Types of Strawberry Plants

Types

• All strawberry varieties are one of three types: the June-bearing, the everbearing or the day-neutral. The difference between the types is the time during the growing season the plants produce fruit. The June-bearing varieties flourish in the spring, peak strawberry season, and produce one crop. Everbearing plants yield fruit several times, usually at the beginning and the end of the growing season. The day-neutral varieties promise an ongoing crop throughout the summer months as long as the weather is not too hot.

Planting

• Strawberry plants can be grown as perennials or annuals. To start, the plants should be sown in early spring and spaced according to their type. Because June-bearers have runners that start new plants, each plant should be sown about 2 feet apart and the rows should be sown about 4 feet apart. Everbearing and day-neutral types are best planted in small beds with the plants 1 foot apart and any runners should be plucked to maintain small, individual bushes.

Young Plants

• To encourage healthy plants and increase produce yield, the first flowers should be removed from the plants. For the June-bearing types, the flowers should be plucked for the entire first season. The everbearing and day-neutral types only need to be disbudded for the first six weeks of growth.

Features

• Though the berries of each type are indistinguishable between each other, there are some variants among them and their plants. June-bearing varieties are said to produce larger berries and be more flavorful than everbearing and day-neutrals. The everbearers and day-neutrals, because they have fewer runners, are highly suitable for growing in containers and small spaces. All types are at risk of being harmed by frost in the early spring and late fall. If affected, the following season's crop can be endangered.

Geography

• When choosing what varieties of strawberry plants to grow, select ones in the type that is best suited for your area. June-bearing varieties can be negatively affected in areas prone to late spring frost unless the plants are covered or mulched. In more temperate climates, the long growing season complements the everbearing and day-neutral varieties.