Re: [nafex] New Strawberry planting

["J. Rosano II" <GIANNI-2@prodigy.net>]

Hello Brian,

I am no expert to Fragaria and am certain the more learned will help you
as well. Here is what I have to offer...
The fragaria I have been dealing with has taken 3 yrs to establish deep
enough root development to bear good size fruit. Initially, I picked off
the runners in the first year to promote the roots of the mother plants.
The 2nd year I let the runners go and selectively broke some at nodules
that were going where I did not want but I still had a pretty good 
on-going everbearing harvest all last year. In fact, I tented the
fragaria
in the fall and was still able to get them to produce up until X-Mas.
The
runners that were allowed to get a foothold have come back very nicely
and
have begun bearing as well. 
I have used well rotted compost on my Fragaria's and had excellent
results.
I mulch with seasoned manure in late fall when there is still some heat 
left in the sun. And never bury the crown of the plants/lets.
Mind you these are everbearer's.
What I have done in the past as well as lately is plant in furrows,
mounded
up and drip irrigation in the valleys. For some reason even though
fragaria
loves to be moist the leaves are susceptible to problems if they are wet
constantly. With this process I have yielded two finger joint
fragaria's.
With an occasional beyond full thumb size.
This season I have begun using a water soluble foliant fertilizer and
have
found amazing results. Within 8 to 12 hrs after spraying, I get flowers.
In a new research area I am going to use a combination of mycorrhizae, 
colloidal phosphate and water-soluble fertilizer with runners I will be 
receiving from the Nat., Germplasm Repository in Oregon.
But again.....
That's just my story.
(If you like, come fall I can spare some runners for you.)

Best wishes,

John

> "Raby, Brian {20-4~Indianapolis}" wrote:
> 
> I have been searching for information about working with a new
> strawberry planting. 
> 
> I have planted two rows of strawberries this year and am wondering
> what to do at this stage.  I have picked off the flowers when they
> came on, and now have a good deal of runner development.  In all the
> publications I've been coming across, they talk about what to do after
> harvest (mowing, mulching, fertilizing, etc...)  But what do I do in
> the first year of development.  Do I still need to mow off the top in
> order to direct more energy to runner development or do I leave it
> alone?  Do I mulch now... do I fertilize now?
> 
> Thanks for your help in advance.
> 
> Brian Raby
> Sheridan, IN 
> 
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> 
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