Strawberries
Optimal Conditions
| Parameter | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Day temperature | 65-75°F | Fruit quality drops above 85°F |
| Night temperature | 55-60°F | Cool nights improve sweetness |
| VPD | 0.8-1.0 kPa | Prefers moderate humidity |
| DLI | 17-22 mol/m²/d | Needs more light than lettuce. Grow lights critical in winter. |
| pH (hydro) | 5.5-6.2 | Iron availability is pH-sensitive |
| EC | 1.0-1.5 mS/cm | Moderate feeder, sensitive to salt buildup |
| Photoperiod | 14-16 hours | Day-neutral everbearing types produce regardless |
Diurnal Target Profile (Spring)
| Hour | Temp Min (F) | Temp Max (F) | VPD Min (kPa) | VPD Max (kPa) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 (midnight) | 55 | 65 | 0.30 | 0.75 |
| 1 | 55 | 65 | 0.30 | 0.75 |
| 2 | 55 | 65 | 0.30 | 0.75 |
| 3 | 55 | 65 | 0.30 | 0.75 |
| 4 | 55 | 65 | 0.28 | 0.70 |
| 5 | 56 | 66 | 0.30 | 0.75 |
| 6 (dawn) | 58 | 68 | 0.35 | 0.85 |
| 7 | 60 | 72 | 0.42 | 0.95 |
| 8 | 62 | 75 | 0.55 | 1.10 |
| 9 | 64 | 78 | 0.65 | 1.25 |
| 10 | 65 | 78 | 0.70 | 1.35 |
| 11 | 65 | 78 | 0.72 | 1.40 |
| 12 (noon) | 65 | 78 | 0.72 | 1.40 |
| 13 | 65 | 78 | 0.72 | 1.40 |
| 14 | 65 | 78 | 0.70 | 1.35 |
| 15 | 65 | 78 | 0.65 | 1.25 |
| 16 | 63 | 76 | 0.58 | 1.15 |
| 17 | 61 | 74 | 0.48 | 1.00 |
| 18 (dusk) | 59 | 72 | 0.40 | 0.88 |
| 19 | 57 | 69 | 0.35 | 0.78 |
| 20 | 56 | 67 | 0.32 | 0.75 |
| 21 | 55 | 66 | 0.30 | 0.75 |
| 22 | 55 | 65 | 0.30 | 0.75 |
| 23 | 55 | 65 | 0.30 | 0.75 |
| Strawberries sit between lettuce and peppers in the thermal spectrum. They cap at 78F (same as the composite band daytime high) and are particularly sensitive to VPD extremes, which is why their VPD max is moderate. |
Varieties for This Greenhouse
| Variety | Type | Season | Flavor | Runner Production | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albion | Everbearing | Year-round | Excellent | Low | Best flavor of everbearing types. |
| Seascape | Everbearing | Year-round | Good | Moderate | High yield, reliable |
| San Andreas | Everbearing | Year-round | Very good | Low | Good disease resistance |
| Monterey | Everbearing | Year-round | Good | Moderate | Highest yield of everbearing |
| Recommendation: Albion. Best flavor, low runner production (important in hydro — runners are wasted energy), and consistently rated as the top everbearing strawberry for controlled environments. |
Zone Recommendation
Primary: East Zone hydroponic system Strawberries need the east zone’s cooler temperatures. On hot days:
- East peaks at ~91°F (tolerable for short periods)
- South peaks at 100°F+ (fruit quality suffers significantly)
| Factor | East Zone | Strawberry Need |
|---|---|---|
| Peak temp | ~91°F | < 85°F preferred, < 95°F tolerable |
| Night temp | ~62-67°F | 55-60°F ideal (slightly warmer than ideal) |
| Humidity | Higher (hydro evaporation) | Prefers moderate humidity |
| Light | 14× grow lights directly overhead | 17-22 mol DLI target achievable |
| Summer challenge: June-July peak heat will stress strawberry fruit quality even in the east zone. [[climate/ | Shade cloth and cooling]] on the south and west faces helps the entire greenhouse. |
Hydroponic Growing Notes
- Bare-root starts: Soak roots 1 hour, trim to 4-5 inches, place in rockwool/clay pellets with crown above media line.
- Position allocation: Reserve 6-10 positions. Semi-permanent — plan around them.
- Runner management: Trim runners to direct energy to fruit production.
- Pollination: Strawberries need pollination. Hand pollination is necessary — brush each flower with a small paintbrush. Takes 30 seconds per plant every other day.
- Iron supplementation: Strawberries are iron-hungry. Watch for interveinal chlorosis.
Harvest & Economics
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Days to first fruit | 60-90 from bare-root |
| Production period | 6-12 months continuous |
| Yield per plant | 0.5-1.0 lb per month (established) |
| Grocery price | USD 4-6/lb (conventional), USD 6-8/lb (organic) |
| Value per position | USD 2-6/month |
| At 8 positions producing 0.75 lb/month each at USD 5/lb average, that’s USD 30/month in grocery-equivalent strawberries. Year-round greenhouse strawberries in Colorado winter are a genuine luxury. |
Longmont-Specific Notes
- Altitude advantage: Cooler night temperatures at 4,979 feet improve fruit sweetness.
- Pest watch: Spider mites love strawberries AND dry air. Regular scouting of leaf undersides is essential. See Crops overview.
- Water quality: Longmont’s low-mineral water is ideal for strawberry hydro. → See All Crops
Current Light Availability
Catalog Entry
Strawberries
Slug strawberries; category fruit.
year_round
Cycle 75-120; scientific name —.
16.0
Default DLI; default VPD 0.60-1.00 kPa.
Launch Taxonomy
Active Control
Counts as active control. Occupied east-zone record in v_position_current; strawberry VPD tolerance drives east stress scoring.
Source Check
Current occupied positions from v_position_current: EAST-HYDRO-31.
Target Bands
No target profile
No hourly target profiles defined for this crop yet.
Current Plantings
EAST-HYDRO-31seedlingPlanted 2026-04-01; 37 days in place.
Latest Vision
No vision observations
No camera observations have been linked to this crop yet.
Planting History
EAST-HYDRO-312026-04-01 to —— days; final stage seedling; events 1.