Strawberry Hydroponics Experiment in Grobo

[bjorn]

Finally I have a few minutes to share what I’ve been growing for the past few weeks!

A few years ago I took my first shot at growing strawberries from seed and it was brutal. I couldn’t get anything to pop and start growing. After a good month or two one seed finally started but it quickly died out… Fast forward to the next summer and I decide to try again. I purchased strawberry plants from the local nursery to plant in my garden. I picked up four little plants, transplanted them all and JUST as the first strawberry was ready to harvest a squirrel ate all four plants!

Well folks, I’m back at it again and this time it’s in a squirrel-proof Grobo.

I started by purchasing a strawberry plant in a planter. Then I took one of the nodes that was trying to grow roots and placed it into a coco pod. The coco pod was then placed in a glass of water and I let the plant continue to grow for about two weeks.

In that time, it was able to grow a couple of roots. I detached my newly rooted cutting from the main plant and transplanted it into my Grobo!

This is what it looked like when I planted it in the Grobo:

I’m now about 2 weeks into growing the strawberries in the Grobo. The top part of the plant hasn’t changed tons but it’s the roots that are really impressive! There is some new growth starting to happen over the past couple of days. Hopefully in another week or two it’s much more noticeable!

There’s still a while to go but it looks like 2018 might finally be the year I get to enjoy home grown strawberries

[Todd.grobo]

Thanks for sharing. I’m curious how it will handle something like cocoa. Can’t wait to try on the 2nd one

[bjorn]

That’s a super cool idea. I’ve never thought about growing cocoa before, let us know how it goes!

[Todd.grobo]

Its the only plant I haven’t been able to maintain indoors in canada. I have pineapple, mangos and another tropical fruit tree. I think grobo would be great for specialty items like this. Keep sharing your fruit experiments please its giving me lots of ideas lol @bjorn

[bjorn]

@Todd.grobo Where do you normally buy your seeds? I would love to try growing some of those tropical plants indoors one day!

It’s safe to say the roots have fully dropped and my plant is now taking off. The growth over the past 3 days is insane. I’m expecting the plant to really accelerate over the next week or two.

[Rich]

Great stuff! Glad to see this is coming to life for you!

[Todd.grobo]

Hi @bjorn

I personally have traded for most of my tropical seeds. Let’s not get into logistics but I originally had 21 cocoa pod seeds. All of them made it about 4 months and died. Likely something to do with the nutrients and dirt I used as it wasn’t even close to what they grew in where i got them. The traded ones were with our pastry chef who buys them out of Toronto. They sell a how bunch.
I’ll post photos tonight. The pineapple I got I ate. Just break off the top. I’m willing to bet they wreak crazy havoc on the grobo due to size and hardness/sharpness of the plant but it would be amazing to get them started. I would eventually like to see the lid that separates the top of the plant and the reservoir to allow for the plant to be removed sideways. This would allow growers the ability to start harder plants.

Your team really needs to hit up some trade shows. Kitchens in hotels around the world will likely want this unit when they all start cooking and selling edibles down the road.

I’ll email Bsihwa and see what website he orders from

Todd

[rainstorm3]

@bjorn do you plan on putting some supports in for those trailers? Since normally they run along the ground or hang off a planter and end up bearing fruit. Just curious what will happen once it gets even bigger!

[bjorn]

@Todd.grobo Thanks for the tips, I’ll have to get into the trading game. For the lid idea, if you have a chance to sketch it out quickly then I’m sure @OGJ our design lead would love to check it out!

@rainstorm3 I plan on using some drying racks to hold the plant. It’s already starting to flower so I’ll likely have to do that sooner than later!

[Todd.grobo]

Sure @bjorn I have an easily modifiable design that will allow you to remove grows and won’t be a big change for what you have. I’ll post a photo tonight.

[Todd.grobo]

Hi @bjorn
If your willing to sell me another top I’ll test out my idea as a demo.
Essentially cut out a fine cut along the line of the end where the chemicals sit. Have this cut stop at the middle where the pod sits so you could just slide your plant out sideways. This will greatly enhance your ability to help cultivate gardens and hard to grow items or preserve grows for future cloning or transplant. This simple plastic could snap in and out for reuse.

[OGJ]

Hi ToddYYC , I think I understand your concept. Let me PM you today to discuss further.

[rainstorm3]

@bjorn do you have pics of your setup with the drying racks? Or has that not had to happen yet?

[bjorn]

@rainstorm3 That hasn’t happened yet but I’ll do it soon and share some photos!

[rainstorm3]

@bjorn I’m curious to know if your strawberries are still going?

My outside plants are producing fruit like crazy right now! Here’s one of them

[bjorn]

@rainstorm3 Those look amazing!! I actually just put in my drying racks yesterday and was excited to share a picture with you. I have some small strawberries growing and the plant is looking healthy. Both of my plants outside stopped flowering for the past ~4-6 weeks and neither of them are producing fruit again yet so I’m happy that the cutting is flowering. I’m wondering if they were somehow bred to produce fruit early in the year so that they sell well in the nurseries…

[rainstorm3]

@bjorn looking good!!

I found that the strawberry plants I bought at the nursery only flowered once the first year. Now I’m on year three with a couple of them (and new ones started with cuttings from those same plants) and they flowered once lightly earlier in the season and this is the second flower with about triple the fruit I got last time! Wait it out!

[bjorn]

That might be what I’m going through right now then. Were you able to bring your plants inside during the winter to keep them alive?

[Todd.grobo]

@bjorn
Strawberries are good to stay outside if covered from frost. If there in buckets or containers you can leave em in your garage.

[rainstorm3]

@Todd.grobo

@bjorn
Strawberries are good to stay outside if covered from frost. If there in buckets or containers you can leave em in your garage.

@bjorn echo what @Todd.grobo said! I left mine outside last winter. That being said I’m on the “wet” coast and our winters are pretty mild. Just make sure the plants don’t deep freeze to the root.