How to Care for Shuksan Strawberries

Don't blink or you'll miss Shuksan season. The only thing shorter than this strawberry's three-week growing season is its 24-hour shelf life. The Shuksan strawberry has glossier skin than other varieties. It is disease resistant and cold-hardy. Shuksan ripens in June. For best results, grow it in full sun within within zones 6 through 10 on the U.S. Department of Agriculture Hardiness Zone Map.

Things You'll Need

Pruning shears
Fertilizer

Straw mulch

Instructions

- 1
  Remove weeds as they appear during the growing season. It is easier to hand pull them while they are small.
- 2
  Pinch off flowers as they appear during the first season. This promotes stronger plant growth and runners, which will bear your crop the following season.
- 3
  Remove all new runner plants when you have five per square foot. Use shears to cut them from the plant.
- 4
  Supply the Shuksan strawberry plants with 1 inch of water a week during the season.
- 5
  Side-dress the Shuksan strawberry plants with 1 lb. of 12-12-12 fertilizer per 50-foot row. Apply the fertilizer in May or June by digging a 2-inch deep trench, 3 inches away from the strawberry row. Sprinkle the fertilizer along the bottom of the trench and fill it with soil. Water to a depth of 6 inches after fertilizing. Reapply in late August.
- 6
  Place a 4-inch layer of straw mulch over the strawberries in mid-November. This helps protect the strawberry plants from winter cold. Remove the straw in spring.

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