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Hydro-Berries

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Err

Anyone know much? Im researching Strawberries; Blueberries; and Raspberries. Any tips, sites, ect would be great.

Im thinking the strawberries may just be better in a coco hempy style cups for best/fastest production.

Then the rasp and blueberries I would do bubbleponic buckets in a little room. I did find this... http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/hydro/msg041345316972.html with some info on PPM's, PH, ect... but always like more input.

Is it for reals like weed tho? Veg a 24/0 for so long and then flower on a 12/12? Or is it like an autoflower?

And no I wont be going from seed, I will be finding cuttings for each... and deff a thornless raspberry tree...
 
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damobb

New member
Seen grapes,blueberrys,raspberry cuttings @ Lowes today. Must be about that time for outdoor gardens.
 
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damobb said:
Must be about that time for outdoor gardens.
Click to expand...

Not for me :( I dont have the space i used to... used to have a spot in the lawn that got PERFECT sun. But now I'm in an apartment :( Oh well, 150w HPS will do dandy to keep me munchin. prolly 4 T5HO's for the straws, then a 150w switchable MH/HPS for the rasp and blue's...
 
CalcioErba2004

CalcioErba2004

CalErba
Veteran
16 to 18 hours of light is good. You don't have to change the light cycle. Most berries are biennial meaning they will fruit in the 2nd growing season outdoors. Cannabis is an annual completing its life cycle in one growing season. You might be growing them for a while before they will fruit. Don't know if the plants you get from a nursery are on their 1st or 2nd year. You could ask. Spray all incoming plants and keep your rooms super clean. Check for pests constantly. Fruit attracts pests easier than weed. :joint:
 
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Hydro-Soil

Active member
Veteran
Check the gardening forums... you'll find LOTs of information on berries and such.

Find the specifics for each type and just adapt it to what you feel will work best, in your situation. I know that Blueberries like high acid soil... well, I could be wrong. So, go look :)

Since you're looking at semi-permanent setups (at least 2 years before a harvest) I would definitely spend some time thinking through the durability/useability/dependability of what you're building. Losing a crop that's 2 months old sucks... losing berry bushes that are 2 years old is.... well, you don't want to go there. :D

Personally.... for berries I would really look into an organic solution. They taste sooooooo dang good. :D

Stay Safe! :tree:
 
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Def organics... as i do my weed. But from some of my readings you can get 1 year harvesters, and they even have S.O.G. style plants for lowryder status lol. But any garden forums you have in mind? I could only find this one here on IC... and most outside garden fourms are dated 2-5 years.

Sounds like this is going to be a dive head first kinda thing. Its like T.A.G.; im not diving into new information... Just less widely used and researched.

I may even pull off a F.A.G aeroponic system for the fun of it too. Im not going to worry about dumping them with nutes... not looking for a steller harvest just something I enjoy since i cant always tend to the nuggies. Run simple GH nutes, or maybe Fox Farm.

But thanks for the info on spraying them down before introducing them to the cab to prevent bugs... wouldnt have thought about that. I dont have pest problems; but thats cause i know the sorce of my plants... not so easy with large garden centers and being outdoors doesnt ever help...

Anyone have tips for larger harvests tho? I know straw berries the idea is to clone all the shooters, as they are fast growth, and you remove them to not waste energy anyway. But what about blueberries and raspberries? Trimming tips ether?

Thanks guys!
 
Hephaestus

Hephaestus

Member
Might as well add to this thread... Not really old but similar questions :)

Picked up and germed some Mckenzie seeds strawberries recently (no latin name or cultivar info on the pack)... Trying to decide how best to grow them...

The garden center tells me they are a daylight neutral variety from their personal experience with them. So should see multiple harvests... Without needing to fridge/freeze to regenerate...

Not sure how knowledgeable the lady at the garden center was - but suggested that best solution for growing in a hydro media - would be to copy the commercial gardens, 3" pvc run horizontal, slot cut to create a tray, then filled with perlite - pump nutrient solution through ala NFT a couple times a day...

Do I trust the garden center lady? Or is there better knowledge out on ICM :)
 
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Hephaestus said:
Might as well add to this thread... Not really old but similar questions :)

Picked up and germed some Mckenzie seeds strawberries recently (no latin name or cultivar info on the pack)... Trying to decide how best to grow them...

The garden center tells me they are a daylight neutral variety from their personal experience with them. So should see multiple harvests... Without needing to fridge/freeze to regenerate...

