You can download a business plan for growing strawberries: download.

Useful materials:

agriculture business plan

billiard club business plan

website development business plan

profitable business

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The real way to business on strawberries

For some reason, in the topic about making money on strawberries, there is always some kind of hype and speculation. Some crazy profit - 55 thousand rubles. per square meter, growing all year round in bags, according to Dutch technology, etc.

In this material, all this will not be. In addition, in our countryside, where there are many farmers, household plots and other active people, something is not heard about the year-round super business in strawberries. We do not grow strawberries in greenhouses either. Although in the area greenhouse farms a lot of. Mostly cucumbers and tomatoes.

I offer in this article a real way to make seasonal earnings on strawberries. The necessary conditions for this - desire, time and land. Moreover, the amount of profit will depend on the size of the land plot.
As already discussed on this site in the material on prices and demand for garden and vegetable garden products, prices for local strawberries are always quite high, but the rush demand is only in spring and summer. The highest price for the earliest strawberries.

Many of our entrepreneurs do it simply. They go to the southern regions of the Krasnodar Territory, where people specialize in growing strawberries, and it ripens there earlier than here. They buy goods there in bulk quantities, bring them and trade in the local market. Good and simple earnings - went, bought, sold. And no hassle of growing.

There are, of course, their downsides. Prices there, in the south, have recently not been so low, and unstable to boot. One price today, another higher tomorrow. Another disadvantage is the short storage of strawberries. And if you brought a lot of it, and the competition is big, then you have to seriously drop the price. At the same time, profits begin to tend to zero. And then you can be at a loss.

It's no secret that growing and trading your own goods is much more profitable in financially. Even in case of failure, for example, if they grew something that no one buys, there are practically no financial losses, only wasted labor.

This does not apply to strawberries. This berry is in demand.

How to make money on strawberries on your land

So, we grow strawberries for sale in the open field. But we need to “stretch” the fruiting of this berry as much as possible in time.

What is needed for that? It is necessary to plant several varieties of strawberries in your garden - the earliest, middle and late. For example, the earliest strawberries in our area grow in our house. Ripens actually two weeks earlier than all other varieties. The bushes are tall, the berries do not lie on the ground. The first berries are quite large, the next ones are smaller. Unfortunately, I do not know the name of the variety. Once he took for divorce from people who also did not know the name. In any case, you can ask and find the earliest strawberry variety for your area. Surely there are people who sell strawberry seedlings. They must know.

The main financial costs are the purchase of seedlings. What are the prices? Different prices. For example, I bought varieties Elizabeth and Victoria for 4 rubles per seedling. I bought from a person who is engaged in growing seedlings. And he told everything how and when to plant, the characteristics of varieties, etc.

We plant the purchased seedlings at the end of summer or at the beginning of autumn, so that in the spring there would already be something to trade. Our dates for planting strawberry seedlings are early September, when the heat subsides.

After you have found the earliest variety of strawberries, you need to plant it in three beds (or more correctly in parts). The size depends on your capabilities.
We cover the first bed with plastic wrap, i.e. make a greenhouse over it.
We cover the second bed with non-woven covering material. The third is left to grow under normal conditions in open ground.

What do we get as a result? We get even earlier strawberries. Two weeks earlier, she ripens under a non-woven covering material (white spunbond). And even earlier ripens under the film.

Thus, it is possible to exit the strawberry trade at least a month earlier than the moment when strawberries begin to sing en masse at local population. And the sale price will be very high at this time.

Medium strawberries can also be covered with foil or spunbond to increase the yield of early strawberries. Accordingly, the profit will also increase. After all, we sell at this time for enough high price.

It is easier to cover the beds with a spunbond than with a film. They covered the bed on top, fixed it around the edges and that's it. For the film it is necessary to build a greenhouse. The simplest greenhouse design is described in the article about getting early cucumbers.

Medium and late strawberries, grown simply in the open field, also have a good cost and are in good demand during the season. The amount of profit depends only on the volume of planting strawberries on your site.

