Different Types of Strawberries

Types

• There are three types of strawberries: June Bearing, Everbearing, and Day Neutral. The June Bearing strawberries are the traditional berry that produces a single crop in June or early spring, depending upon the area. The berries produce for about two to three weeks and are the largest berries. Everbearing strawberries have two to three harvests: June, late summer and early fall. Everbearing have few runners and are a smaller berry. Day Neutral strawberries produce fruit throughout the summer months and, like Everbearing, the fruit is small with few runners. Everbearing and Day Neutral strawberries are good for limited spaces.

Time Frame

• Plant your strawberries in the spring as soon as the soil is dry. The leaves and flower buds will grow quickly. Pinch off the flower buds on the June Bearing plants during the first year. On the Everbearing and Day Neutral plants, pinch the flowers until July 1. Pinching the flowers means no crop the first year for the June Bearing plants, but the crop the second year will be better. The Everbearing and Day Neutrals can produce after July 1. Pinching the flowers for these types help the plant produce more energy.

Effects

• The soil is important on the effect of the strawberry plant. It should be a rich, organic soil with a pH of 5.8 to 6.2, and should be well-drained. Use straw to mulch around the plants. This helps keep the soil cool and stop weeds from growing. Plant in full sun. Water the plants with 1 to 2 inches of water each week.

Considerations

• Deciding on whether to plant June Bearing, Everbearing, or Day Neutral strawberries depends on your available space, size of preferred strawberries and how much work you want to put into the strawberries.

  Everbearing and Day Neutral strawberries are sweet and petite. They will not need much space and both are great for plant hangers. If you choose to plant them in the garden, be prepared to spend time weeding and fertilizing the plants.

  June Bearing strawberries produce a nice, large and sweet berry. Because they only produce for a short period of time, there is not so much work to take care of them. You do, however, need space because of the runners.

Warning

• Strawberries are prone to diseases such as foliage diseases, root and crown diseases, and fruit diseases. It's important to buy disease-free plants. Disease-free plants still may need fungicides applied to help control disease.

  Weather can also affect the production of strawberries. Wet conditions can cause decay and bruising. Frost is also another issue.