Strawberry season may not cross your mind until spring when the fruit is red and ripe. But the secret to producing higher yields and quality strawberries starts with planting in the fall.
In Texas, strawberries are grown primarily as an annual crop. Plants go in the ground in fall, spend the cool months building a strong root crown, then put on a full flush of fruit before summer heat shuts down production.
Tim Hartmann, Ph.D., Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service statewide fruit specialist and assistant professor in the Texas A&M Department of Horticultural Sciences, shares some time-tested, science-based tips to help you get the most out of your strawberry plants.
Plant strawberries in fall for a bigger spring harvest
September and October are the best months to plant strawberries in Texas. You can plant through early December, but earlier planting gives the plants more time to grow, resulting in bigger harvests by spring.
The plants themselves can tolerate cold temperatures. However, the flower buds and fruit need protection once they start forming in late winter. Fruit production can start as early as February in the southern part of the state and during mild conditions. Harvest will continue until it gets too hot, usually in late May or June.
Choose the best varieties for Texas
Select strawberry varieties suited to Texas’ fall-to-spring growing season.
Did you know?
June-bearing strawberries flower during short days and deliver one big spring harvest.
Day-neutral varieties ignore day length and flower whenever it’s mild, so they may give you a few berries in fall before the spring crop.
Hartmann recommends:
- Day-neutral varieties like Albion or San Andreas
- June-bearing types like Chandler, an established standard variety, or Camarosa
Avoid everbearing varieties bred for northern gardens. They’re often what’s sold at retail nurseries in spring, but they try to produce all summer and their harvest gets cut short by the Texas heat.
Ask a local nursery to order plants for fall planting. If they can’t, order from a reputable mail order or online source.And if a minimum order is required, consider splitting it with neighbors, friends or family.
Strawberry plants are self-fruitful, so you only need one variety to produce fruit.
Start with ‘plug’ plants if you’re a beginner
Plugs, essentially potted starter strawberry plants, are easier for beginners to grow than bare-root plants.
Bare-root plants may cost less but they can be more difficult to handle and plant correctly. If you set the crown too high, it will dry out. If you set it too low, the plant will rot. For plug plants, you can see exactly where the soil line should sit.
“Some strawberry growers prefer one over the other, but it’s just a little easier in my experience to plant the plug,” Hartmann said.
Give plants full sun and good drainage
Strawberries need to be planted where the soil drains well and plants get plenty of sun. Strawberries don’t tolerate soggy soil, so consider using raised beds if your soil is heavy or drains slowly.
“The sun fuels fruit production and sugar content, so give them as much as possible,” he said. “Sunshine drives vigor and gets them to grow to that large plant you want in the spring.”
Mulch to keep berries clean and dry
Mulching around plants is a must. A layer of weed-block fabric or pine straw keeps fruit off bare, damp soil, where it can rot quickly. Avoid hay, which can carry herbicide residue that damages plants.
Use fertilizer and water at the roots
Strawberries are heavy nitrogen feeders, apply a slow-release fertilizer at planting time.
“A slow-release fertilizer application will supply nitrogen throughout the season with less risk of burning the plants,” Hartmann said. “Alternatively, you could also add a nitrogen-rich compost. If you decide not to go with slow release, you’ll need to fertilize every week ideally. As with any other crop, it’s important to test your soil for other nutrient needs, but plan to supply plenty of nitrogen for maximum yields.”
Water plants at the roots with a soaker hose or drip line. Avoid using overhead sprinklers because wet leaves and fruit increase the risk of rot and disease. Strawberry roots are shallow, so water frequently when there isn’t consistent rainfall.
Cover blooms and fruit during hard freezes
Strawberry plants are cold-hardy, but freezes can damage buds and fruit. Frost blankets or floating row covers will help protect flowers and fruit during late spring frost. Ideally, small hoops are used to create low tunnels just above the plants. Using multiple layers of frost blanket provides additional protection.
“Strawberry plants can take the cold, but here in Texas we could have a strong flower or fruit set well before the final frost date, so we want to protect yields,” Hartmann said. “During a warmer winter, it’s possible to get some fruit before the spring production boom.”
By Adam Russell, Texas A&M AgriLife Communications
