Strawberries (0)

Good morning ! My name is Marianne Kümnik. I will be speaking today about strawberries . My presentation will last for about 10 minutes. Please can you save your questions till the end.
Choosing Cultivars
Some cultivars perform better than others , but it is difficult to predict which will grow best in a particular garden .
Perhaps the best way to decide which cultivars to grow is to find out what works well for neighbours or local commercial growers.
Before planting strawberries in a large area it’s good to try several promising cultivars
Some cultivars that perform well:
• Earliglow—perhaps the best-flavored cultivar, it is among the earliest to ripen.
• Northeaster—ripens about the same time as Earliglow. It is resistant to red stele and does well on heavier clay soils. The berries are large and have a hint of grape flavor , which some people love and others dislike.
• Sable —has excellent flavor and also ripens early .
• Allstar—a reliable producer with large light red to orange, sweetflavored berries.
• Honeoye, Cavendish , Kent, Raritan, Redchief, and Scott —good midseason strawberries.
• Jewel —the most widely grown variety in the Northeast, it has excellent flavor. It is productive and maintains a large fruit size throughout the season .
• Lateglow—a reliable late-season cultivar
Site Selection
Strawberries grow best in a sunny location with deep , well-drained sandy loam soil with a pH of approximately 6.2. The plants do not tolerate extremes in pH, either below 5.5 or above 7.0.
It's not good to plant strawberries in an area where they were recently grown. Also planting them where crops in the tomato family ( eggplants, potatoes, and peppers ) have been grown.
Growing Methods
Strawnberries growing location in planting bed should be 30,5 to 61 cm apart in rows that are 122 cm apart.
The plants will produce side stems with daughter plants called runners.
Managing Planting
Watering: Strawberry plants need about 1 inch of water each week, either by rainfall or irrigation. It's best to avoid watering in the very early morning or late evening so the plants are not wet for long periods.
Weed control : The most important time to keep the strawberry planting weed-free is the first few months after planting while the plants are sending out runners and new plants are getting established .
Mulching: Mulching is particularly important on clay soils or those that remain wet for much of the year .(  plastic mulch)
Renovation and fertilization: Renovate strawberries immediately after
harvesting to help reduce disease , stimulate vigorous new growth , and prolong
the life of planting.
Diseases and Pests
1)Botrytis fruit rot (gray mold)
2)Verticillium wilt
4) Leather rot:
6)Tarnished plant bugs
7)Spittlebugs:
Harvest
For maximum sweetness and flavor, it's good to pick June -bearing and day- neutral berries a day or two after they are fully red. Berries picked before they are completely red will eventually turn red, but they will not sweeten.
For long- term storage of fresh berries, it's best to select firm berries that are not yet fully ripe and to cool them immediately after harvest.
Summary
For best harvest it’s good to choose the right cultivars and growing conditions.
Before starting planting management it’s important to do watering, weed control, mulching, renovation and fertilization.
Strawberries have some diseases and pests.
It’s good to pick berries a day or two after they are fully red.
Now, your questions, please.
Thank you very much for your attention.