"Growing Strawberries in Your Home Garden"
Oregon is one of the best places to grow strawberries, and gardeners in Oregon can choose from several flavorful cultivars, or varieties. If you plan it right, you can pick ripe fruit for your family through most of the growing season.
Strawberries can be enjoyed in home garden soil or container plantings. Ensure success by choosing the right type of strawberry, choosing a cultivar adapted to your site and adopting proper cultural practices.
Gardeners have two production options, depending on the type and cultivar selected:
In the first option, fruit are produced in a concentrated time period.
This option is ideal for freezing berries, or making pies or jam.
In the second option, harvest is spread over most of the growing season for fresh eating.
Also available:
Growing Berries on the Oregon Coast: Strawberries, EM 9178
Growing Berries on the Oregon Coast: An Overview, EM 9177
Strawberry plants are low-growing perennials with a short, compressed stem, called the crown. The crown produces a whorl of leaves; flowers and fruit; branch crowns; and runners (Figures 1 and 2). Many strawberry cultivars spread by producing above-ground stems called stolons and new plants called daughters.
. The combination of the above-ground stem and any attached daughter plants is called a "runner". Daughter plants will ultimately root when they touch soil (Figure 2). If they do not touch soil or root, they will still grow, but remain dependent upon the original established plant (the "mother"). Daughter plants are used for vegetative propagation by nurseries.
Strawberries do not breed true to type from seed. Strawberry fruit are composed of a fleshy receptacle (the main part you eat) and many achenes (the "seeds" that you see on the surface of the fruit). Fruit are attached to the inflorescence (the structure supporting flowers and fruit) by a stem and calyx, or cap (Figure 3).
In cultivars bred from processing, the cap easily pulls off ripe fruit as you pick it. Processing cultivars include 'Hood'. 'Mary's Peak' and 'Sweet Sunrise'.
baby strawberry plant
Figure 1. Strawberry plant showing the crown, pr base; leaves; and inflorescences bearing fruit.
Photo: Bernadine Strik, © Oregon State University
mother plant, above-ground stem, daughter
Figure 2. A new planting of June-bearing strawberry shows mother plants from a nursery and new runners being produced (above-ground stem and daughter plants).
Figure 3. The receptacle of ‘Sweet Sunrise’ features a red interior color. “Seeds,”
or achenes, dot the surface.
Strawberry types
Strawberries can be divided into three main types: June-bearing, everbearing and day-neutral. While growing practices for all types are similar, understanding the differences will help you choose the best types for your situation and maximize fruit production.
June-bearing strawberries produce one fruit crop per year in late spring or early summer (generally in June in the Willamette Valley, although harvest in eastern Oregon may be as late as July).
The fruiting season usually lasts around four weeks. They fruit for the first time the year after planting. June-bearing cultivars produce the most runners, making them best adapted to a matted row planting system (see “Planting systems”). These are a good choice if you want a lot of fruit at once to freeze or make jam.
Everbearing strawberries produce fruit twice a year, once during the June-bearing season and then again in late summer. They will produce a late-summer crop in the planting year but produce few runners. Everbearers are less desirable than day-neutral cultivars in most regions because they are not as productive and do not fruit all season long.
Day-neutral strawberries produce fruit throughout the growing season, except when it is too cool (less than 40ºF) or too hot (90ºF or higher). When it is too hot, flowers do not form until temperatures drop. In the Willamette Valley, cultivars generally fruit from May through early October. In central Oregon, day-neutral cultivars will generally fruit from late June through October (or the first hard frost). Day-neutrals will fruit for the first time in the same year they were planted. They are ideally planted in containers or in the soil in a hill system (see “Planting systems”), because they produce relatively few runners.
Growing the plants in a container, a wood-sided raised bed, or raised beds made from mounded soil makes frequent picking easier. Retailers often include day-neutral cultivars with “everbearing” types, creating confusion. It helps to know the names of the cultivars within each type before you buy.
Strawberry cultivars
It is important to choose a cultivar adapted to your region. Various types of strawberry differ in fruiting season and cultural requirements. Even cultivars within the same type differ in fruit quality, flavor, appearance, tolerance to pests, cold hardiness, plant longevity and processing characteristics.