To maximize the duration of fruiting until autumn, and, accordingly, additional profit from the sale of strawberries, you can plant high-yielding remontant varieties of large-fruited strawberries (strawberries). For example, Elizabeth, Sashenka F1, Lizonka F1, etc.

Is it profitable to grow strawberries? Profit calculation

Let's count. Depending on the variety and plant care, one strawberry bush can produce up to 1-2 kg. In that year, in our market, the price for early strawberries was 200 rubles per kilogram, late (when the population has already ripened its own) - 80-100 rubles. For a long time the price was 150 rubles. Moreover, the demand for local products is always more active than for imported ones.

Earlier in this article, I said that I bought seedlings at 4 rubles per 1 piece. Accordingly, for 1000 rubles we buy 250 seedlings. Let us get 1 kg of berries from one seedling and sell it at a price of 100 rubles per kilogram. It turns out 25,000 rubles from 1,000 rubles spent on the purchase of seedlings. And if we sell for 150 rubles? And if we get 1.5 kg of berries from each bush?

How many bushes can be planted on 1 acre of land (square 10 by 10 meters)? With a distance of 60 cm between rows and 30 cm between bushes in rows, about 550 plants can be planted on one hundred square meters. In total, with our calculation (1 kg for 100 rubles), we get 55,000 rubles from one hundred square meters. Profitable? Perhaps yes.

I set myself the task of getting the maximum income in the village from growing strawberries with minimal investment. In the business plan, I considered two directions: a strawberry business with a focus on growing berries and growing strawberry seedlings for sale. Depending on the start-up capital You can choose one direction or combine them.

Choosing a strawberry variety for growing for sale

It's hard to choose a strawberry variety from such a wide range which is now available in online stores. Take this issue very seriously, your income greatly depends on it. I have already chosen for myself a variety for small business - an early Olvia variety.

For several years we have been growing only Chamora Turussi on our site in the village. The variety is large-fruited and tasty. We thought that this variety is high-yielding and well suited for the strawberry business (one minus is low transportability). But everything is relative. Variety Olvia showed a yield 2 times higher than that of Chamora. At the same time, the yield of marketable berries is almost 100% (for Chamora, 60-70%).

Features of the variety Olvia

Ultra early variety (a few days earlier than Honey)
Suitable for eating fresh berries and for processing
Frost and drought resistant
The berry is tasty, shiny, very spectacular appearance in a container
Yield up to 1kg per bush. The output of marketable berries is almost 100%

Variety Olvia gives just a huge number of sockets for reproduction. From our experience, from the mother liquor (130 pcs.) For 2 years we took about 2000 pcs of seedlings.

There is an article on the Internet by a gardener who has been growing strawberries for 30 years. He puts Olvia first.

It is worth noting that I consider Olvia one of the best varieties for small businesses (direct sales without long-term storage and transportation. Collected and sold on the same day). For sale, it is better to collect the berry immediately in plastic trays with a capacity of 0.5-1 kg.

If you need a berry with good transportability, then pay attention to the following early varieties: Alba, Clery, Honey.

Business plan for growing strawberries outdoors

The first year is the laying of the mother liquor.

The mother liquor can be laid in autumn or spring. Autumn planting of seedlings is preferable for me (better survival of seedlings). We plant according to the scheme 25-35 cm distance between plants in a row (depending on the strength of the growth of the bush), 100 - 120 cm - the distance between the rows (we will direct the mustache into the aisles). When flower stalks appear, they must be removed immediately, thus stimulating the bush to produce planting material. Then, 1-2 times a week, go through the mother liquor and remove the newly appeared flower stalks until the strawberry bushes begin to produce mustaches. As soon as the first roots begin to appear on the seedlings, the aisle should be well moistened in order to accelerate the rooting of the seedlings. For a full harvest next year seedlings must be received and planted no later than the beginning of August. But at this time, as a rule, it is hot, and it is not easy to make the seedlings take root on the site. The way out can be the cultivation of strawberry seedlings with a closed root system (in cassettes or cups).

