Grow Fresh Strawberries This Winter—Here’s How!
We hope this letter finds you well! We’re excited to share some exciting news from our greenhouse here in the Pacific Northwest.
You know how much we love fresh strawberries, right? Well, last year, we found a way to enjoy them even through the winter—by growing them in our greenhouse in the Sturdi-Built showroom!
Everyone at Sturdi-Built loves the idea of fresh strawberries in the colder months – we indulge in them with a bit of sugar, whipping up strawberry cheesecake, making shakes, and of course, preparing lots of strawberry jam! Usually, our strawberry plants go dormant come fall, but now, thanks to a few simple adjustments, we’re keeping them going, giving us that fresh summer flavor all the way through winter.
How We Grow Strawberries in Winter
If you’d like to try this yourself, here’s exactly how we do it:
- Heat Mat: We use an AC Infinity heat mat to warm the soil in the strawberry pots.
- Greenhouse Heater: A BioGreen Palma heater, with its digital thermostat, keeps the air temperature at a perfect 62-65°F.
- Lighting: So far, we haven’t needed any extra lighting, but if you do, an LED grow light is a great option.
- Water & Nutrients: Keep the soil evenly moist but avoid waterlogging, and use balanced fertilizer as needed.
- Variety: Choose an ever-bearing variety, like Albion, which produces multiple crops throughout the season.
Extra Tips
- Pollination: Use a paintbrush or cotton swab to gently transfer pollen between flowers to ensure pollination.
- Airflow: A small circulation fan can help by mimicking natural wind to move pollen between blooms.
Fun Fact: Natural Strawberry Flavor
Did you know that “natural strawberry flavor” used in many candies and sodas actually comes from the bark of the White Pine tree? Isn’t that wild? If you live near White Pines, give one a smell sometime. Just don’t confuse it with Ponderosa Pine, which has a sweet smell like vanilla or butterscotch.
If you’re curious about growing your own strawberries this winter, feel free to reach out—we’d love to help you get started. And who knows, maybe we’ll even send you some of our fresh strawberries! Happy Gardening!