Growing Strawberries

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Growing Strawberries
K-State Research Extension
Ward Upham
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Strawberries Background
PAggregate fruit PCan expect 1 to 12 pounds of
fruit per plant.
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StrawberriesBackground
How Fruit is Borne
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Strawberry First Steps
P Find source of virus-free plants normally
planting lasts 3 to 4 years P Strawberries should
not be planted after tomatoes, peppers,
eggplants, or potatoes because they can be a
source of Verticillium wilt P Choose cultivar(s)
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Types of Strawberries
P June Bearers Produce crop in May. Produces
more total fruit than other types. P Everbearers
Produce crop in May and again in late-summer to
early fall. Some berries produced in summer. P
Day-Neutrals Like everbearers but more fruit
during summer. However, flower production
inhibited above 70/F.
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Variety
June Bearing Varieties
Season
Berry Quality
Freezer Quality
Earliglow
Early
Very good
Good
Redchief
Mid
Very good
Very good
Surecrop
Mid
Good
Very good
Cardinal
Mid
Very good
Very good
Guardian
Mid-late
Good
Good
Allstar
Mid-late
Very good
Very good
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Variety
Everbearing Varieties
Berry Quality
Freezer Quality
Ogallala
Good
Very good
Ozark Beauty
Very good
Very good
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Variety
Day-Neutral Varieties
Berry Quality
Freezer Quality
Tristar
Good
Good
Tribute
Good
Fair
Selva
Very good
Fair
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Planting Preparation
P Choose sunny, well-drained site and mix in
organic matter
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Planting Preparation
P Choose sunny, well-drained site and mix in
organic matter P Fertilization ltFertilize
according to soil test ltOr apply 10 to 12 pounds
of a 10-10-10 fertilizer per 1000
square feet and work into soil with organic
matter
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Planting Procedures
P String line so planting is straight P Keep
roots moist
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Planting Depth
P Too shallow and roots may dry P Too deep and
may smother crown
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Spacing Plants
P Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart in rows 3
1/4 to 4 feet apart
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Strawberry, Water In After Planting
P Use about 1 cup of water per plant
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Keep Planting Watered
Can use trickle irrigation or overhead watering
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Remove Blossoms the First Year
P Plant has a limited amount of energy P Energy
needs to go into runners rather than fruit
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Runner Spacing
P Runner spacing. Space plants 4 to 6 inches
apart. Extra runners should be removed, if
possible. Keep bed width to 12 to 18 inches PI
usually thin runners in August
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Fall Care
Strawberries set fruit buds as the days shorten
in September and October.
P Fertilize in late August to early September.
Apply about 3/4 to 1 pound of a 12-12-12
fertilizer per 25 feet of row. P Keep planting
watered and weeded. P Fall care determines the
size of next years crop!
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Preparing the Crop for Winter
P Make sure the strawberries go into the winter
with the soil moist. P Mulch the plants when
weather turns cold normally sometime between
Thanksgiving and mid-December.
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Mulching
P Not trying to protect the plants from cold as
much as from alternate freezing and thawing. P
If you use straw, should require about 1 bale for
every 100 feet of row
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Second and Succeeding Years Care
Spring
P Pull mulch off when new growth reaches 1 to 2
inches (usually in March). Remove just enough
mulch that new leaves can poke through. P Dont
fertilize! Too much nitrogen makes the berries
soft and prone to rot. P Irrigate as needed.
Water deficiencies can lead to small berries.
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How to Protect Blooms
P Remember first berries are king berries the
largest berries of the season. P If a frost is
forecast, protect blooms by ltCovering planting
with blanket ltRunning overhead irrigation all
night until ice is melted
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Bloom and Harvest
Manhattan Area
P Bloom usually starts about mid-April P Harvest
starts the second week of May P Harvest usually
lasts about 3 weeks P About 1 quart of berries
per plant if well cared for
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Renovation
Done immediately after harvest to rejuvenate
plants
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Renovation
First Step Mow off leaves
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Renovation
First Step Mow off leaves
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Renovation
Second Step Gather and Discard Leaves
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Renovation
Third Step Fertilize with 1 pound 10-10-10 per
25 feet of row
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Renovation
Fourth Step Narrow row to 10 inches
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After Renovation
P Keep planting watered. P Plants should have
recovered in about 2 weeks. P Fertilize again in
late August to early September. P Mulch for the
winter after several hard freezes. P Replace
planting when production falls off or every 3 to
4 years.
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Deer Damage
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Deer Barrier
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The End