Extension Service Garden Hints

For big yields, treat your strawberry plants right

CORVALLIS - If the weather stays warm, strawberries will be ripe, red and luscious in early June. With a little extra care in late spring through the summer, home gardeners can keep their plants vigorous and able to bear great fruit in the future, said Bernadine Strik, Oregon State University Extension berry crops specialist.

Strawberries come in three types: June-bearers, everbearers and day-neutrals. June-bearers produce one crop per year, usually in June. Everbearers have two crops of berries per year, one in early summer and another in the fall. Day-neutrals bear fruit continuously until frost in the fall.

For concentrated yields of high quality fruit for freezing and jam making, Strik recommends growing June bearers. Day-neutrals are the best type to grow for fresh fruit throughout the growing season.

During hot days, pick ripe fruit often, recommended Strik. Strawberries harvested in the morning usually last longer. Avoid washing the fruit until just before using, to prevent softening and decay.

"Pick all ripe berries," said Strik. "Fruit left on the plant becomes overripe, which promotes disease and insect problems."

After strawberry plants finish bearing fruit, Strik recommends the following steps to keep them in good health for next season. Keep strawberries free of weeds. Fertilize after harvest in July in June-bearers to promote fall growth.

"After harvest, apply two to three pounds of 10-10-10 or equivalent well-balanced fertilizer per 100 square feet of row while the leaves are dry," recommended Strik. "Then water the plants to carry the fertilizer down to the roots."

Fertilize everbearers and day-neutrals in the late summer.

Water strawberry plants all through the growing season, about an inch a week.

"After the plants' first growing season, there are two critical times when good soil moisture is especially important," she said. "The first is from bloom through harvest, to ensure the berries swell to maximum possible size. The other is from late August through early fall, when plant growth resumes and flower buds for the following season's crop are formed."

Renovate your strawberry patch for higher yields next year.

To stimulate next year's growth in June-bearers, remove the old leaves with a hedge clipper or mower after fruiting, being careful not to damage the crown. Do not remove old leaves on day-neutrals or everbearers.

Most strawberry plants remain highly productive for only three or four fruiting years, said Strik. Thin out old and weak plants, leaving about five to six of the most vigorous plants per square foot of row. Train runners to the row. After Sept. 1, remove all runners, as they don't have time to take root before winter's onset.

"If you want to make new plantings, plant in another location to minimize insect and disease problems," said Strik.

For more information on "Growing Strawberries in Your Home Garden," EC 1307, visit our on-line catalog. Our publications and video catalog at: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/ shows which publications are available on the Web and which can be ordered as printed publications.

By: Carol Savonen
Source: Bernadine Strik

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