The Best Strawberries to Grow

Earliglow

• A June-bearing cultivar, Earliglow flowers and fruits at least five days earlier than other varieties. Cold-tolerant June-bearing strawberry varieties produce fruit in as little as 60 days after planting. For best fruit production, however, remove blossoms the first year and wait to harvest fruit until the second year. For a spring harvest, warm the ground with black plastic, and plant crowns in spring as soon as the ground can be worked. Earliglow bears fruit in USDA hardiness zones 4 through 9, but is best adapted to growing conditions in the Northeast and Midwest. Earliglow produces deep-red, dessert-quality fruit.

Sweet Charlie

• Sweet Charlie strawberry cultivars grow well in zones 5 through 8. Sweet Charlie is especially adapted to growing conditions in the South. Plant sweet charlie in October for a spring harvest. Cover the plants with straw during the winter months. Though a June-bearer, Sweet Charlie often produces a second crop in early fall. Suitable for fresh eating, Sweet Charlie produces medium-size, deep-red berries.

Sequoia

• Sequoia strawberries produce fruit in zones 5 through 9, but are especially adapted to Southwestern growing conditions. Plant this June-bearing variety in fall for a summer harvest. Cover plants with straw to protect them from winter freezes. Because Sequoia fruit is thin-skinned, lay straw or landscape fabric beneath the plants to prevent rotting. Sequoia produces large, vigorous plants and very sweet, wedge-shaped fruit.

Benton

• The Benton strawberry cultivar grows well in zones 5 through 8 and is suited to climate conditions in the Pacific Northwest, especially in mountain and inter-mountain areas. This cold-hardy June-bearing variety produces large berries suitable for preserves and fresh eating in late spring to early fall. Set crowns in the ground in March as soon as the soil is well thawed.

Tribute

• A day-neutral variety, Tribute bears fruit from spring through fall and is hardy in zones 4 through 8. In Minnesota, you can grow these strawberries as annuals or overwinter them under a bed of straw. University of Minnesota recommends removing the flowers from day-neutral strawberries until July 1. After this, allow the plants to flower and set fruit. A hardy cultivar, Tribute produces medium-sized, plump and very sweet, dessert-quality strawberries.