Strawberry plants typically require temperatures between 50 and 80 degrees and day lengths of 14 hours or fewer in order to produce flowers and fruit. These conditions exist only for short periods in much of the country, but in the peninsula region of Florida, they exist for much of the spring, autumn and winter. Strawberries can be planted from late September to early November and will generally produce fruit from November into April or May.
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Strawberry Varieties for the Florida Home Garden
The recommended strawberry varieties for Florida are ‚”Camarosa,” ‚”Sweet Charlie,” and ‚”Festival.” Camarosa tends to produce the best results in northern Florida, while Festival gives good yields in the central regions. Each plant, when properly cared for, should produce 1 to 2 pints of fruit per season.
How to Prepare the Strawberry Bed
Strawberries in the ground should be planted in double rows with soil mounded into raised beds. Drip irrigation can be buried into the soil. Plant with clean, soil amended with compost or manure. Strawberries require good drainage and slightly acidic soil. They also grow best when they receive at least 8 hours of full sun per day.
Beds should be mulched with black polyethylene or another dark mulch for weed control and to keep the fruit clean (rather than having it lay in the dirt). The black polyethylene can be laid out on the bed, and the young plants can be planted through slits in the mulch.
Fertilizing and Watering Strawberry Plants
To start the strawberry bed, incorporate 2 pounds per 10 feet of complete fertilizer (containing Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium) as well as micronutrients into the soil before planting.
Once plants are established, a drip or soaker hose can be used to keep the beds moist. One to two short waterings per week should be sufficient for young plants. Two to three longer waterings may be necessary when plants are larger and/or the weather is warmer.
Freeze Protection for Strawberries
Strawberry plants require freeze protection in temperatures below 32 degree Fahrenheit. The best way to protect young plants and fruit from freezing temperatures is to cover them with a cloth the afternoon before the expected freeze. Be sure to anchor the cloth on all sides to keep it from being blown off the plants. Extended freezes may cause severe damage to strawberry plants.
Pest Management for Strawberry Crops in Florida
The very best pest management strategy is to start with disease- and pest-free transplants. Most diseases on flowers, fruit and leaves can be prevented by using a fungicide for home gardens. Remove dead leaves and rotted fruit from the plants to discourage disease. For powdery mildew on strawberry plants, applications of sulfur work well, but be sure to apply sulfur only when the temperature is below 80 degrees to prevent burning.
Caterpillars and spider mites are common pests of the strawberry plants. Bacillis thuringiensis, or BT (commercially sold as Dipel) or neem products are usually effective at managing caterpillar populations. Spider mite damage is indicated by yellow, pinprick-sized stipples on the leaves. These sucking arthropods may be seen with a hand lens crawling about on the underside of plant leaves. If spider mites are present on 1 out of 20 leaves or fewer, treatment is not advised. For larger infestations, neem products or bifenthrin may be used to control the population.
Nematodes, microscopic soil pests, may pose a problem over time. Soil solarization is the only effective technique for nematode management in the home garden.
Container and Hydroponic Gardening for Strawberries
Strawberries can also be successfully grown in containers, barrels, or hydroponically in vermiculite. Florida farms, such as Henscratch Farms in Lake Placid, Florida grow strawberries as well as other fruits and vegetables hydroponically in vertical towers.
Propagating Strawberries
Strawberry propagation occurs quite naturally at the end of the plant’s lifecycle. The parent plant will begin to send out runners. If the juvenile plants touch the soil, roots will form. Pegging the plants to the soil can be helpful, or introducing the juvenile plants into peat pots for transplanting. When the plants have successfully rooted, they can be detached from the parent plant.
Following general best practices for growing a home garden in Florida will also help strawberry plants to stay healthy and bear large, juicy fruit. Pick strawberries with the stem on to keep them fresher longer.
