Removing flowers is a significant labor cost, but is necessary during these time periods. Day-neutral strawberry plants should have flowers removed for the first 4 weeks after planting. To encourage the growth of the plant canopy after planting, remove all flowers on June-bearing strawberry plants during the first season. It is important to have a 100% stand in the first year. If some plants do not begin growing after a week, or if any plants die after planting, replace them with new plants as soon as possible. Plant spacing and plants per acre for June-bearing strawberries If available, a mechanical transplanter aids in this process. Avoid laying down the roots horizontally in a “J.” Fill in the soil around the plants. Place the roots in the furrow so that the middle of the crown is level with the soil surface. To plant, till the soil and then create a 7- to 8-inch-deep furrow in the rows. This spacing allows for good light penetration into the plant canopy which eases weed control, harvest, and reduces fruit rot and foliage diseases. Let the runners develop until the row is 1 to 1½ feet wide.ĭepending on the row spacing and plant spacing, an acre of June-bearing strawberries requires 5,445 to 9,680 plants. The space between rows can be determined, in part, by the width of the equipment and the needs of the pickers. Space plants 1½ to 2 feet apart in rows spaced 3 to 4 feet apart. The main planting system used for June-bearing varieties is called a “matted row” system. Plants will reproduce by runners after planting, filling in space in the rows. Recommended plant and row spacing for June-bearing strawberries. Spring-dug plants must be planted as soon as possible after arrival. If the plants arrive before you are ready to plant, you may store dormant bare-root plants in a cool, fairly humid area for a few weeks before planting. Order the winter before planting to ensure the availability of desired varieties. The plants may come as dormant crowns or small spring-dug potted plants (“plugs”). Order strawberry plants from a reputable nursery that are free from insects, viruses, and fungal diseases. Since the soil may take up to a year to change after amendments, do this in the year before planting. If the soil pH is below 5.5 or above 7.5, apply lime or sulfur amendments respectively to alter the pH as needed. Pay close attention to the soil pH on the soil test report. Take soil samples in the field a year before planting and have them tested at the UMN Soil Testing Laboratory. Herbicides - consult herbicide labels to avoid potential carry-over problems for the new strawberry planting.Pre-plant harrowing of a prepared field right before planting.Aggressive cover crops like winter rye and sorghum-sudangrass.Many techniques can be used to achieve weed control in strawberries in the year prior to planting. Do not let weeds go to seed, as this will dramatically increase the weed pressure in the field. Weed control is especially important if many perennial weeds are present, like thistles and quackgrass. Preparations before planting should include soil amendment if necessary, eliminating perennial weeds, purchasing plants, and installing any necessary drainage tile or underground irrigation pipe.Ĭontrol weeds as much as possible before planting to reduce weed competition with the new plants. Fields adjacent to busy roads may be at risk of looting berries, so consider having space between the road and the field. Other site-selection considerations: If the field will be U-Pick, then it should be in close proximity to an open area for parking. Wait at least three years before planting strawberries in fields where potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, or raspberries were grown previously, to reduce the chance of Verticillium wilt disease. Take soil samples from the field, especially if it was not previously in crop production, to see if the soil is suitable for strawberry production. Monitor the site for a year, if possible, to determine whether water ever stands after a rain, what types of weeds are present, how the sun moves across the site, and so on. Well-drained loam or sandy loam soil, to maintain plant vigor and reduce disease.Īvoid planting strawberries in low-lying areas where cold air can settle, creating frost pockets and damaging flowers during bloom.Ī southern exposure will result in an earlier bloom, while a northern exposure will delay flowering, an advantage in an area of late spring frosts.Fairly level ground with an ideal slope of 2-3% to allow good air circulation.Select the site for a new strawberry field at least one year in advance in order to prepare it for planting.
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