Strawberries are the first fruits to ripen in the spring. The small wild strawberry often found along roadsides and woodland edges are the parents of our hybrid strawberries today. The cultivars recommended for home gardens in NC are June-bearing strawberries such as ‘Galletta’, ‘Chandler’ and Jewel. June bearers are short-day plants, which means they start forming flower buds when days are less than 12 hours long. Runners begin to form as a long-day response when day length is more than 12 hours.
There are everbearing strawberries that produce a crop in the spring and another crop in the late summer or early fall. This type produces most of its flower buds under long-day conditions. The cultivar ‘Albion’ from California has done well in NC.
When selecting strawberry plants make sure to choose disease free and preferably certified plants from a reliable source. Make sure to extend your harvest season with a mix of early, midseason, and late cultivars.
Strawberries grow best in full sun, but can tolerate light shade. A southern exposure encourages earlier blooming, but be cautious of late spring frosts. Strawberries are shallow rooted and grow best in sandy loam soils. Planting in raised rows or beds can alleviate poorly drained soil problems. Make sure you do a soil test to determine the pH and how much lime and fertilizer will be needed.
If you purchase bare root plants make sure you keep them in a cool, moist location until planting. Plug plants are also available from various sources. The best time to plant strawberries is in October in our area. When planting make sure you do not plant too deep. You do not want to cover up the crown of the plant which could cause damage or the plant may rot. Water newly set plants, and firm the soil around the root.
When fertilizing, try to follow the soil test recommendations. One month, after planting, you can fertilize with about 2 teaspoons of a complete fertilizer (10-10-10) about 3-4 inches from each plant. In the spring (early April) apply the same amount of fertilizer to push crown growth and flowers.
Weed management can be challenging. The best option for controlling weeds is to hand pull or use a garden hoe. Be mindful of frost protection in the spring. You can purchase a frost protection cloth to protect the blooms in case of a late spring freeze. You can also cover the plants with pine straw for early protection. A temperature of 28 degrees F at plant level can cause the center of the flower to freeze and turn brown. Another consideration is also having a plan to replace old plantings by planning ahead with successional plantings every 2-3 years.
It generally takes 30 days from bloom until harvest for strawberries. You may be harvesting strawberries every 2-3 days, and pick in the morning if you can while the berries are still cool. Cool them down to 38 degrees F as soon as you can and the berries will last longer.
For more information about strawberries, or if you have other gardening questions, feel free to contact the Franklin County Cooperative Extension Office at 919-496-3344.