Cost calculations

Buying seedlings:Olvia (Clery, Alba or others) - 1000 pcs.
Drip irrigation (per 10 acres)
HDPE pipe (20 m)
Filters
Drip Tape (2000m)
Fittings (40 pcs)

The first year (end of summer - beginning of autumn) - laying the site. From the mother liquor (1000 seedlings) it is possible to lay approximately a plot of 10 acres (5-7 thousand seedlings).

Second year. From the mother liquor, you can already take not only seedlings, but also berries - 600-800 kg. We cover all expenses for the first year, buy drip irrigation, mulch film and agrofibre, expand the plot. We plant part of the seedlings on film, part on agrofiber, compare and choose the mulching material for ourselves.

When growing strawberries, weeding weeds takes a lot of time and effort. When we earn on the sale of berries, it will be possible to buy mulching material.

Strawberries are delicious, sweet, and therefore almost everyone loves them. That is why such a business is so attractive and popular among those who know how to work the land: their favorite berries are always on the table, and there is an opportunity to make good money.

What are the benefits of a berry growing business?

The main advantages of this business are:

relatively small investment at the initial stage;
the ability to grow berries in any season;
good income in winter;
short payback;
harvesting does not require much effort.

It would be fair to warn about the risks of such a business:

the occurrence of a plant disease, the appearance of harmful insects is possible;
with improper care, the plant can deteriorate: wither, rot.

Therefore, in order to avoid losses and disappointments, thoroughly study all aspects of this business before starting.

Strawberry cultivation options and their features

There are several options for growing berries (in open ground, closed, protected), each of which has its own advantages. Evaluate your strengths, financial capabilities. In addition, it is important to decide whether to breed only seedlings, or grow berries.

Home cultivation (indoors)

The business of growing seedlings and strawberries can be run even at home - this does not require a lot of space and investments. You can grow berries in a small area: on a balcony, loggia or in a garage.

Suitable for home growing your favorite berry dutch technology. The essence of the method: a plastic bag is filled with perlite and peat. Further, holes are made in it for seedlings, irrigation tubes are brought in and an artificial lighting system is being established. Three bags can be placed per 1 square meter.

At the initial stage, watering can be done independently, that is, manually. Later, you can install a drip system. You will also have to pollinate the berries - at home, strawberries do not pollinate themselves. For this, a brush with natural bristles is suitable. If the plantation is large, you can use a home fan.

Since the plant needs air circulation, the room in which you decide to grow strawberries should be well ventilated. To do this, it is enough to keep the window open. It should be noted that strawberries really need light. Therefore, it is desirable to choose a sunny side for seedlings.

Home growing of berries is suitable for beginner businessmen. In this case, it is more convenient to build a business on growing seedlings than on fruits.

Greenhouse (protected ground)

The method of growing berries in a greenhouse is an option for those who want to engage in such a business all year round. This will require appropriate costs: for the installation of a greenhouse structure, equipment for irrigation and heating, greenhouse lighting. The greenhouse method of growing strawberries requires many times more expenses than growing in open ground. But, accordingly, the income is higher.

The plant in the greenhouse matures several months faster than in the open field. Affect it artificial optimal conditions for cultivation. With proper care, the berries will be beautiful and useful.

Strawberries in a heated greenhouse are often planted in the soil. You can also plant the plant in small containers - special berry blocks or in boxes filled with a mixture of coconut and peat.

By the way, in greenhouses you can also have another source of income.

open ground

Growing berries in open ground is possible only during the season. It also has its pros and cons. The advantages, of course, include minimum investment compared to other methods. Strawberries in season are easy to grow, not difficult to sell. The taste and aroma of strawberries grown in this way is unmatched by others. This method of growing is great for beginners in this business.

The disadvantages include the risk of a possible negative impact of nature. For example, strawberries can burn in the sun or vice versa, freeze. In addition, the plant needs to be replanted every 4 years.

Start-up costs

Costs directly depend on the option of growing a plant:

Home planting in protected ground.
Greenhouse planting in closed ground.
In open ground.

Home planting of berries at the initial stage requires purchase costs:

equipment (containers, racks);
planting material;
soil;
lighting systems.

The method of growing strawberries in a greenhouse, in addition to those listed above, requires the following costs:

building a greenhouse;
carrying out lighting and water supply in it.

