No garden is complete without Strawberries. One of Americas favorite "fruits". The care and cultivation of Strawberry plants requires some care and planning, but if you weren't fascinated by Gardening like I am , you wouldn't be reading this.

• Planting Strawberries

  • Setting the Plants

  • Growing Systems

    • Hill System

    • Matted Row

    • Ground Cover

    • Raised Beds

• Basic Care and Cultivation

  • Pruning Strawberries

• Watering Strawberries

  • Iron chlorosis

• Fertilizer for Strawberry plants

• Varieties of Strawberries

• Pests & Disease Common to Strawberry Plants

• Post Harvest Renovation

• Winter Protection

How to Plant Strawberries
	Setting the Plants Strawberries should be planted in the early spring as soon as the soil is workable.  Some Gardeners plant in September or Late Autumn in anticipation of the next season - this will work also dependent on the variety you are using. I have always planted in early spring and have done well this way. Choose a cool location if storage is necessary before they are planted, keep the roots moist, but not soggy, and out of direct sunlight and . If possible, plant on a cool, cloudy day to reduce the stress on the transplants. When Planting, be sure the crown is above soil level and the topmost roots are 1/4 inch beneath soil level   Buried crowns rot / Exposed roots dry out.  Use mulch to keep berries clean, conserve moisture and keep weed growth down. Strawberries do best in drained fairly rich soil, so be sure to add compost or other organic matter when preparing the strawberry patch There as four basic systems for growing strawberries Hill System Matted Row Ground Cover Raised Beds
First Growing Season When Growing as a Perennial Pinch off new blossoms during the first year of strawberry plant growth. The plants rarely provide fruit during the first year, by gently pinching off the blossoms with your fingers you will encourage new growth for the following season.   Prune damaged roots  Trim excessively long roots to approximately 5 inches in length

 How to Grow Strawberries using The Hill system

The Hill system  is used for day neutral or ever bearing cultivars and works well in raised beds. Rows should be aprox. 8-10 inches high and 23-26 inches wide. (Starter plants are planted only 12 inches apart), Staggered double rows are preferable. Leave an isle between the rows about 2 feet wide. The plant's energy is put toward producing berries rather than producing an abundance of plants as in the matted row system. Runners are removed and berries are harvested the first season.   

The hill system works well in warm climates where strawberries can be planted in the fall. The plants can be treated as annuals, replacing them every fall for best results.

If not treating them as annuals, keep in mind that the Plants productivity wanes over time, they should be replaced every 1-3 years.

 How to Grow Strawberries using The Matted Row System

The matted row system is the least time consuming as far as maintenance is concerned.

You'll need an area aprox. 8-10 feet wide and 30 feet long to accommodate 30 plants. This system works best with June bearing strawberries.

In the spring, plant the Starter (or Mother) plants 2 feet apart in rows 3-4 feet apart and allow them to produce and set runner plants unobstructed. The first year all the plant's energy is devoted to producing and developing strong plants ,all flowers must be picked off, and fruit is not harvested until the second season.

Keep rows to a width of approximately 18 inches. You may have to cut back runners that grow between the rows.

 How to Grow Strawberries as a Groundcover

space the starter plants 1 to 2 feet apart.

Weed well , and after the first season maintenance should be minimal.

Strawberries grown as a groundcover will not produce as much fruit. In all cases, the soil

should be well tilled and fertilized a week before planting.

 How to Grow Strawberries in Raised Beds

Some gardeners find that raised beds are easier to maintain and promote more vigorous plant growth. Walking in a garden causes soil compaction, which can cause problems with drainage and oxygen availability to the roots. It's also more difficult to weed when soil is compacted.

With a raised bed, you can plant, weed and harvest without ever walking on the soil. You can also avoid  drainage problems by planting in raised beds. The soil also warms up faster in the spring than in a traditional garden, hence your growing season and yield is extended

• Amazon -Raised Garden Beds.

