A: The newly planted plants will produce fruit the same year that they are planted. It is common practice, however, to remove the flowers from the plants the first year that they are planted. This encourages the plant to put its energy into producing more runners and other plants. These then will produce fruit in June of the following year.

A: The straw is placed over the plants in late fall. It has many uses for the strawberry crop.

1.It helps to protect the plants from the cold temperatures during the winter.

2. It helps to maintain the soil moisture essential for optimal production during the growing season.

3. It provides a soft mat for pickers to kneel on during harvest.

4. It helps to smother out weeds.

5. It keeps the fruit from coming in direct contact with the soil, therefore keeping it cleaner.

Q: Are these strawberries sprayed?                                                                                                                                   
A: This is often asked by pickers in our fields during harvest. We do not spray the strawberries or the plants during harvest with chemical pesticides. In the spring we usually apply an insecticide for an insect called tarnish plant bug.  If uncontrolled this insect can ruin a crop of berries. It leaves them seedy and misshapen.

A: The berry plants are mowed off just above ground level immediately after harvest. Weed killers may be applied. Fertilizer is often applied at this time which encourages healthy plants. At this time of year the plants are sending out new runners and therefore making new plants too. In order to keep the plants in rows, a roto-tiller is used to narrow up the rows and work up the soil in the row middles.

A: It is not uncommon to maintain a planting of strawberries for four or five years. As the planting ages, however, the berries get smaller and weeds become harder to contend with. On our farm we plan to keep a planting for two or three years