Strawberry Plant Question

[Avonnow]

I saw some others mention Strawberry Plants and I thought I would ask a question.

I tried searching for the Strawberry plants most popular in Florida. One of my books says to use Camarosa’, ‘Sweet Charlie’, and 'Festival' in FL. Well I couldn't find them anywhere except at Nurserys that obviously sell to big buyers, they were selling them in lots of 250 to 1000. I looked at my seed books and while they offer plants for Zone 9 - I am nervous getting them thru the mail - last year I got them at ACE, but they sold so quickly I only snagged a few. They did alright, but weren't tremendous producers and did not have any tags on them to identify them. I guess I am afraid to order plants through the mail, I never have before - only seeds. What do you think? Also do they need a year before they produce, I really just wanted to try them for this season, I don't have the room to keep them going all year and wait till next year for a strawberry. I am alittle confused - are they slow growers and that is why growing them from seed is not popular? Also any suggestions from you southern gardeners. I want to do 3 huge planters on my pool deck with just strawberries. Thanks. Just as a note, I did ask ACE about ordering in advance (to reserve some this year) and they said they would, but they had no idea what kind they carried .

[applestar]

I've been pretty satisfied with bareroot strawberry plants I got a couple of years ago, and I know two Internet/mail-order sources for Sweet Charley, but I wouldn't recommend them for you Avonnow.

The reason is that I firmly believe you are better off mail ordering plants from nurseries that are as close to your own geographical and climate area as possible, and neither fits for your purposes. One is in Va. And the other in -um - a mid-west state. drawing a blank!

You want the plants to be adapted to your growing climate and you want the least amount of shipping/transit time. (and I don't believe paying for special 2 or 1 day priority shipping ).

Hope others can recommend good sources from near-Florida states. I can think of a few but have no experience buying from them.

[wordwiz]

Google is your friend, a very good friend. Type in your terms, see the results. When you see a promising variety, type it into a new window and Google it. You will find which Zones it is best suited for, the quality and type of flesh, when it ripens, how long it takes to produce fruit.

If you are impatient, grow tomatoes! I'm planning on starting strawberries, blackberries plus apple, cherry and peach trees this year. I doubt I'll get enough produce to make more than a small cup of fruit salad. Next year, maybe a couple of gallons. In 2013, a huge pot. But in 2014, I'll have enough fruit to last me the entire year. Had I planted the stuff in 2006, I would be feasting this year.

What is it that people say? Good things come to those who wait!

Mike

[applestar]

Oh! I forgot to mention -- 25 of the 75 plants I bought were Sweet Charley strawberries. I received them March 7 or thereabouts which would be about 6 wks before avg last frost around here, and they were right on the money as far as soil being ready to dig and work in. (I've found better mail order sources to be pretty accurate about shipping at correct time to plant for my area) They fruited well the first summer so I don't think you'll have to wait.

[Avonnow]

So is it pretty much that way with fruit bushes or plants, they take years to mature? I may have to just alot space for them, I would be afraid to do them in containers if they needed years to really mature. I will try google again, I did find a long list and you clicked on your type and they gave you the nursery(s) that had them, seemed they all wanted you to buy ALOT. I may go back to ACE and see when someone who "knows" what is being ordered can help out. I know Florida produces lots of strawberries - but it seems their season is the fall to the spring when they all come in. That is in Plant City. My daughter loved the ones I had last year they just seem to produce so little, maybe that is why - I need to wait. Thanks.

[JONA878]

Hi Avonnow.

Strawberries are a plant that can manipulated a huge amount if you want to fruit them all year round.

It is a plant that be cold stored as a runner until it is required ....often 6 odd months after lifting.
Once planted the crowns will grow away quickly and will crop just 60 days after flowering.
In this way a grower can produce fruit all year round if he is willing to give light and heat to the plants at the difficult times of the year and is in a less favourable postion as regards geographical location.

The plant will however crop for years if given the chance....its just that the fruit may get smaller and less heavy in production after a two or three years.

You can take runners off your plants and then have a continual supply of fresh plants.
The only reason large growers do not do this is because strawberries are very prone to virus diseases and it could result in them breeding stock that is not 100% clean. So they by fresh plants as they need them from nurseries that carry virus tested mother plants.

If you want to crop on the year of purchase it is important that you buy plants that have large enough crowns to carry the strength to do so.
9 - 15 mm diameter crowns would be needed to give you this.
Anything smaller is best de- flowered so they can build up reserves for the following year.