Fact Sheet from Just Fruits and Exotics nursery
by Brandy Cowley Gilbert
Strawberry
Introduction
Strawberries
are by far one of the most popular, easiest to grow and most rewarding
of the berries. In our effort to sell the most trouble-free, productive
plants, we are now offering the same plants that commercial growers
buy. Our plants are one generation from a tissue cultured mother plant
insuring you the most disease free start to your strawberry bed. These
plants produce 3-4 times better than the usual backyard strawberry,
yielding up to one quart per plant.
Uses in the Landscape
Strawberries
can be planted as a fruitful border or grown under fruit trees for a
lush fruiting bed. Incorporate the beautiful rosettes in the flowerbed,
since your flowers like the same conditions that strawberries do.
Remember that the beautiful white flowers are followed by red fruit, so
work those colors into your plan. No room in the yard? Strawberries are
fruitful and beautiful when grown in containers.
Planting and Culture
Site Selection
Well-drained,
sandy, rich soils are preferred. Strawberries do not tolerate flooding.
Plants will grow more vigorously and produce more fruit in full sun.
Soil Preparation, Fertilization and Planting
Strawberries
in the Deep South are best grown as annuals, because over time the
plants will pick up fungal and viral diseases. Use new beds each year,
replacing spent plants with the flower or vegetable of your choice. If
you wish to keep your plants for more than one season, lift the plants
in September, choosing the largest of the new offsets, and transfer
them to new beds. Replace them all when the yield declines or when the
plants appear diseased. Strawberry prefers slightly acid soil (pH
5.5-6.5), but soils of up to moderate alkalinity are readily tolerated.
If you are in doubt about the acidity of your soil, take a soil sample
to the Cooperative Extension Agent in your county for a soil test.
Bed
preparation is crucial for a successful strawberry patch. Enrich the
entire bed, 2 feet wide and the length of row, with aged manure or
mushroom compost roto-tilled in. If creating a raised bed, use half
manure/mushroom compost and half potting soil. Make sure your raised
bed is 10-12 inches deep.
The type of fertilizer you choose
may be chemical or organic. Make sure that the fertilizer contains
iron, zinc, manganese, magnesium, molybdenum, copper and boron. These
minor elements are very important to plants and most soils are low in
these elements. Fertilize the bed before planting with either 5lbs of
10-10-10 or 10lbs of Espoma Garden Tone for every 100 square feet of
bed. Make rows of mounded, enriched soil approximately two feet wide.
Then finish as follows (see chart below:
10-10-10 or 10-0-10
with minerals |
Apply additional 5lbs per 100 square feet of bed should be banded down the row center |
Espoma
Citrus Tone
(Organic) |
Apply additional 10lbs per 100 square feet of bed should be banded down the row center |
Wet the bed immediately before planting. Beds may be
mulched with black plastic film or organic mulches (hay, pine straw or
leaves). Black plastic keeps the soil warmer for early fruiting, but
make sure water can penetrate to the plant’s roots.
For
bare root crowns, it is very important to keep plants roots damp until
planting. Strawberry plants are easily lost by planting too deep. Set
the plant with the crown just above the soil and the roots just barely
covered. Water thoroughly to settle the roots and eliminate air
pockets. Plant the crowns in pairs, putting one crown on each side of
the fertilizer band approximately one foot apart. Space crowns 12
inches apart in the row. Strawberries should be watered with an
overhead sprinkler throughout the day (preferably constantly) for the
first week after they are set out. Do not be distressed when the leaves
on your new plant die in the first week or two. New leaves produced by
the crown will quickly grow to produce delicious berries.
When
planting plugs or potted strawberry plants, remove the plant from the
pot and place at the same level at which it grew in its pot. Fill the
hole with the mix of soil and gently tamp it in. Water thoroughly to
settle the roots and eliminate air pockets.
Container gardeners
can easily grow barrels or pots of strawberries. Just use good potting
soil, water regularly and apply a balanced fertilizer meant for
containers.
Strawberries benefit from applications of liquid
fertilizer through out their lives. Use fish emulsion, or teas made
from aged manure or homemade compost to insure heavier fruiting.
Water
The
first week is a critical time for the establishment of a new bare root
strawberry. Water with an overhead sprinkler daily (preferably
constantly) for the first week after they are set out. Container or
plug plants need to be watered once a day until established. After
plants are established, water thoroughly (45-60 minutes) twice a week
on light soils and once a week on clay soils. Soak the entire root
system deeply.
Variety List- All strawberries are self pollinating.
SWEET
CHARLIE This University of Florida developed strawberry lives up to its
name by being intensely sweet. Vigorous grower and disease resistant,
Sweet Charlie will fruit during the spring and early summer.
CAMEROSA
Larger and firmer than sweet Charlie. Deep red with a sweet rich
flavor, widely adapted and produces over an extended period.
EVERSWEET
is a true delight for strawberry lovers. With its sweet, succulent
flavor and juicy texture, these strawberries are a taste sensation that
will transport you to a summery paradise.
SWEET SENSATION is a
perennial plant that goes dormant during the winter months and comes
back to life in spring, ready to produce a bountiful harvest. With its
vibrant green foliage and delicate white flowers, it adds a touch of
beauty to any garden setting. The plant is compact and can be grown in
pots or planted directly in the ground. Its trailing habit also makes
it an excellent choice for hanging baskets or window boxes, allowing
you to enjoy its cascading strawberry runners.
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Strawberry Page
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