Growing strawberries in substrate (soil-less media) has a variety of benefits. It can:
Help prevent soil-borne diseases
Increase yields
Improve quality
Reduce the costs associated with pesticides, fertilizer, and water
From February 11–13, Dennis Wilson of Delphy, a worldwide leader in food and flower production based in the Netherlands, will lead an 3-day workshop on growing strawberries in substrate. We’ll combine classroom and hands-on sessions in Cornell’s greenhouses to learn about the most effective methods for strawberry substrate production, troubleshooting, and more.
Here’s the preiminary agenda:
Day 1: Tuesday February 11
Morning (8 AM–12 PM): Introduction to substrate growing (Moakley House)
Brief history of substrate strawberry production in Northern Europe
Why convert from soil to substrate?
Examples of successful transition
Choice of container: bags vs. pots vs. troughs
Substrate systems at ground level in the field
Raised (tabletop) substrate systems for field and glasshouse
Vertical (multilevel) growing systems
Irrigation systems for substrate: drippers vs. in-line hose
Leaf and truss support on raised crops
Tunnel protection for tabletops
Overwintering substrate crops
Lunch (12 PM–1 PM)
Afternoon (1 PM–5 PM): Cornell berry & greenhouse research (Moakley House & Greenhouses)
Variety options in North America, plant types, nursery sources
How to nursery your own plants
Q&A: substrate basics
Day-neutral varieties
Tour of greenhouses
Day 2: Wednesday, February 12
Morning (8 AM – 12 PM): Plant water use and irrigation in substrate strawberries (Moakley House)
The role of water
What is evapo-transpiration (ET), and what factors influence ET/plant water use?
Root zone moisture (air/water relations)
How does substrate physical makeup affect air/water relations?
Run-off
Guidelines for moisture and run-off levels for substrate-grown crops
Adjustment of root zone moisture and run-off
Irrigation scheduling in substrate using solar radiation (Radsum) and static methods
Water use & irrigation frequency calculations for substrate strawberries
Lunch: 12 PM– 1 PM
Afternoon (1 PM – 5 PM): Substrate options and planting up (Greenhouse)
Substrate options
Initial substrate wet-up guidelines
Testing moisture levels
Planting up: bare root vs. potted
Setting up run-off stations
Measuring run-off
Measuring dripper uniformity
Assessing variation in moisture levels with WET Sensor
Day 3: Thursday, February 13
Morning (8 AM – 1PM): Strawberry substrate nutrition (Moakley House)
What are the essential elements, and their role in plants?
The main deficiencies and toxicities in substrate-grown strawberries
The effect of pH in plant nutrition, and how to measure it
Chelation of trace element sources
What do we mean by EC and how do we measure it?
What influence does EC have on substrate-grown strawberries?
Lunch (12 PM– 1 PM)
Afternoon (1 PM–5 PM): Strawberry substrate nutrition (Greenhouse)
Fertilizer sources used in substrate nutrition: blends vs. straight fertilizers
Equipment for Measuring EC + pH + Calibration of EC/pH Meters
Measuring raw water EC + pH
Measuring drip EC and pH, calculation of EC sum (drip + drain EC)
Daily monitoring procedures
Nutrition sampling in substrate
The workshop is limited to 35 participants, all of whom will walk away with the skills and knowledge they need to grow strawberries on substrate. We’ll begin at Moakley House in Ithaca, and travel by shuttle to our teaching locations. The cost is $195 NYSBGA members and $245 nonmembers.
Don’t miss out! Register for the In-Depth Strawerry Substrate Workshop today!
Breakfast, lunch, and printed handouts included. Midmorning and midafternoon breaks will also be provided. Accommodations are available at the Best Western University Inn in Ithaca; ask for a room for the New York State Berry Growers Association event. The Best Western provides a free hot breakfast and shuttle to the workshop. Plenty of parking is available at Moakley House, but carpooling will be required to visit the Cornell campus.