Strawberries Galore!

Choosing Strawberry Plants

There are basically 3 types of strawberry plants to choose from: June bearing,
Everbearing and Day Neutral.

June Bearing strawberries produce a single, large crop per year during a

2 - 3 week period in the spring. June bearers are the traditionally grown plants,

producing a single flush of flowers and many runners. They are classified into

early, mid-season and late varieties. The largest fruits are generally from June

bearing varieties.

Everbearing strawberries produce two to three harvests of fruit intermittently

during the spring, summer and fall. Everbearing plants do not send out many

runners.

Day Neutral strawberries will produce fruit throughout the growing season.

These strawberries also produce few runners. Everbearing and day neutral

strawberries are great when space is limited, but the fruits are usually somewhat

smaller than June bearers

Land Preparation

Strawberries grow best on soils having high organic matter

content and high fertility levels. In raised bed situations, extra

organic matter such as compost, peat,or well-rotted straw and

manure can be incorporated. In the early spring before planting,

the strawberry bed should be fertilized by working in two pounds

of 6-24-24 or an equivalent analysis fertilizer per 100 square

feet. Work this into the top 6 inches of soil. High levels of

phosphates and potash are desirable for best fruit production.

The ground should be worked as soon as possible in the spring,

and the plants should be set early in order to obtain the best

growth and plant production in in the first year.

Planting

Rows should be spaced 36 to 48 inches apart depending upon

the space available in the garden and the intensity of culture

that is practiced. Plants should be set 15 to 24 inches apart

in-row. Wider spacings should be used for earlier plantings

and the narrower space for later plantings. Plants should be

set with the crown (the fleshy part from which the leaves

develop) at the soil surface. If the plants are set too shallow,

roots tend to dry out before they take hold, and the plant may

die. If planted too deep, the plants may also fail to grow.

Firm the soil around the roots, and then water thoroughly.

First Season's Care

Maintain the planting weed-free

throughout the season by cultivating,

hoeing, and hand removal of weeds.

If the garden is large enough, suitable

herbicides may be used. As soon as

flowers appear, they should be pinched

off to promote early, vigorous plant

growth and early formation of runner

plants. The first crop will be harvested

a year from planting and a major

portion of the crop will come from the

mother plants plus the runner plants

which are formed and well-rooted

before August. Runner plants should

be positioned as they develop so that

a density of about 5 plants per square

foot is achieved. The rows should be

maintained no wider than 12 to 18

inches, and when the desired plant

density is reached, all additional

runners should be removed through

cultivation and cutting of runners by

hand within the row.

Harvesting

Berries should be harvested as often

as every other day to maintain top

quality. Pick the berries with the caps

on and with 1/2 inch of stem attached.

Pinch the stem between the thumb

and middle fingernails, while cradling

the berry in the palm of the hand.

Strawberries do not ripen after

harvest, so they should be allowed

to fully ripen before picking. Remove

overripe and rotted berries so that

insect and disease problems can

be minimized. If berries are to be

stored for overnight or longer in

the refrigerator, do not wash them.

Place them in a covered shallow

pan and place in the refrigerator as

soon as possible to cool quickly.

Wash just prior to consumption.