The strawberry plant is a part of the rose family and also believed to have been cultivated since the time of ancient Rome. Now, strawberries are grown on every continent except Antarctica, and also the amount of strawberries grown in California alone would wrap around the Earth 15 times. You will find far more than100 types of the perennial plants, suitable for a wide variety of climates and growing conditions.
Identification
Regardless of the name, strawberries are not technically berries or fruit, but rather the ends of the plant’s stamen. The fruits of strawberry plants are actually the small dark spots on the “berry .” A strawberry flower averages five to seven ounces, even though a typical strawberry contains 150 to 200 seeds on its surface. The seeds can grow to make new plants, but most strawberry plants rather reproduce by ants. Under certain circumstances, strawberry plants are recognized to form matted colonies that live up to 50 years.
Forms
Strawberry plants are separated into three categories: June-bearing, which make the most delicious berries; everbearing, which typically provide two main crops each year; and day impartial, which flower and fruit always throughout the summer. Strawberry shapes vary from oblate to conic to necked or wedge, and cultivars can produce berries of different shapes depending upon the climate where they’re grown. He kind of cultivar appropriate for a specific environment is dependent on preference and growing conditions. As an instance, “Diamante” is sensitive to rain damage, the “Camarosa” is relatively immune, while the “Camino Real” is exceptionally tolerant of rain harm.
Cultivation
Strawberry plants tolerate just about any garden soil, but the richer the soil, the bigger the crop will be. 1 acre of land can grow about 50,000 lbs of strawberries. For most backyard gardeners, a fantastic rule of thumb would be to plant 125 plants to offer sufficient fruit for eating fresh, preserved and frozen berries for a family of four. The two systems used for strawberry culture include the matted row, used with June-bearing strawberries, and the hill system for everbearing or day neutral varieties. All varieties should get full sun at least eight hours every day, which will encourage plants to make 30 to 50 runner plants the first year of development. Under the best of circumstances, you can harvest at least 1 quart of berries each 5 feet of row.
Harvesting
Depending on the selection of strawberry plant and weather conditions, the period from first flowering to fruit being ready to eat varies from 18 to 45 days. The color of the berries when ripe also fluctuates from 1 cultivar to another, with some using pink berries when ripe and others reddish or dark red. A cluster of strawberries on any given plant includes a key berry and secondary berries. The principal berry is the biggest, ripens first and contains the most seeds.
Pests and Diseases
Certified strawberry plants imply that they are licensed to be free from insects and diseases, which can be vital since insect-borne viruses are devastating to strawberries. Several of the most common insect problems for strawberries would be the twospotted spider mite, lygus bugs, cyclamen mites, aphids, root weevils, thrips, cutworms, beet armyworms and whiteflies. Botrytis fruit rot, also called gray mold, is the most frequent and among the most serious disease of strawberries, affecting all areas of the plant.
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