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© Frances Michaels
BOTANICAL NAME: Fragaria x ananassa FAMILY: Rosaceae, the rose family
PLANT DESCRIPTION Strawberries are short-lived herbaceous perennials, producing for 2 to 3 years. Plant in an open, sunny position in raised beds; a good airflow will reduce fungal diseases. Strawberries prefer a well-drained soil, rich in humus. Dig in lots of organic matter, compost, animal manure or blood and bone, about a month before planting. Keep the beds well mulched, to control weeds and keep the fruit clean. Strawberries prefer a slightly acidic soil of pH 5.0 - 6.0. Avoid soil that has previously grown other berries or members of the tomato family (Solanaceae) to reduce the danger of viral diseases. Avoiding overhead watering will reduce fungal disease; drip irrigation or 'leaky pipe' is best. A fortnightly spray with seaweed fertiliser improves the vigour of the plants.
USES Eaten fresh, preserved or made into jam.
PLANTING In subtropical areas March - April is the best planting time. In cooler areas the recommended planting time is late winter or early spring. Make sure the strawberry crowns (tops of the roots) are at soil level or they will rot. Water well after planting. Plant runners in a staggered fashion, 35 cm apart and between rows.
HARVEST Keep a close eye on the plants as flowering begins as the birds are just as keen on strawberries as we are. You may need to net the strawberry bed. Slugs and snails can also seriously affect the crop so place snail traps in the bed.
YEARLY CARE: Commercially strawberries are replanted every year to maintain a high fruit production. This also saves the commercial grower from the time consuming problem of dealing with runners. For the home gardener it is best to treat strawberries as a short-lived perennial of 2-3 years. Runners provide an opportunity to grow more strawberry plants but also adversely affect strawberry fruit production. Pinching off runners early in the season will improve fruit production. The runners, if left, also tend to overcrowd the bed so that in the 2nd year the original strawberry bed is too crowded to be very productive at all. For keen strawberry home gardeners, it is best to establish 3 strawberry beds over time. These beds should be rotated and not re-planted again with strawberries for 3-5 years. The first year the purchased plants in Bed 1 will be highly productive but will also produce runners. After fruiting has finished these runners should all be removed along with any old or diseased leaves. The plants should be fed with compost and fresh mulch applied. If there is room in the garden, Bed 2 should be planted with the largest and healthiest runners from Bed 1. Again if there is enough space, Bed 3 can be created with the runners from Bed 1 or 2 in the following year. After 3 years the plants in Bed 1 will be exhausted and the plants should be removed and composted. It is best not to plant strawberries again in this bed for a few years. It takes time to do this annual clean-up and replenishment of the strawberry beds but it will reward you with a large crop. It is common to see strawberry beds left to become overcrowded in the garden with 2 or 3 years worth of runners fighting for space, but these beds produce very few strawberries. The original planting should have been certified virus-free stock and it is worth starting again with fresh virus-free stock 7 to 10 years down the track. Available from Green Harvest: March to April 2009
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STRAWBERRY
GROWING INFORMATION