If your patch is happy and they haven't got any of the wilts (fusarium, rhizoctonia, etc etc) troubling them you can get as much the second year as the first. The fruit will tend to be smaller though. On the plus side you will get production starting early (usually late May where I am) until frost. Those runners will root into anything they can even on top of plastic sometimes...hard to stop them.

Here is what that same patch from last year looks like as of 5 minutes ago: You will notice a little bit of root trouble on the bottom right of the pic but mostly the field is pretty happy. First ripe fruit this year will be much later than normal...about first of June.

So how do you guys keep the birds off your strawberries? They pretty much devoured my entire small crop three years ago before they were ripe enough to pick.

Last year I built a 12" high box around the patch and covered it with hardware cloth panels. 12" wasn't quite tall enough.

This is a very interesting thread, especially for a first time strawberry grower who hasn't had stellar success as of yet.

Got two rows planted last Sunday. Pic was taken right after planting the crowns. Today is exactly one week later, I will post an updated picture when I go out after rain ends. They are finally showing new growth. Planted each with a pinch of epsom salt and a little 10-0-30 fertilizer ( left over from planting corn, not necessarily first choice ). Will say I am pleased so far. Got 100 in the ground, two rows in plastic and one row without ( not pictured ). Thanks Carl and all of you for your suggestions and advice!

Those plants that John got from me had already broke dormancy (dug a little late) so some transplant shock is to be expected but they should pull through nicely if cared for as John is showing. I gave them a rinse with some mycorhizzal innoculant to help them resist pathogens and get a good start. Those that are not certified organic would be advised that a 5-10-10 fertilizer might fit the bill. Day neutrals need a moderate dose of N and goodly amount of phosphorus for best production. All fertilizers (organic or not) banded to the side of the root zone or the roots will take a big hit being quite sensitive.

As far small plots and birds go I would suggest netting. Same for deer if you got them around.

They're not that sensitive. Mine fruit nearly all summer and I'm in 6b zone which is basically the zone most of Kentucky is in. I'm probably two weeks out from ripe berries.

I believe the fruiting has much more to do with day-length than heat. Too much heat and the fruit will be smaller and can get sun burnt.

As Warrior stated, June bearers are aptly named. One spring crop and depending on the variety a small fall crop sometimes if you stop the watering in July, mow them and then start up watering again in mid-late august. This will stimulate them to flower one more time to some small degree if day lengths are correct for them.

Showing new growth. Favorable growing conditions, hopefully they’ll continue and produce fruit this July

Might be a little later than July but you should get a good spring crop next year as well.

Here's what my overwintered plants are doing right now. Not big sized fruit for the first flush but the later ones are a bit fewer and bigger. Still, these are mighty fine eating right now. We sold 28 flats yesterday at the farmers' market from the patch.

Awesome 👍
I should use straw

I haven't had good luck with straw as when it gets wet it produces gray mold spores. Also tends to harbor slugs and earwigs.

Bevaerpeeler your strawberries are so vibrant!! Nice work!

Do you ever have issues with tarnished plant bugs or other insects?

Nature, most of my problems insect-wise are related to spotted wing drosophila. This last picking I had another issue though....

But problem taken care of:


Rotten little bugger had chewed through netting and made a big mess in the field often chomping on berries but not finishing them before going to the next.

Planted my patch last weekend. 100 plants of 4 varieties 400 total. Allstar, Earliglow, Honeyoe, and Seascape as BeaverPeel recommended.

My own test plots all overhead watered in bare soil and once they start will mulch around them.

BeaverPeeler - what kind of sawdust do you utilize? We have several Amish sawmills I think I could get sawdust at but probably dont want walnut on it - dont think.

We use doug fir sawdust. If possible I would stick with softwoods like pine. But since I put it down on the ground cloth it isn't in contact with soil...so maybe it doesn't matter that much. The idea of the sawdust is it holds down the ground cloth and keeps the plastic mulch from overheating the plants during the summer.

If your mulch is in contact with the ground or leaches will go into the ground avoid walnut. It has some plant inhibiting chemicals. One other note; "Seascape" variety does tend to get leaf spot if overhead irrigated.

Does seascape overwinter? You cover it over winter? Around here most deep straw mulch them. I grew some Chandlers in a hightunnel few years ago and they only lasted the year.

Yes, they overwinter fine. No need to cover unless you get below -10 or less. One thing to keep in mind, all strawberries start to go downhill after a year or two.

We haven't removed the mulch yet. Maybe sometime this week or next week.

Hopefully JoMiBru and Warrior can share how Seascapes did for them last season good-bad-or indifferent.

I uncovered my rows Sunday the 14th. Earliest I have done that. Two varieties, one looks strong and the other a bit thinner and smaller.

Bryce