May is National Strawberry Month! It is also the perfect time to get them planted in your garden and landscapes.
When you first bring your strawberry plants home from the greenhouse, you will want to harden them off prior to putting them directly in the ground. If you purchase your strawberries at the end of April beginning of May, this will allow you to plant around the frost-free date. Hardening off will acclimate your new plants to the weather in order to ensure that they survive after transplanting. Set your plants outside during the afternoon in a semi-shaded spot or porch and let them sit for about three hours. Bring them inside if the temperatures drop below 55 or heavy rain threatens. Repeat this every day lengthen the amount of time outside by an hour and increase the exposure to sunlight. By the end of the week, your seedlings will be ready for transplanting.
Though strawberry plants will tolerate mild subfreezing temperatures and frosts, younger recently transplanted strawberries are more prone to frost damage. For best results you want to wait until the frost leaves the ground and the soil is no longer muddy from Ohio’s strong April rain showers to transplant. Watch the weather forecast and plant when nightly temperatures get above 45 (or wait till the May 15th frost free date).
Strawberries do best when planted on raised ground within mounded rows a few inches high by 8 to 10 inches wide. Taper the mounds down on each side to help shed off excess rain or water. Spacing your rows 18-24 apart will allow you to easily walk between the rows. Transplanting your strawberries 10-16″ apart which will allow your strawberries room to grow. Amend your soil with compost or manure while preparing your rows will eliminate the need for additional fertilizers later.
When planning your garden, keep your strawberry plants away from tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, melons, peppers, roses, mint, and okra as this will encourage diseases on your strawberry plants.
Plant the crown of the strawberry, this is the portion directly above the root area but below the first set of leaves, even with the soil. Planting too deeply encourages plant rot while planting too shallowly leads to dehydration. After planting, pluck off all flowers on everbearing strawberry varieties until the plants have been in the ground for six weeks. Removing flowers focuses plant energy to create strong root systems and healthy foliage.
Strawberries do best with 8 or more hours of sun. Though they dislike wet soil, they also don’t tolerate drought well, so be consistent in your watering. They also prefer rich, fertile soil that contains plenty of organic matter. They do prefer their soil to be on the slightly acidic with a pH of 5.5 to 6.8.
Strawberry plants need a lot of nitrogen in early spring and again in late fall as they are sending out runners and producing berries. If you did not amend your soil while planting, you can use a universal produce fertilizer like Bumper Crop Tomato and Vegetable Food.
For established plants that have come back, fertilize once a year after the plant has produced fruit, in the mid-to late summer but definitely before September. For June bearing strawberries, avoid fertilizing in the spring as this will result in increased foliage growth instead of berry production. Fertilize June bearing varieties after the last harvest of the season.
If you are using organic matter for fertilization, do not use fresh manure as this will be too hot for the strawberry plants. Other organic options for fertilizing strawberries include blood meal, which contains 13% nitrogen: fish meal, soy meal, or alfalfa meal. Purchase Bonemeal online and pickup curbside.
If you have June bearing strawberries, cut them back after they are done producing strawberries for the year. This will help create a stronger root system and will encourage new growth and blooms for next year.
In the fall, mulch plants with 4-6 inches of straw, shredded leaves or pine needs to help protect them from the cold Ohio winters.
Strawberries are perennial, but for the best berry production replace older berry bushes about every 5-6 years.
If you have additional questions, feel free to contact us here at Meadow View. Stop in or give us a call at 937-845-0093. Happy gardening!
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