Choose The Right Grow Light For Growing Strawberries Indoors

One of the best summertime treats is fresh strawberries.  While they grow very well outdoors in warm, temperate climates, if you happen to live in a colder region, or somewhere where there is no soil available in which to garden, you may want to try growing strawberries indoors instead.  There are different methods used to grow strawberries, but with any indoor garden plant, the key to success is to provide the water, food and light that the plants need to thrive and grow well.  The correct grow light for growing your strawberries will mean the difference between success and failure with these charming and delectable fruit plants.

For the indoor grower of strawberries, you can choose from growing them in soil or growing them without soil.  For those who wish to use soil, the bareroot plants or starts can be planted directly in a large container filled with an appropriate potting soil.  Water and feed regularly, at least once every week or two, for best results.  Once the strawberry plants begin to grow, they will develop scalloped-edged green leaves.  Eventually, white flowers will grow from the crown of the plant, and eventually those flowers will be replaced with light green strawberries.  The plants will need strong light especially at this point for the strawberries to ripen to their traditional red color.  The plants are decorative, and can be grown in pots, as well as window boxes, hayrack planters and hanging baskets.

You can also grow strawberries hydroponically or aeroponically without soil.  Essentially, the crown of the plant is held by a non-soil medium or by netting if grown aeroponically.  At certain precise times, the roots are saturated with nutrient, which is a water solution that contains the correct plant food for the strawberries.  The nutrient drains away from the roots by various means, and the plant roots are also more highly exposed to oxygen in both gardening methods, which leads to rapid growth in the plant.

For either type of indoor gardening, the right grow light is crucial to good plant growth.  The best lights replicate natural sunlight, and produce a bright and strong light.  You want your grow light placed no higher than two to four inches above the plants for maximum light absorption by the plants' leaves.

You can find a HID, HPS, Metal Halide or LED grow light online from a discount garden supplier.