Winter cold-hardy cultivars adapted to the colder regions of Oregon (zones 5 to 7), may not grow normally in regions of the Willamette Valley (zone 8, for example) where winters are warmer and plants receive less winter chill. Also, cultivars adapted to the Willamette Valley may lack sufficient cold hardiness for central, eastern, and southeastern Oregon. You can protect cultivars in cold winter periods by bringing those in containers inside. Cover in-soil plantings with a protective, insulative mulch in winter (see “Common problems”).
Cultivars in Table 1 are noted for good flavor and pest resistance.
The table lists a range in Plant Hardiness Zones to help determine regional adaptation if you are growing in an area with a borderline USDA Plant Hardiness Zone. Cold hardiness zones vary within any one region. You may be in zone 5 because your home is at a higher elevation, while the majority of the region is in zone 6. It’s important to choose a cultivar adapted to your needs and your site.
Whichever types and cultivars you choose, buy only certified, disease-free plants from a reputable nursery. Even though it’s tempting to start a new planting with daughter plants from an old patch, don’t do it.
This could introduce pest-infested soil and virus-infected plants to your new planting. Also, many cultivars are patented and may only legally be propagated by licensed nurseries. Many of the listed cultivars (and more) are available through local retail and mail-order nurseries. Plants often sell out quickly, so order well in advance of spring planting.
Because strawberry cultivars do not need cross-pollination to produce fruit, you only need to choose one cultivar. However, growing more than one type or cultivar will allow you to compare them, have sufficient fruit for freezing or jam, and to harvest fruit all season long.
Selecting a site
Strawberry plantings are only productive for three to five years. With careful site selection, you can maximize the quality and quantity of fruit from your plants during that time.
Ideal environmental conditions for strawberries are full sun exposure and fertile, well-drained, sandy loam or clay loam soils with moderate water-holding capacity. Strawberry plants are sensitive to wet or heavy soils and are susceptible to root rot (see “Common problems”). Raised beds or mounded rows, if constructed correctly, can create enough height for adequate drainage (Figures 5 and 6).
Strawberries can be sensitive to winter cold and frost damage in late winter and early spring, so select a site with good air circulation. Frost protection may be necessary in some locations, especially where freeze/thaw cycles are frequent and where high winds are common, such as central Oregon (see “Common problems”)
Soil nutrient testing and modification
If you are going to plant strawberries in your garden soil, take a soil sample and have it tested prior to planting. Collect soil samples up to a year or more in advance. This will provide adequate time to amend the soil, if necessary.
Take samples from the top 6 to 12 inches of soil where the strawberry roots will grow.
Strawberries require a soil pH of 5.6 to 6.5. If your soil test indicates that your soil pH is too low (too acidic) or too high (too basic) for strawberry production, you can amend the soil to improve the pH. A typical soil analysis will also include phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and sodium (Na). In addition, test for boron (B) and organic matter. Nitrogen (N) levels in soil are not useful because N is not added prior to planting. Instead, supply N with fertilizer after planting.
Table 2 shows recommended nutrient ranges for strawberry.
For more information, see A Guide to Collecting Soil Samples for Farms and Gardens, EC 628; Analytical Laboratories Serving Oregon, EM 8677; and Soil Test Interpretation Guide, EC 1478.
Table 2. Recommended soil nutrient ranges for strawberries
Soil nutrient Deficient at less than
Phosphorus (P): Bray 1 testing method 45
Phosphorus (P): Olsen testing method 20
Potassium (K) 75-175
Calcium (Ca) 1,000
Magnesium (Mg) 120
Boron (B) 0.3-1.0. Lower level for day-neutral; higher for June-bearers
Organic matter >3%
Adapted from Strawberry Nutrient Management Guide for Oregon and Washington, EM 9234.
Soil that is not ideal for strawberries — soil with the wrong pH, poor drainage or the wrong soil type — can usually be improved by increasing organic matter content, building raised beds, applying amendments to modify soil pH, and modifying soil nutrient levels, if needed.
Soil pH
Willamette Valley soils often require lime amendments to reach the ideal pH for strawberries. You can ask for the Shoemaker-McLean-Pratt buffer (known as SMP) as part of your soil test to find how much lime to apply. In central, eastern, and southeastern Oregon, soils tend to be neutral to more alkaline, so this additional buffer test is probably not necessary.
Ideally, test the soil a year before you plant to give yourself enough time to modify the soil pH, if necessary. If the soil pH is too high (above 6.5), apply elemental sulfur to acidify it. The application rate depends on your soil type and its current pH.
