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Tuesday, April 13, 2004
Planting Strawberries in the Home Garden
by The Mills County
Extension Office
April is an excellent time to plant strawberries in Iowa. They are easy to grow and produce a good crop with reasonable care. There are basically 3 types of strawberries. June bearers are the most widely planted type of strawberry. They produce one crop per year, the majority of fruit ripening in June. The second type of strawberry is the ever bearing strawberry. Ever bearing varieties typically produce a spring and fall crop with little flowering or fruiting in the summer months. The day-neutral varieties are the third and newest type of strawberry. They are regarded as an improved, more type of strawberry. Day-neutral varieties perform best during the cooler periods of the growing season and are not very productive during hot weather.
Strawberries require full
sun and well-drained soils. When selecting a site for the strawberry
planting, do not plant in ground that is heavily infested with perennial weeds
such as quackgrass. Weed control will be a major problem. Also,
avoid sites where strawberries, tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers have been grown
the last two years to prevent possible root disease problems.
Purchase virus-free strawberry plants from a reliable, reputable mail-order nursery or garden center. Plants from an old planting or the neighbor's garden are often disease-infested. If planting must be delayed after purchase, place moist material, such as wood shavings or sphagnum moss, around the roots and place the plants in a plastic bag. Store the plants in the refrigerator at 32 to 40 degrees. They can be safely stored in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 weeks. Remove the strawberry plants from storage when ready to plant. Trim off the older leaves, place the roots of the plants in water for an hour then plant immediately. Set each plant in the ground so the crown of the plant is even with the soil surface.
The type of strawberry
determines plant spacing. June bearing strawberries are planted 18 to 24
inches apart in rows spaced 4 feet apart. Runners will develop and root
freely to form a matted row and 2 feet wide. Ever bearing and day-neutral
strawberries are typically planted in beds consisting of 2 or 3 rows that are 1
foot apart within the rows. A 2 foot wide path remains between beds.
Any runners that develop on ever bearing and day-neutral strawberries are
removed and the plants are maintained as large, single plants.
Immediately after planting the strawberries, water them in well and apply a starter fertilizer solution to aid establishment. A starter fertilizer solution can be prepared by adding 2 or 3 tablespoons of a complete, water-soluble fertilizer, such as 5-10-5 or 10-10-10, to each gallon of water. Apply 1 to 2 cups to each plant. During the first growing season all the blossoms should be removed from June-bearing strawberries. Remove all blossoms on ever bearing and day-neutral strawberries until early July. Any flowers which bloom after this period may be allowed to develop into fruit. Flower removal aids plant establishment.
Suggested June bearing strawberry varieties for Iowa include Allstar, Homeoye, Surecrop, Redchief, Jewel, and Kent. Tristar and Tribute are good day-neutral varieties.