Not sure how knowledgeable the lady at the garden center was - but suggested that best solution for growing in a hydro media - would be to copy the commercial gardens, 3" pvc run horizontal, slot cut to create a tray, then filled with perlite - pump nutrient solution through ala NFT a couple times a day...

Do I trust the garden center lady? Or is there better knowledge out on ICM :)
Click to expand...

The "Best" hydro setup, is the one that works for you. IMO, You have Soil - Hydro - Aero (high pressure only) within those three domains; you dont have much difference between the systems. NFT, Drip, Wick, DWC... are all hydro. Not one has one major advantage over another.

And as for multiple harvests, are you growing one large bush, or how do you plan? I've found the fastest; easiest production for strawberries is just to clone the runners... you cut em off anyway; why not get somethin from em?
 
Hephaestus

Hephaestus

Member
Pretty much thinking about this design:
Strawberries.jpg

Cut the PVC to create a tray, fill with perlite, then use a lowish volume pump to feed it a few times a day... Pipes going to get mounted inside my veg cabinet above the SWC tub closer to the lights to maximize space/light. I read that the rhyzome / runners really need to be kept dry to avoid issues - so I'm thinking the garden center lady may actually know what she's talking about...

Fingers crossed enough plants to just fill a 2" pipe - from reading the daylight neutrals are piss poor at producing runners... but yeah, we'll cut / spread and maximize what we can...
 
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Frozenguy

Active member
Veteran
You know, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, they aren't berries..

Bananas, tomatoes, grapes, watermelons are berries, along with cranberry, elderberry, gooseberry and several others.

Either way, you are growing some very tasty "berries"!!!
 
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Frozenguy said:
You know, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, they aren't berries..

Bananas, tomatoes, grapes, watermelons are berries, along with cranberry, elderberry, gooseberry and several others.

Either way, you are growing some very tasty "berries"!!!
Click to expand...

Why not... cause they're the seeds?

Anyway, who cares if the runners cant be wet... you dont want them on there anyway! They dont even collect sun like leaves at least! The only use for runners i've seen is to clone...

And why Fill the tubes with perlite? So much mess and frustration. Just cut holes for 2" neoprenes, or do hydroton and net cups. A lot of people do the NFT style in open drains, filled with hydroton... why? Invites Algae and other root issues.

The best thing to use for NFT style, is 4x4 square fence posts. Cheap, easy to cut, easy to work with (its square not round!).
 
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Frozenguy

Active member
Veteran
Err said:
Why not... cause they're the seeds?
Click to expand...

Well, I'm not too sure about the others, but strawberries have common lineage with roses believe it or not..

And I guess a berry is a fruit that comes from a single ovary or something like that.
 
SlowCalaToker

SlowCalaToker

Member
Frozenguy said:
Well, I'm not too sure about the others, but strawberries have common lineage with roses believe it or not..

And I guess a berry is a fruit that comes from a single ovary or something like that.
Click to expand...

Exactly.

"Technically, strawberries aren't berries at all. They're "aggregate fruits": they form from a flower that has many ovaries. Since an aggregate fruit forms from more than one ovary, it's called a complex fruit. Raspberries (aggregate fruit), blackberries (ditto) and mulberries (multiple fruit) are also complex fruits.

True berries, on the other hand, are a type of simple fruit: they form from a flower that has just one ovary. The inside of a berry is soft and mushy and usually has more than one seed. Grapes, tomatoes and cranberries are berries. So are bananas!"

http://www.ohio4h.org/~news/story.php?id=2554
 
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Frozenguy

Active member
Veteran
SlowCalaToker said:
Exactly.

"Technically, strawberries aren't berries at all. They're "aggregate fruits": they form from a flower that has many ovaries. Since an aggregate fruit forms from more than one ovary, it's called a complex fruit. Raspberries (aggregate fruit), blackberries (ditto) and mulberries (multiple fruit) are also complex fruits.

True berries, on the other hand, are a type of simple fruit: they form from a flower that has just one ovary. The inside of a berry is soft and mushy and usually has more than one seed. Grapes, tomatoes and cranberries are berries. So are bananas!"

http://www.ohio4h.org/~news/story.php?id=2554
Click to expand...

Interesting.. So what about a fig? I was at a botanical garden and a staff member said that there is a specific bee (or hornet or something?) that pollinates a specific fig tree and there are over 700?! Anyways they crawl up into the fig through the bristly bottom nub and pollinate each individual flower (hopefully) on the inside of the fig. Is that like an aggregate?
Or, you said multiple ovaries, one flower. Hmm.. Maybe its not then..
 
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