Growing a plant in open ground requires the following costs:

purchase of planting material;
soil treatment from harmful insects;
fertilizers.

Which grade to choose for business

For growing strawberries, it is better to choose varieties of different ripening periods. In this way, “downtime” during the ripening process can be avoided.

early maturing varieties

Early varieties include:

Olivia is a winter-hardy variety that withstands the difficult Russian climate well. This strawberry has a spectacular marketable condition- the berries are large, regular in shape, withstand transportation well.
Alba is one of the best early varieties for industry. Strawberries are disease resistant, handle transportation well and have a long shelf life.
Clery is a great choice for business. This variety is perfectly preserved during transportation, gives a lot of planting material (whiskers). Clary's view is very effective - a bright berry, like a varnished skin, you want to buy such a strawberry.

Early ripening varieties require special care:

regular watering with water not colder than 25 degrees;
mulching beds with compost;
airing the plant in sunny weather.

Varieties of medium maturity:

For doing business, you can choose the following varieties:

Marmalade is a variety with the advantage of high yield. Strawberry regular conical shape with a sheen.
Arosa is also a good choice for growing. The berries of this variety are bright orange in color and slightly flattened.
Asia - has a high sugar content, making the berries very tasty. Strawberries are resistant to frost, diseases, long-term storage. This is one of the best grades for the industry.

Varieties of medium ripening need mainly the following:

correct control of temperature conditions;
drip irrigation.

late maturing variety

Late ripening strawberries suitable for growing for sale include a variety such as Malvina - berries are sweet, with a delicate aroma. Strawberries are resistant to natural influences, but susceptible to insect damage.

Variety care:

this strawberry is distinguished by the growth of leaves, therefore, to improve ventilation, illumination and ripening of berries, it is better to thin out the leaves during the fruiting period;
the variety requires fertilization with nitrogen substances, while it is very important that the application of top dressing is moderate.

Repair varieties

The difference between remontant varieties is their ability to bear fruit three times during the growing season. Best business options:

Monterey is a variety suitable for growing in a greenhouse. Excellent harvest, juicy berries.
Portola is a new variety, an improvement of Albion. It differs from it in a milder taste and high yield.
San Andreas - similar to the characteristics of the Albion variety, but the San Andreas berries are larger. Strawberries are weather and disease resistant.

Care for remontant varieties includes:

abundant watering;
loosening the soil;
treatment for pests and diseases;
soil fertilization;
weeding;
for some varieties - removal of whiskers.

Garlic planted between bushes will protect strawberries from pests.

Watch this video for tips on growing strawberries from a plant expert at the Green Garden community. The expert will talk about the seasonal features of plant care:

Strawberry marketing options

The most acceptable ways to sell goods:

Delivery of strawberries to your home is an actual way of marketing in many locality, for example, a millionaire.
Sales through supermarkets.
Delivery of berries for processing.
Sales through own outlets: market, shop in a supermarket or mall. This option is suitable for the sale of large volumes of strawberries.

Each sales option requires the execution of certain documents!

Profitability of the strawberry business

To calculate the profitability from the sale of strawberries, it is necessary to calculate all costs: from the purchase of material to the delivery of goods to the buyer. Don't forget your monthly electricity and heating bills. You also need to know the expected profit.

A square meter of seedlings produces 4.5 kg of fruit per month - this formula should be the starting point for calculating monthly profits. That is, a plantation of 50 squares will bring 225 kg of berries per month.

Depending on the season, the cost of berries varies dramatically. Average price it is considered 400-500 rubles. per kilogram. Accordingly, a plantation with an area of 50 squares will bring an income of 90 - 112.5 thousand rubles a month.

Thus, the liquidity of the strawberry business is only a few months.

The opportunity to receive high income from the sale of berries or strawberry seedlings - main reason, according to which amateur gardeners retrained into businessmen. Regardless of the season, the competition is only imported expensive goods with average taste, which is also a great advantage of this business.

