Winter strawberry cultivation, bees for pollination should be prepared in advance

As winter strawberry cultivation approaches, attention is required in managing the breeding environment for pollinating bees. Strawberries are difficult to pollinate naturally, so pollinating bees must be used to harvest commercially viable fruit. In particular, it is necessary to secure healthy pollinating bees before strawberry flowers bloom and properly manage the breeding environment to increase strawberry yield and quality. Honeybees and bumblebees are used as pollinating bees. Pollinating honeybees are used in greenhouses for more than five months, unlike honey-producing bees, so the timing of introduction and the condition of the bees must be thoroughly managed. The introduction should occur after mid-October, when more than 10% of the flowers in a strawberry greenhouse have bloomed. For a greenhouse of 660 square meters (approximately 220 pyeong), 7,500 to 10,000 bees should be introduced. At this time, the bees should have ample food in the form of honey-filled combs ...