Anka Çilek Fidesi
Protected strawberry cultivation gives the grower three great advantages that the open field cannot offer, all at once: earliness, control and continuity. Greenhouse and tunnel systems provide the opportunity to shift the harvest to the most profitable periods of the market, to be protected from adverse weather conditions, and to obtain cleaner, higher-quality fruit. But these advantages require informed decisions at every stage of production. In this guide, we address the keys to success in protected production.
Why Protected Cultivation?
The basic logic of protected production is being able to manage environmental conditions in the plant's favour. In greenhouses and tunnels:
- Earliness is achieved; the harvest begins weeks ahead of the open field, catching the high-price period.
- Protection is provided from conditions that threaten fruit and flower, such as rain, hail and frost.
- By managing humidity and temperature to a certain degree, disease pressure can be reduced.
- Cleaner, blemish-free and high-quality fruit is obtained; and this means a better market.
The Difference Between Greenhouse and High Tunnel
Fully equipped greenhouses offer the highest flexibility in climate control; with heating, ventilation and humidity management, they can extend the season across almost the whole year. High tunnels, on the other hand, provide significant protection and earliness with a lower investment; they are especially effective in protecting against rain and frost. The right choice depends on budget, target market and the region's climate. In both systems, the common point is the continuous monitoring and management of the internal climate.
Climate Management: Ventilation and Humidity
The most frequent mistake in protected production is focusing on temperature while neglecting humidity. Rising humidity in a closed environment creates ideal conditions for fungal diseases such as grey mould and powdery mildew. Regular ventilation, air circulation and keeping the leaves dry through drip irrigation are the most effective methods for reducing the need for chemical treatment. Temperature, meanwhile, is critical especially during the flowering period; excessive heat negatively affects flowering and fruit set.
Do Not Neglect Pollination
In a closed environment, the effect of wind and natural pollinators is limited. Inadequate pollination leads to misshapen and small fruit. In protected production, enlisting the support of pollinators such as bumblebees markedly increases both fruit size and shape uniformity. This is a subject that is often overlooked but directly affects quality.
Choosing the Right Seedling and Variety
The success of protected production begins with choosing the seedling and variety suited to the system. For growers targeting earliness, short-day varieties, and for those wishing to keep the season long, day-neutral varieties offer different strategies. In Anka Çilek Fidesi's short-day group are Palmeritas, Leticia, Felicity, Festival, Rubygem, Florida Beauty, Kallisti and Cleopatra; in the day-neutral group are Albion, Monterey, San Andreas, Portola and Cabrillo varieties. Under protection, frigo and plug seedlings with a particularly strong root structure provide the advantage of rapid establishment and balanced development.
Seedling Health Matters Even More in a Closed Environment
In a closed and humid environment, diseases spread faster than in the open field. For this reason it is decisive, for the safety of the entire system, that the seedling entering the protected area be healthy and certified. Anka's soil fumigation and certified production standard give the grower, at precisely this point, the assurance of a clean start.
Anka Is With You for Protected-Cultivation Success
Protected strawberry cultivation, when set up correctly, is one of the production methods with the fastest return on investment. Contact Anka Çilek Fidesi's expert team to choose the variety and seedling type best suited to your system, your region and your market goal. Let us together lay the foundation of an early, quality and abundant harvest in your greenhouse and tunnel.