Among the various business ideas, not the last place is occupied by those related to the cultivation of various vegetable and berry crops. For example, someone, and someone - strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers. Looking at people who earn big money in the field of gardening, you involuntarily begin to think about creating own business. Strawberries in the greenhouse all year round as a business - one of the most profitable ideas in the horticultural business.

Everyone loves strawberries, especially children. At the same time, not only juicy and fresh berries are respected and loved, but also preparations from the fruits of this culture - jams, jams can become an excellent culinary ingredient or a real table decoration in winter. And “their own” fresh berry in the cold months is completely unattainable for many - except to defrost the frozen one, but this is a completely different story. That is why fresh and fragrant strawberries have always been used and will continue to be used. in great demand on the market, especially in winter.

Strawberries in their own juice - a delicious treat for sale

In an ordinary summer cottage, the strawberry season usually begins in early or mid-summer. If you plant bushes in a greenhouse, you can get another crop of berries before the cold weather. But when the warm days are over, strawberries can only be found on store shelves. And, it is worth noting, sometimes for a very immodest price. That is why the strawberry business can rightfully be considered a great way to make money.

On a note! Profit from strawberries can be obtained all year round. In the summer, this is the sale of berries for the preparation of blanks, but in the winter, it is most likely that it will hit the table fresh.

According to statistics, every year more and more strawberry lovers appear in Russia. The rate of consumption of this berry is constantly increasing by about 30%. That is why the idea of investing in growing strawberries is a pretty good idea. Moreover, organizing such a business is not so expensive even for a novice businessman, especially if he is an avid gardener who is familiar with growing strawberries. Moreover, sometimes you only need to invest capitally once.

On a note! Do not expect profit from growing strawberries instantly. First you need to work hard, then to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

However, it is important to remember that strawberries are a capricious plant, it is important for them to provide constant attention and proper care. Otherwise, there is a great risk of losing everything. But on the other hand, a plantation that is carefully looked after will repay you handsomely, giving you a big harvest.

The best way to grow strawberries for profit is to grow them in a greenhouse.

Advantages of a strawberry business in a greenhouse:

the opportunity to get a big harvest on modest areas - about 50 tons of berries can be harvested from 1 hectare of soil;
good demand for products;
weather independence and climatic zones– the crop can be harvested throughout the year;
minimal investment in an already built business;
fairly quick payback;
the opportunity to find a permanent consumer and establish regular sales of goods.

Disadvantages of growing strawberries as a business:

large capital investments at the initial stage;
attentive and caring care of plants is necessary, the correct pollination process and long daylight hours (or the organization of additional lighting) are especially important.

In order to organize a strawberry growing business, you will have to attend to the preparation of permits. Of course, it is possible to cultivate this berry illegally, but then you are unlikely to have regular customers, and it will be difficult to expand the business, because you will not be able to legally open outlets. It is easiest to arrange at first individual entrepreneurship. At the same time, since you will be engaged in agricultural activities, your taxation will be more gentle.

Prices for strawberry seeds

Strawberry seeds

Video - Single agricultural tax

On a note! You will also need official registration of an enterprise to take loans from a bank or receive various subsidies and subsidies for small businesses - now such programs operate almost throughout Russia.

To grow strawberries, you will also need a land plot of at least 120 m 2 on which you will install, which must be equipped with racks for growing berries, lighting fixtures (to simplify the plantation care process a little). You may also need various garden tools and labor - all this is important to take into account when forming a business plan and calculating profitability periods.

You can rent a land plot or grow berries on your own (for starters, in small volumes). But it is better to immediately tune in to capital production, since "everything that is done for a while remains forever." Such is our mentality.

It is also important to think about how to ensure a constant water supply to the plantation. It makes no sense to equip it far from pipelines or wells, since you will spend a lot of money on the supply of life-giving moisture.

Prices for drip irrigation systems

drip irrigation systems

You will also need equipment for storing the collected berries until it is sold. It will be quickly bought up with an established distribution system, but until the moment it is transferred to a store or restaurant, it needs to be stored somewhere.

You may also need, among other things, various fertilizers and additives for plants, and, of course, you must buy the plants themselves. Strawberries can be grown from seeds on their own, or you can purchase already grown seedlings and simply plant them on the site. In the second case, fruiting will begin earlier, but the cost of purchasing planting material will be higher.

