STRAWBERRIES
There is nothing that says “Hello Summer” quite like eating a juicy vine ripened strawberry.
By growing various varieties of strawberries you can pick ripe fruit from late spring until frost.
TWO TYPES OF STRAWBERRIES
June Bearing:
- Set its flowers buds in August & September. Blooming & fruiting the following year in a 3 week period during June - July
- Bears fruit only once each year.
- Hi yields: expected yield ½ to 1 pound per foot of row during the 2nd & 3rd fruiting seasons.
Day Neutral / Everbearing
- Produce fruit through out the season - an almost constant crop from late May until frost.
- Enjoy fresh strawberries 4 months
- Flowers & fruit occur simultaneously from June - October
- Moderate yields ¼ lb to ½ lb per foot of row - 2nd fruiting season
EXPOSURE
Full sun to part sun
PLANTING
- Strawberries need well drained soil rich in organic matter. In poor soil create a 12” hill out of amended soil and plant strawberries on top.
- We recommend Gardner & Bloom Soil Building Compost when planting your strawberries
- Trim roots back 4 or 5 inches before planting
- Planting depth is very important. Dig a hole large enough to accommodate the roots with out bending them. Spread out root system. .
- Mid point of the crown should be level with the soil surface.
- June bearing strawberries are generally planted in a matt system. Plant the strawberries 15 to 20” apart, with the rows being 36 to 42” apart. Allow runners to fill in space between plants.
- Remove all flower clusters the first year. This allows the plant to form strong root system and be able to produce a larger crop the following spring. Discourage runners until August.
- Day Neutral Strawberries are generally planted in a hill system. They are planted 10 to 18” apart along top part of hill. Let runner fill in between plants. After planting remove the first blossoms appearing. This will encourage strong leaf and root development, do this until the middle of May, and then you can let them flower and fruit.
MULCH
Apply 2 to 3” of Soil Building Compost in the fall to protect the crowns of your strawberries during the winter.
FERTILIZATION
New plants
Fertilize with Dr. Earth Fruit Tree Fertilizer 2 weeks after planting, then 1 month after that, and again 1 month later
Established plants
- June Bearing fertilize with Dr. Earth Fruit Tree Fertilizer in late summer to promote growth
- Day Neutral / Ever bearing make 3 or 4 applications of Dr. Earth Fruit Tree Fertilizer from spring to August.
PRUNING
June bearing: after harvest mow foliage to about 2” above top of the crowns, being careful not to damage the crowns. This is usually done Mid July till first of August.
A. remove, destroy all plant debris
B. Thin out old and week plants
WATERING
Established Strawberries require 1 to 1 ½” per week- but may need more depending on your soil type.
When watering make sure water penetrates soil to the depth of 6 to 8 inches.
Good soil moisture is very important at all times but especially
1. Just after bloom through harvest. Good watering practices ensure the berries develop a nice size and flavor.
2. From late August through early fall, when the plants resume growth and forms flower buds for the following seasons crop
YIELDS
1 to 2 pounds per plant or 15 to 20lbs per 20’ row. Yield varies greatly with culture, and the age on planting. The best yield is usually the year after planting.
Strawberries typically exhaust themselves after 4 to 5 years. We recommend starting a new planting in another location (need to rotate crops) during the last year your existing planting is fruiting. It is better to purchase plants from the nursery so that you get virus free plants.
About Us