New Horticultural Crop Production Systems Becky Hughes New Liskeard Agricultural Research Station

Strawberry Plant Types Junebearing Strawberries Dayneutral Strawberries

Strawberry Plant Types June-bearing Varieties Dayneutral Varieties Set flower buds in the short days of fall Set flower buds at any daylength in the growing season as long as the temperatures are not too high Fruit in June or July for 3 weeks Fruit over the whole season Produce runners after harvest Produce few runners Traditionally grown on matted beds Grown on raised beds with plastic Adapted varieties Californian varieties

June-bearing Strawberry Production Matted row system – 10-15,000 plants/ha Year 1 – establishment Harvest 2-3 years 2-4 week harvest

Recommended June-bearing Cultivars Pick-your-own and retail Annapolis – early Jewel – mid-season PYO Cavendish – mid-season Honeoye – early mid-season Kent – mid-season

New June-bearing Cultivars Wendy – early, large fruit, PYO and local markets Summer Dawn (V151) – early, productive, retail markets

New June-bearing Cultivars Valley Sunset – very late, very large, PYO and local markets Summer Rose (R14) – very late, very large, low yields

New June-bearing Cultivars Summer Ruby (2V55) – firm, large-fruited, early-mid-season Information OMAFRA - website www.omafra.gov.on.ca OBGA

Dayneutral Production Systems Raised beds Polyethylene mulch Drip irrigation and fertigation 30,000-50,000 plants/ha

Dayneutral Production Systems Research Ontario Cedar Springs New Liskeard Simcoe Quebec

Production Systems Research Growing systems - high tunnels vs outside - planting dates, plant types - plant (crown) size - planting density - mulch types - length of blossom removal - winter cover systems Cultivars

New Liskeard Growing season average 110-120 frost-free days Hardiness zone 2-3b Average daily temperatures Jun-Aug – 15-18 °C Winter lows < -35°C

Dayneutral Production Year 1 – plant in spring, pick Aug-Oct, overwinter Year 2 – pick spring harvest and in NL through to Oct

Plant Early Plant as early as possible Therefore make beds the year before Buy a good bed maker/mulch layer Larger plants may be beneficial in cold climates Rain-Flo Model 2600 bedder/mulch layer

Mulch Affects soil temperature (depending on color, soil-mulch contact, bed orientation, time of year, light quality) Reduces weeds Keeps fruit clean

Mulch Mulch Trial 2008-09 Standard black embossed plastic (0.9 mil thickness) Black-on-white (1.0 mil thickness) Brown (0.85 mil thickness) Green (1.0 mil thickness) Silver-on-black (1.0 mil thickness) White-on-black (1.0 mil thickness)

Mulch Conclusions: Use black or black on white mulches in a cool climate. Do not use white or silver. Put straw between the rows. In a warmer climate white and silver may be beneficial especially in a high tunnel.

Cultivars 2010-11 Trial Albion - high quality Monterey – late, low yields, good size & quality Portola – high yields, large berries Seascape – most winter hardy, high yields Albion Monterey Portola Seascape

Dayneutral Cultivars Seascape – adapted across the province, high yields Albion – later, lower yields but larger berries and great fruit quality Have tested a number of others – Portola may have potential in the north

Locations SW Ontario harvests more berries the 1st year after planting (they can plant earlier) The cool summer weather in New Liskeard results in fruiting over the whole second season Higher temperatures in SW Ontario result in earlier spring harvest but no berries mid-summer (too hot)