ADDITIONAL FACTS
We space our rows 40 inches apart center to center, but only allow a 10-inch plant Row width. The 30-inch no-plant space between rows provides walking aisle space for pickers and good air movement, which reduces disease issues. It also reduces competition for sunlight, water and nutrients, which results in larger and better quality fruit. During fruiting, the net aisle space between rows is much less because the leaves and fruit clusters from adjacent rows occupy much of the space.

Strawberries may be the most widely adapted fruit species on earth. They have evolved and adapted in the wild from equatorial to arctic regions, from saline beaches to Alpine environments. Characteristics vary widely, but there are two basic types, day neutral land seasonal bearing.

The basic difference is day neutral types can set fruit buds independent of day length and therefore exhibit “ever-bearing characteristics”. This is the type shipped in from Florida, California and Mexico. Seasonal bearing types only set fruit buds during short day conditions, generally 12 hours of daylight or less. Consequently they set buds in the fall and produce one concentrated crop of fruit in later spring, early summer. These are the “June-bearing” types that we grow for local consumption in our temperate climate.

Crop potential is determined the previous fall, so it is very important to have healthy plants in the fall and protect them over-winter. During most winters with normal snowfall for insulation against the cold, plants would not be damaged. If damage does occur the plants usually recover, but dormant fruit buds in the plant crown can be damaged or destroyed, even if the plant survives.

We have used straw for 40 years or so to cover In the winter and It's removed and
used In the isles between the rows for weed control. And we don't have any of those issues. Must be a climate difference.

Can strawberries come back from being eaten down by goats?

Very good piece written by Beav. Exactly right.

Turkey, it depends to some degree whether you're growing day-neutrals or June bearers and when the grazing happened. June bearers are less forgiving at getting mowed down at the wrong time of year.

With day-neutrals you have set them back a few weeks but they will mostly be OK eventually.

If the crowns were grazed off you have a problem.
After 2 years and that second year picking we do a renovation to our plants. The edges of the rows are cut back and the tops are cut down to about 1 inch above the crowns. This enhances growth and a stronger root system. It also helps with diseases issues by letting In more sunlight and air movement through the plants. We have a machine that cuts back the edges and cultivates at the same time. If your interested In strawberry renovation just do a google search and it will tell all you need to know.

Earliglows. Looks like I'm screwed. Plants still seem to be alive. Maybe I can get something next year.

Does anyone use cloth fabric or row covers to overwinter their strawberries?

Is it possible to get 1lb a plant off of the June bearing strawberries on plastic mulch ?

I know of guys that put row fabric over their strawberries in late January and taking it off once they start to bloom. They end up at our farmers' market with ripe strawberries about 3 weeks before I do.

As far as 1 lb per plant? Yep. Typical stocking rates of strawberries per acre are about 9-10,000 plants. These days June bearers should be in the 4-6 T to the acre. Day neutrals more than that.

From observing my plants for a week or 2 now - my seascape and earliglow seem to be doing better than my allstar and honeyoye varieties. All from bare root

Is this a new planting? And are they June bearing.

Lots of water, they like nitrogen, straw for mulch

Day neutrals do use a little more nitrogen, but like Beav outlined in an above post June bearers need to get fertilized in the late summer to build up their crowns for the following season's crop. Spring fertilization is not necessary nor desired. Phosphorus is an important nutrient in strawberry production. Your P level should be about double that of N.

A rookie question here. I just put a couple of dozen bare root honeyoyes in the ground yesterday here in northern MN. We are zone 3. The next week of nights are predicted to be between 24-30 degrees. Should I be covering or throw straw over these newly planted bareroot plants or will they be ok? Thanks

The only concern I would have is if it's cold enough for frost heave. Bareroot strawberry plants are held at 28F at the nursery so they're used to it.

I think you will be ok.
I just don't like honeyoyes for their taste but they are a hardy plant. We plant them but I still don't like the taste.

We plant.

Annaplls

Wendy

Cabot

Cavendish

Darselect

Glooscap

and Jewel

Jewel are my favorite. They have a great shape and are great tasting and they ripen a little later then the other brands I mentioned. This gives us a longer season.

Interesting the regional differences in varieties. Back in the day when I was still growing June bearers I grew Hoods, Shuksans, Raineers, and Bentons; and my dad before me grew Marshalls and Northwests. My favorites were a toss up between Hoods and Shuksans.

I've never heard of any of Beav's cultivars.... and he likely hasn't heard of mine either.

Beaverpeeler what made you switch from growing junebearers to day neutrals?

Better market? Better yields?

Longer season for market??

Good question.

In my father's time he grew strawberries for cannery, stores and U pick. I started out growing just U pick strawberries. Back in those days people bought strawberries for freezing and jam making and a concentrated one month season was a good fit. Since the mid 80's I started doing farmers' markets where having berries on your tables all season long is what you want. My first experiments with day-neutrals and ever bearers weren't too encouraging, but eventually I got turned on to both 'Tri Star' and 'Seascape' varieties. Especially 'Seascape' was a game changer. Beautiful glossy berry and tastes great. Bears in my area from late May until frost (end of October). Overall tonnage per acre is superior to June bearers but spread out over the season. And our customers rave about how good they are.

Now, are they as good as 'Hood' and 'Shuksans'? During the month of June I would still give the nod to those two June bearers. But 'Seascape' isn't far back. And as soon as warm "corn" weather get going in late June /July Seascape gets really good, right up until frost they are definitely as good as the best of the June bearers.

So, the short answer is: day-neutrals fit my marketing better and I make a lot more money per acre with them over June bearers.