Whether eaten fresh, baked, dripping in chocolate, cooked into jam, or blended into a smoothie or daiquiri, the strawberry is a delight! Discovering it is an easy plant to grow is the icing on the shortcake. Along with the blueberry, the strawberry is one of the top two non-citrus fruits grown in Florida. Unlike the blueberry, the strawberry is not classified as a berry as its approximately 200 seeds are found on the surface of the fruit. Nonetheless, strawberries are sentimentally known as the first fruits of spring and eagerly anticipated.

Today, strawberries are regularly available at the supermarket. However, if you want the joy of picking fresh strawberries from your Southwest home garden in spring, the time to plant is Oct. 1 to Dec. 1, when the temperatures are consistently at or below 80ºF. Start by buying Florida Friendly cultivars such as, Florida Beauty, Sweet Charlie, Camarosa, and Festival. Select a site which will receive at least 8 hours of full sun. Plant in the ground, a raised bed or a container. Strawberries do best in rich, organic, slightly acidic soil that has been prepared with a slow-release fertilizer containing micronutrients such as Boron. Ensure the soil allows for good drainage. Mulch around the transplants, being careful to cover all the roots, but not the crown of the plant. Of the many forms of irrigation, drip irrigation is preferred.

Although considered an easy plant to grow, gardeners will want to look for any signs of distress. Fungal diseases like powdery mildew can be avoided by buying healthy plants from a reputable nursery. Sulfur spray will also help plants with powdery mildew. Make sure to read the label carefully for proper application.

If yard pests appear, horticultural oils such as Neem oil can be used to deter caterpillars, spider mites, aphids and thrips. Fortunately, beneficial insects such as lady beetles, green lacewings, pirate bugs, and parasitic wasps will feast on unwanted pests. Invite them to your yard by avoiding systemic pesticides as these chemicals will kill all insects including beneficial predators.

In addition to diseases and pests, strawberry plants can be damaged if the temperatures drop below 32ºF. They will recover as long as temperatures don’t drop below 20ºF, fortunately, not a concern for our tropical savanna climate. Consider covering your plants if low temperatures are predicted.

Once established, strawberry plants will sprout runners to produce offspring. Limiting the new plants to about three runners will ensure a more plentiful bounty from the central plant. Each plant may produce between one to two pints of fruit. Fruit will be ready for harvesting between 90 and 110 days after planting or when three quarters of the strawberry has turned red. Unlike northern climates, our strawberry plantings are considered annuals, not perennials, and should be removed at the end of the season. Start fresh with new plants next season.

With a little bit of effort, you will soon be enjoying your home-grown strawberries fresh, baked, cooked, dipped, or blended in your favorite recipes.

Happy gardening & bon appétit!

Deborah Haggett is a Lee County Master Gardener Volunteer and a member of the Garden Club of Cape Coral. Visit us at www.gardenclubofcapecoral.com

References

Growing Strawberries – UF/IFAS Extension. (n.d.). Sfyl.Ifas.Ufl.Edu. Retrieved September 18, 2021, from http://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/lawn-and-garden/growing-strawberries/

Whitaker, V. M., Peres, N. A., Lahiri, S., Park-Brown, S., Chandler, C. K., & Smith, H. A. (2021, September 7). Growing Strawberries in the Florida Home Garden. Edis.Ifas.Ufl.Edu. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS40