Fragaria × ananassa

Cultivation Details

Strawberries are essentially a species of temperate climates, but can be cultivated successfully at elevations above 1,000 metres in tropical latitudes. They grow best in areas where annual daytime temperatures are within the range 11 - 24°c, but can tolerate 6 - 28°c^[1]. When dormant, they can survive temperatures down to about -15 to -20°c, but flowers can be severely damaged at -0.5 to -3°c^[1]. They prefer a mean annual rainfall in the range 600 - 900mm, but tolerate 300 - 1,700mm^[1]. Prefers a fertile, well-drained, moisture retentive soil in a sunny position^[2]. Tolerates semi-shade though fruit production will be reduced when plants grow in such a position. Prefers a pH in the range 6 - 6.8, tolerating 4.5 - 8.2^[1]. The strawberry is widely cultivated in temperate areas for its edible fruit, there are many named varieties^[3] that can supply fruit from late spring (under cloches) to late autumn. Most strawberry varieties are day-length sensitive and only flower at certain times of the year. However, a number of cultivars have been selected that are not sensitive to day-length and can produce fruit for most of the summer. These cultivars are normally referred to as 'remontants'. The plant thrives in mild climates, without extremes of temperature and humidity. Windbreaks, mulching and irrigation are recommended to limit stress^[1]. The plant requires a period of winter chilling to overcome the dormancy period, the chilling temperatures and period differ among cultivars^[1]. The blossom can be damaged by late spring frosts^[4]. The fruit can be harvested 180 - 270 days from planting - plants have an economic life of 2 - 4 years^[1]. Average fruit yields range from 10 - 60 t/ha^[1]. During the growing season new plants are produced on runners - prostrate stems emerging from the leaf axils of mature plants. These runners are used as propagation material^[1]. Strawberries appreciate a mulch of pine or spruce leaves^[5]. Oat straw should not be used as a mulch since this can infect the strawberries with stem and bulb eelworm. Strawberry plants are very subject to virus diseases, these are usually spread by an aphid. Plants tend to degenerate after a few years and need to be replaced. Seed is a safe means of propagation though, since this species is of hybrid origin, the seed will not breed true. Strawberries are a good companion plant, growing well with bush beans, spinach, borage, lettuce and pyrethrum^[6].