Profitability and sales

As experts say, growing strawberries pays off quickly. As a rule, it takes no more than one season for the profitability to be 100%. The thing is that there will always be a demand for strawberries. In summer, of course, it drops somewhat, but in winter you will be able to easily sell all the grown products. And the costs of organizing a business, as we have already said, are high only at first - this is the purchase of a greenhouse and inventory, seedlings, renting a plot, and so on.

In order for the strawberry growing business to be successful, it is also important to establish contacts through which the sale of products will occur. Sales can be done in three ways.

Sale to shops, supermarkets, restaurants. It is important to conclude contracts with these institutions for permanent supplies. However, it should be remembered that both restaurants and shops will set high requirements for the quality of the berry - it must be not only tasty, but also attractive.
Sales through own outlets. not always successful and profitable option, often remains unsold goods. But on the other hand, you can sell the berry at a higher price than in the first case. You will also have to spend shop equipment, rent and wages to the seller.
Home delivery of berries. An option that can be organized in a large settlement. You can sell berries through websites or social networks. However, a good, explosive advertising campaign is very important.

On a note! In winter, you can make money on strawberries much faster than in summer, since it is during the cold season that the demand for it increases.

Also, when you have a berry, you will have to get another series of documents in order to be able to sell the goods. This is a declaration of conformity with GOST and a phytosanitary certificate. Rosselkhoznadzor specialists can tell you how to get them - there are a lot of nuances that only they can explain.

Greenhouse for strawberries

What should be the greenhouse for growing strawberries all year round? To begin with - capitally built, having, insulated.

It is best to build a polycarbonate greenhouse for strawberries - this material retains heat much better than glass, but the film is not at all suitable as a covering material in winter. The easiest way is to purchase a ready-made greenhouse, install it on the foundation and be sure to think over the heating system in it. It is good if the structure also has a special vestibule for the winter period, so as not to let warm air out of the room.

Also, the ventilation system should be thought out in the greenhouse - plants need fresh air, moreover, in summer period strawberries will be hot.

Another important aspect is lighting. In the summer, the plants have enough light that will penetrate through the polycarbonate, but in the winter you will have to additionally highlight the berry.

On a note! Strawberries can be grown in beds, or they can be cultivated according to the so-called Dutch technology - in bags. In the second case, you will need the arrangement of special racks. By the way, they will perfectly help to use the space in the greenhouse more rationally.

Without fail, the greenhouse must be equipped with a drip irrigation system. The fact is that strawberries do not like chaotic moistening, they like slow and gentle watering, which will not allow water to get on the delicate leaves of the plant and the berries themselves. And this is just drip.

Varieties

An important aspect in organizing a strawberry business is the choice of variety. This is also not such a simple matter.

To begin with, it is worth reporting that strawberries for growing in a greenhouse are usually chosen:

self-pollinated, which does not need the presence of pollinating insects;
repairing, which is able to bloom several times per season and bears fruit constantly.

On a note! Many gardeners consider remontant strawberries to be worse in taste, but in reality this is not the case. These varieties also produce a tasty harvest.

Table. Varieties of strawberries for growing in a greenhouse.

Name, photo	Description
	It bears fruit with very large and beautiful, fairly dense and juicy berries, which can have a mass of 50 g, and sometimes all 125 g. The variety has a high yield - up to 5 kg of sweet berries can be harvested from one bush per season. The disadvantage is the need for annual renewal of the bushes in order to avoid crushing the crop.
	Gives smaller (up to 40 g) berries with a unique taste. Sufficiently dense and juicy fruits appear very quickly - just 1.5 months after planting the seedlings in the soil, you can harvest the first crop. From one bush you can collect up to 1.5 kg of berries.

	Gives medium-sized, but very tasty and fragrant berries. High-yielding variety (2 kg per bush). It begins to bloom immediately after rooting and therefore bears fruit early. Forms little mustache.
	A variety that does not form a mustache and actively bears fruit. It gives fragrant and sweet berries weighing about 40 g. By the way, this is not even a strawberry, but a strawberry.

