Gordon Johnson, Extension Ag Agent, Kent Co.; gcjohn@udel.edu
There are many small commercial plantings of matted-row strawberries in Delaware such as Earliglow and Allstar. Daughter plants that root from runners coming from mother plants will produce the bulk of the berries in matted row systems in both new and renovated plantings. It is therefore critical to encourage the development of new daughter plants of sufficient size to produce high yields for harvest next spring. A critical period for matted row strawberries is between August and October. It is in this period when the flower buds for next year’s berries are initiated. Any stress that limits the initiation of flower buds will lead to fewer berries next year. Irrigation during hot and dry periods this summer and fall is the key to next year’s production. Keep strawberries growing and healthy by providing at least 1.5 inches of water through combined rainfall and irrigation each week (2 inches may be required when temperatures are in the nineties). Another critical cultural practice is controlling weed escapes by hand hoeing/pulling in the rows to limit competition. It is also important to keep runners out of row middles with cultivation. Matted row strawberries are edge bearers. That means that most of the berries will be produced on the edge of rows so it is important to keep rows narrow (about 12″ is ideal) using cultivators, disc coulters, rotary tillers, or other mechanical devices.