In sandy type soils apply approximately 1 to 3 pounds of sulfur per 100 square feet, or in clayey type soils apply approximately 5 to 6 pounds per 100 square feet. For more information see Acidifying Soil for Blueberries and Ornamental Plants in the Yard and Garden, EC 1560, and Acidifying Soil in Landscapes and Gardens East of the Cascades, EC 1585.
In general, if your soil pH is too low (below 5.6) for strawberry production, incorporate finely ground dolomitic limestone at a rate of approximately 5 to 10 pounds per 100 square feet. You can also use high-pH composts to add organic matter and increase soil pH.
However, avoid composts with a high salt content (electrical conductivity, or EC), such as fresh animal manures. Incorporate amendments into the soil about a year prior to planting, as it takes time for the soil pH to adjust after the addition of lime. See Applying Lime to Raise Soil pH for Crop Production (Western Oregon), EM 9057, and Eastern Oregon Liming Guide, EM 9060.
Drainage
Strawberries prefer well-drained soil and can benefit from the improved drainage of raised beds. Poor drainage can lead to root death and root diseases. The soil water table should be at least 14 inches below the soil surface.
Raised beds made from mounded soil should be about 1 to 1.5 feet high (Figure 5). Strawberry roots will suffocate in soils that are waterlogged for more than a few days in a row during the growing season, and the likelihood of root rot will increase. Almost any soil type is suitable — or can be amended to be made suitable — although plants will be more vigorous and produce more fruit when grown in a well-drained, fertile, loam soil with some water-holding capacity.
Construct raised beds by hilling or mounding soil and organic matter. Pile up an entire row of built-up material if planting multiple plants.
Another option is to fill a framed raised bed with potting mix, or a combination of soil and any needed amendments (Figure 6). Organic matter aids in soil aeration, drainage and water- and nutrient-holding capacity. Incorporate organic matter into the soil before planting.
albion strawberries
Figure 5. 'Albion' strawberries growing in a hill system on raised beds covered with plastic mulch. Hills and raised beds can help with drainage.
Photo: Bernadine Strik, © Oregon State University
strawberries in raised bed
Figure 6. Strawberries planted in a raised bed with netting to protect from pests.
Photo: Sally Reill
Organic matter
You can increase soil organic matter content by incorporating fine, aged wood chips; sawdust; bark; well-composted manures; or plant-based composts. Composts are the best options for amending native soil in central Oregon.
It is important that whatever material you apply is free of pest insects and weed seeds. Apply organic matter at a rate of 1 to 2 inches deep for each area being planted. All of these organic materials differ in nutrient content, pH, salt content and carbon-to-nitrogen ratio, or C:N, which affects the rate of decomposition.
For more information on the use of organic matter in crop production, see Improving Garden Soils with Organic Matter, EC 1561.
Incorporate the organic material into the soil by digging or tilling. Mixing the amendments in well ensures uniformity of soil properties. If you apply large amounts of fresh organic material with a high C:N, such as sawdust, you can aid decomposition by applying approximately 3 ounces of N per 100 square feet (Figure 16). In areas with little summer rain, irrigating the intended planting area will ensure amendments such as lime or sulfur and organic materials react well with the soil.
Eliminate perennial weeds before planting; they are hard to control after planting. Don’t let annual or perennial weeds go to seed, and ensure that any amendments, such as composted yard debris or manures, are free of weed seeds.
Planting systems
Raised beds and container plantings
Strawberries of any type may be grown in raised beds constructed with wooden frames (Figure 6). Fill these raised beds with potting mix, or a combination of soil and any needed amendments and use the same cultural practices as for soil plantings. For more information on building raised beds, see Raised Bed Gardening, FS 270.
While you can grow all types of strawberry in pots or containers, day-neutral cultivars are best suited for container growing. Day-neutrals fruit almost continuously from mid-spring to autumn frost, and they don’t produce many runners. Choose containers 10 to 18 inches deep and 12 inches or larger in diameter (depending on the number of plants per pot) to allow for sufficient root production. It’s tempting to grow strawberries in hanging baskets, but be sure to remove any runners. These daughter plants, unable to root over the edge of the pot, would never become self-sufficient and would weaken the mother plant.
In fact, runners need to be removed from any potted plant (Figures 7A–D).
You can plant up to four strawberry plants per 12-inch diameter pot (Figure 7A). Generally, “strawberry planters” sold in many nurseries are only suitable for one growing season due to limited space for each plant; purchase new plants each spring for use in these planters.
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