• How to Build a Raised Garden Bed  -Hometips.com

June-bearing strawberries that have been renovated after this year's harvest should be watered weekly during dry weather. Watering aids the recovery of the renovated planting and helps ensure optimal production next season. (The flower buds on June- bearing strawberries develop in late summer and fall. These flower buds will bloom the following spring.) If the strawberry planting is not properly watered, dry weather in late summer and fall could drastically reduce flower bud formation and next year's crop. Water is especially important while the fruit is forming, from early bloom to the end of harvest.

 

Iron deficiency, or chlorosis, is common in  excessively watered strawberries. It is characterized by pale, yellowed leaves with dark green veins. In severe cases, the edges of the leaves will dry up and turn brown. Yields are typically dismal.

Water management is vital when growing plants in alkaline soils {high pH}.  In excessively wet or poorly drained soils, the chemistry of the soil degrades in some aspects and iron is depleted. 

Excessive irrigation in heavy clay soils or in cool climates frequently leads to a deficiency of iron.

Numerous iron compounds are commercially available for treating iron chlorosis but no single product has proven 100% successful in all situations. Furthermore strawberries do not always respond well to foliar sprays of iron.

If you notice symptoms of chlorosis, reduce the frequency of watering. If the condition persists, apply Iron Sulfateor Sequestreneusing recommendations on the bag.

The recommendations below are generalized and should be adjusted to the fertility, nutrient holding ability of your soil, and your observations of the plant growth. An application of Miracle-Gro as they are attempting to get established is recommended.


 

June bearing
The soil should have been fertilized before planting as recommended ..if not, apply 1/3 cup 13-13-13 per 25 feet of row two weeks after planting. Repeat in late August. 1/3 cup 13-13-13 per 25 feet of row at renovation (after harvest) and again in late August. In colder climates do not fertilize strawberries late in the season. Fertilizer encourages new growth that will only be damaged by frost.

Ever bearing
2 weeks after planting apply 1/3 cup 13-13-13 per 25 feet of row if soil was not fertilized before planting. Repeat twice in the growing season.
Fertilize with 1/3 to 1/2 cup 13-13-13 per 25 feet of row three times per year. In containers, it may be easier to use a weekly soluble fertilizer or a slow release fertilizer according to label directions.

Soil pH in the range of 5.5 to 6.5 is considered optimal , but good yields have been produced with a pH as high as the 7.5 range.  See Soil pH, and adjust accordingly .  Also See: Understanding Fertilizer Labels

Renovation is an important part of strawberry care. In order to insure substantial and quality berry production, June-bearing strawberries should be renovated every year right after harvest. A June-bearing strawberry planting can be productive for several years if the bed is properly cared for. A strawberry patch will continue to be productive for three to four years as long as the planting is maintained.

1. Leaf and debris removal from the base of plants and immediate area. Mow the old foliage with a mower, cutting off the leaves about one inch above the crowns. Rake and remove the leaves, if  not diseased, compost them or dig them into the soil.
   • This mowing should be done within 1 week of the last harvest. (Do not mow the strawberry bed after this one week period as later mowing destroys new leaf growth.)
2. If the strawberry patch has become a solid bed , create 8-inch-wide plant strips . Space the plant strips about 3 feet apart.  Narrow the rows to 8-inch-wide strips by removing the older plants, while keeping the younger ones.
   • After this renovation, the strawberry plants should develop runners and eventually form a matted row of plants before Autumn.
3. Fertilization is next . Apply approximately 5 pounds of a 10-10-10 or similar analysis fertilizer per 100 feet of row to stimulate new plant growth.
4. Continue to irrigate even after renovation, irrigate the strawberry planting weekly during dry weather. Adequate moisture promotes plant growth and fruit production in the following season.  {The flower buds of June-bearing strawberries develop in late summer and early Autumn.} If not properly watered, dry weather in late summer and fall could drastically reduce flower bud formation and next year's crop.
5. Weed control through the summer months is also vital. Some gardeners will apply a layer of straw or suitable mulch between rows to control weeds.
6. After several years , as berry size and quantities decline, you should start planning for a new strawberry bed. Renovate the current strawberry planting one last time. After renovation, select a site for a new planting next spring.