When choosing a variety, be sure to think about what conditions for normal development and growth, as well as fruiting, this or that species needs. For the strawberry business, those that do not react strongly to changes in daylight hours, constantly bloom and bear fruit profusely, and give very tasty and fragrant berries, are best suited.

Growing strawberries

You can grow strawberries by seed or seedlings. The second is simpler and more reliable, and you will get the harvest faster. Seedlings can be purchased at a specialized nursery. Buy the one that grew out of the mustache of the first or second order. Having purchased seedlings, you need to plant them in a greenhouse. The berry can be grown using various technologies - according to tradition in the beds and in the Dutch way. Let's take a closer look at the traditional method.

Step 1. In the greenhouse, be sure to properly form the beds. They usually have a width of 1 m, and between them there are small passages. The best soil for strawberries is crushed stone, sand and black soil poured out in layers (layer thickness 6, 10 and 8 cm, respectively).

Step 2 Fertilize the soil by adding some mineral fertilizers (for example, Sulfoammophos) to it - about 10 g per m 2.

Prices for mineral fertilizers

mineral fertilizers

Step 3 Make holes for strawberry seedlings in a checkerboard pattern at a distance of about 30 cm from each other and 10 cm deep.

Strawberries are certainly loved by many, but there is one problem - the seasonal ripening of berries. Harvesting is carried out in June - July, then it can be eaten only in preparations (jam, jam, freezing) or you can buy an imported product that does not always have good quality due to long transportation and a huge amount of chemicals introduced into the berries to increase storage period.

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

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

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

So, we open a strawberry business.

Business plan or calculate 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 moment.

There are two options:

Open ground.
Greenhouse.

An open field 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 the traditional way - in boxes, containers, or beds - try growing strawberries 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 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 periods may be 100% or more.

For example, consider the profitability of a small farm, i.e. there is 1 heifer with an area of 80 m². On such an area, 65 m² of racks are freely placed, each m² of usable area with fruit-bearing plants produces about 5 kg of berries per month - 65x5x400 r. (the cost of berries in the off-season) = 130,000 r. - profit.

From such a 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 return on the primary costs of the strawberry business, when growing berries in a greenhouse, is no more than 3 months, to which it is necessary to add another 3 months for plant growth, ovary and ripening of berries. As a result, it turns out that after six months you can get a net profit.

Business - strawberries all year round. Agrotechnics of cultivation

Greenhouse selection

The soil

To ensure intensive and continuous fruiting, ordinary garden or garden soil is not suitable; only an enriched, highly nutritious substrate should be used. For self-preparation of 500 kg of suitable soil, you will need:

Straw (wheat or oats) - 300 kg.
Mullein or chicken manure - 190 kg.
Chalk ground - 7 kg.
Urea - 3 kg.

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

color - dark brown;
structure - homogeneous, light;
ammonia smell - absent.

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

Watering

Optimally, for strawberry irrigation, use the drip irrigation method. Such a system consists of simple structures:

flexible, pre-drilled rubber hoses;
dropper;
water source - an ordinary tap or container for irrigation.

With drip irrigation, water enters directly under the plant, to the root system, nourishing it and at the same time not waterlogging the soil.

How to make money on strawberries - implementation

Don't know how to make money on strawberries? Before starting a business, it is necessary to think in advance how and where to subsequently sell products. Given the properties of strawberries (tender, little stored without special equipment), this issue is very relevant.

Marketing methods

Self sale.
The method is quite problematic because, firstly, you need to rent retail space, at least some 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-shops.
This option is not bad. After concluding a supply agreement, providing a certificate of product quality and a document on the fertilizers used in growing, you can supply berries to trading network and receive your legitimate income without worrying about anything.
Delivery of berries to processing enterprises.
As a rule, such enterprises pay significantly less for the products provided than they can get from sellers of fresh berries, but there are also positive moment- volumes. For those who have large areas with strawberry plantings, this option can be extremely beneficial if you draw up a contract with the company for a long time with regular supplies of raw materials.