Growing Strawberries in Florida Alicia Whidden Hillsborough County Extension Service

History in Florida Grown in Florida over 100 years Niche was winter market due to our mild winter weather, good water supply, location to markets

Fragaria x ananassa Herbaceous, perennial -member of the Rose Family Needs full sun Soil pH from 5.5-6.5 Soil needs to be well drained Air temperatures below 32° can damage flowers and fruit Grown from October to late spring Fertilization- 150N-150P2O5-K 2O lb/A Use annual hill culture production system

How will you market your crop? Traditional Commercial market through a broker Roadside stand Directly to Restaurants CSA U-Pick

Growing Methods Traditional Field Culture Vertical Stacking Systems Trough and Table Systems used in Europe

Traditional Fumigation with Methyl Bromide and chloropicrin still being done Drip tape and black plastic mulch used Beds are 7-9” high; 27-28” across bed top with raised center; 4’ row center

Making Beds Ground worked then beds pressed Next-fumigated and plastic machine w/ drip tape reform & cover beds Rates of MeBr/C: 98:2- 400 lbs/treated A 67:33- 350 lbs/treated A 10,890 linear ft of row=A

Planting Plants are done 2 rows to bed Spacing is 12-16” between plants & 12-14” between rows Bareroot transplants most commonly used; but plug plants can also be used Plants are set in October

Planting Correctly Very Important to plant correctly Plants should be set with bud of crown above ground but roots in soil Setting too deep is a big problem Be sure to firm planting media around plant

Production Guide Bareroot transplants will need to be watered from dawn till dusk for 10-14 days till new root system is formed Most growers fertigate- use 0.75-1.0 lbs N/A/day Crop is sprayed preventatively Picking schedule- during cool weather-every third to fourth day with shorter times in hot weather

EDIS Publications For Crop Production Strawberry Production in Florida http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/CV134 Intermittent Sprinkler Irrigation for Establishment of Bare Root Strawberry Transplants http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/HS192 Fertilization of Strawberries in Florida http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/CV003 Weed Control in Strawberry http://edis.ufl.edu/WG037

Vertical Stacking Systems 2 types-Vertigro & Hydrostacker Hydroponic system with water and nutrients through a tube at the top Perlite planting media Clean produce- no dirt Expensive production system up-front

Vertical Stacking Systems Can use to grow a variety of crops Think about arrangement of plants so that plants on bottom will receive adequate light Watch plants on bottom to make sure they receive adequate nutrition

Vertical Stacking System When growing strawberries do not go over 5 pots high For cold protection can cover rack of pots with row covers Still need to prevent diseases and insects

Vertical Stacking Systems Vertigro (800) 955-6757 www.vertigro.com Hydro-Stacker (941) 739-6511 www.hydrostacker.com

Trough and Table Systems Used in Europe in greenhouses or tunnel systems Variety of plant media used-coir, perlite, vermiculite, peat mixes Be sure plant nutrition is adequate Bees needed for pollination Ease of handling and harvest due to raised height

Tabletop System

Hydroponic system

Varieties Be sure to use varieties bred for our mild climate UF,U of California, Private breeders Royalties on patented varieties Average cost for bareroot transplants-$100/1,000 plants

Florida Varieties Strawberry Festival-UF Treasure- Private Breeder Winter Dawn-UF Carmine-UF Sweet Charlie-UF

Strawberry Festival #1 variety in Florida Good red color Conical shape Firm berry Medium sweetness Good choice for eating

Sweet Charlie UF variety Older variety Orange red color Sweet fruit Softer fruit; very soft in hot weather Consumers like it

Treasure Developed by Peggy Chang, Naples #2 variety grown Good shape Firm Good color but can have white shoulders Does best in warm winter Good flavor

Other UF Varieties Winter Dawn Carmine Good early yield Firm berries Not very sweet

Camarosa UC variety Older variety Blocky shape Dark red color Liked by consumers Late production

Camino Real UC variety Beautiful berry; high consumer appeal Much like a Camarosa Produces later than Camarosa

My picks for local markets Sweet Charlie Camino Real Strawberry Festival Treasure Camarosa For list of plant nurseries: go to http://strawberry.ifas.ufl.edu; click links & go to nursery listing

Diseases Anthracnose crown rot/fruit rot Botrytis fruit rot Fungal Leaf diseases Angular leaf bight Phytophthora crown rot/fruit rot

Anthracnose Botrytis fruit rot

Diseases Publications with more info: Angular Leaf Spot: A Bacterial Disease in Strawberries in Florida http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/PP120 Anthracnose Fruit Rot of Strawberry http://edis.ifasl.ufl.edu//PP130 Botrytis Fruit Rot (Gray Mold) & Flower Blight of Strawberry http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/GC001 Root Necrosis of Strawberries Caused by Colletotrichum acutatum http://edis.ufl.edu/PP128 Powdery Mildew of Strawberries http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/PP129

Insects & Nematodes Spider Mites-#1 Thrips Aphids Cyclamen mites Sap beetles-if ripe fruit not picked Fruit Flies-if ripe fruit not picked Nematodes- sting is #1 problem but root knot can also attack strawberries

Insects Publications Florida Crop/Pest Management Profiles: Strawberries http://edis/ufl/edu/P1037 Strawberries: Main Pests and Beneficials in Florida http://edis.ifas.ufl/HS265 Nematode Management in Strawberries http://edis.ufl.edu/NG031

Other resources GCREC strawberry website- http://strawberry.IFAS.ufl.edu/ Berry/Vegetable Times Newsletter- contact Alicia Alicia Whidden, Hillsborough Co. Extension Service, 813-744-5519, ext.134 ajwhidden@ifas.ufl.edu

Thank You For more information visit the Small Farms web at http://smallfarms.ifas.ufl.edu Take a virtual field day tour by visiting the Virtual Field Day web at http://vfd.ifas.ufl.edu This presentation brought to you by the Small Farms/Alternative Enterprises Focus Team.