Facts About Growing Strawberries

Site Conditions

• Strawberries thrive best in sandy, well-drained and organic soil in full-sun conditions. A well-maintained strawberry patch produces fruit year after year. The pH levels of the soil ideally stay between 5.8 and 6.2. Site conditions take time to prepare, possibly a season or more, for planting successful strawberry patches. Fertilize by spreading compost and manure early in the season to boost soil nutrition necessary for producing a good crop from the plants. Have a local supply of water available for dry stretches.

Planting

• Plant strawberry starters later in the day or when conditions are overcast in early spring, giving plants an opportunity to settle in prior to the arrival of hotter temperatures. Ensure the soil is dry and cover the roots to just over the tops. Choose various planting systems depending on the cultivar; spaced-row, matted row or hills. Removing the blossoms of early summer strawberries aids in the development of roots and the runners needed for a bumper crop in the next year.

Maintenance

• Removing fruit that develops mold or rot avoids the spread of disease to other ripe berries. Keep berries from touching the ground by spreading straw around the base of the plants. Picking fruit often aids in reducing rot. Deadhead blossoms that have wilted or show burnt edges and thin out the weaker plants. Weed strawberry beds frequently, as weeds encourage the spread of disease. Fill in areas which hold water with a sandy mixture to avoid moisture retention.

Disease

• Leaf blight, scorch and spot present three serious diseases for strawberry plants. They occur only on the strawberry. Leaf blight shows up after harvest, damaging young runners. Leaf scorch damages multiple parts of the plant, leaving it covered in dark purple fungus spots. Leaf spot focuses on young plants, leaving grayish spots on the berries. Avoid using soil where nightshade plants have grown; potatoes, eggplant, peppers and tomatoes. According to the University of Maine, these plants can carry Verticilliumas, a root rot fungus which can infect strawberry plants.