How to grow Strawberry?
- Latin Family: Rosaceae
- Latin Genus: Fragaria
- Ease of Growing: Easy
- Growing Type: Perennial
Every garden should have a strawberry patch. They are fairly low maintenance, delicious (almost everyone likes them) and highly productive for the space they take up (a single plant may produce a quart of berries).
Strawberries grown in the home garden are unequaled in flavor, and as such, they are a coveted crop for any garden. They are fairly easy to grow in most areas, though this does depend on growing conditions. It is important to choose the correct variety for your climate and growing conditions. There are three main types of strawberries: June Bearing, Everbearing and Day Neutral. Carefully study each variety to determine the correct one for your garden.
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Strawberry History
The garden strawberry developed when two different American species (Fragaria virginiana and Fragaria chiloensis) were taken to Europe in the early eighteenth century and grown alongside each other. At some point they cross pollinated and produced the first large fruited garden strawberries.
Soil Preference
- PH (min/max): 5.5 - 7.0
- PH Ideal (min/max): 5.8 - 6.5
Strawberries prefer a slightly acidic, well-drained, sandy loam with lots of organic matter, but they can grow in most soil types.
How to care for Strawberry?
Most berries will be produced on plants that grew the previous year, so you want to keep them multiplying and growing vigorously. Once the bed is established they can be fairly low maintenance with the main tasks being thinning out excess plants and harvesting.
Water
Strawberries must have a steady supply of water at all times, but especially during flowering and fruiting. Water is also very important in fall when next year's flower buds are developing. If they are dry at this time it can affect the following year's crop.
The plants should receive at least 1" of water per week, though of course the exact quantity needed will depend upon the growing conditions. Drip irrigation works best as it keeps leaves and fruit dry, which reduces the potential for serious fungus and disease problems.
Fertilizer
Strawberries are fairly hungry plants and should be given plenty of nutrients (especially phosphorus and potassium) for maximum fruit production.
Seeds
Seed Viability:
Seed saving from modern Strawberry hybrids is not generally recommended, as they are unreliable due to crossbreeding, and likely will not produce a true plant.
Instead, most gardeners propagate plants by either plant division or starting daughter plants from the runners off the mother plant.
Light
Sun: min. 6 hours daily
Strawberries must have full sun (at least 6 hours daily) for maximum productivity and best flavor. They will tolerate some shade, but productivity will suffer.
Conditions:Cool, Warm, Hot
Season:Short Season, Long Season
Part shade
In hot climates, strawberries will benefit from afternoon shade.
Conditions:Warm, Hot
Season:Short Season, Long Season
Storage
Refrigerator: Strawberries can last up to 4 days if properly stored in the refrigerator. The ideal storage temperature for strawberries is colder than for most crops, only 36 degrees. (with 95% humidity.
The beneficial antioxidants in the berries start to break down after a couple of days. Ideally they should be eaten immediately.
It is best not to wash organically grown strawberries before storing. If you do choose to wash your berries, make sure they are completely dry before storing in the refrigerator.
Storage Req: Refrigerator
Storage Temp: 35-40°F
Storage Length: 0-4 days
Strawberries can be turned into jam or canned whole, although the latter is not the preferred method.
Storage Req: Canning
Storage Temp: °F
Storage Length: days
Strawberries will last anywhere from 8 -12 months when frozen. Wash and dry your strawberries before freezing and place in a freezer bag. They turn to mush when defrosted, but are still good for smoothies, etc.
Storage Req: Freezer
Storage Temp: 0-32°F
Storage Length: 180-360 days
Problems
Black plastic vs. organic mulches for strawberries
Lots of people use black plastic as mulch instead. But some claim it raises the soil temperature too much and optimal fruit production requires cool soil. On the other hand, organic mulches can attract snails or slugs. You need to choose what suits you best.
Strawberry Types
- Day Neutral
- Alpine
- Everbearing
- June Bearing
The day neutral varieties have a longer production season than the June bearers as they produce several flushes of fruit over the course of the summer. They often don't produce many runners because their energy is concentrated on fruit production. A planting is usually grown for 3 years or so and is then replaced. These plants aren't affected by day length.
The sweetly flavored fruits of alpine strawberries (Fragaria vesca) are a Continental delicacy and the plants are as attractive as the berries are delicious. The dainty, pointed berries boast an ambrosial woodland flavor that is a combination of strawberry, pineapple, and rose. Alpine strawberry plants are well behaved in the garden and are remarkably easy to grow.
These comely perennial plants are cultivated strains of wild or woodland strawberries and reportedly were transplanted into European gardens as early as the 12th century. Plants develop gracefully rounded mounds of evergreen foliage and yield modest summer-long harvests of delicate three-quarter-inch fruit.
Unlike other types of Strawberries, Alpine Strawberries are easily started from seed.
Everbearing strawberries produce two to three harvests of fruit during their growing season, generally from June to August. They do not produce many runners.
These were the original garden strawberries and produce a single large crop over a period of several weeks in early summer (which is why they are called June bearers). You may be able to extend the harvest season to a couple of months by planting several varieties (early, mid-season and late). A single large crop may be a problem if you only like fresh berries, but it's fine if you are growing for sale or preserving.
Be aware that they don't produce a crop until their second season of growth.
The June bearers have declined in popularity with the introduction of the more versatile, longer bearing types, but they can produce exceptionally flavored fruit.
Pests
- Sap Beetles
- Spittlebugs
- Earwigs
- Cowpea Curculio
- Symphylans
- Strawberry Root Weevil
- Birds
- Corn Earworm
- Thrips
- Aphids
- Cutworms
- Tarnished Plant Bug
- Whiteflies
- Slugs and snails
- Deer
Diseases
- Gray Mold Botrytis Fruit Rot
- Anthracnose
- Crown Rot
- Red Stele
- Damping Off
- Angular Leaf Spot
- Powdery Mildew
- Root Rot
- Verticillium Wilt
- Leaf Scorch
