11 www.SmallFarmCanada.ca THE STRAWBERRY CONNECTION ARTICLE BY JEFFREY CARTER INTENSIVE GARDEN With the advance of spring and as the weather warms, a yearly delight awaits – the strawberry. The plant is an obvious choice for intensive kitchen gardens. A large volume of berries can be produced in a relatively small space – plenty for fresh eating, certainly, and with a well-established patch, enough for preservation as well. We’ve been growing June-bearing strawberries in our backyard for about 30 years. Typically, we have a single harvest that lasts for as long as two weeks. This begins in late May with a trickle of berries that builds to a small flood by June – several pints of the sweet red fruit harvested on daily basis. As the month progresses, the flood of production recedes, but a morning barefoot stroll to the patch still reaps a reward – a handful or two of berries for a breakfast topping. Strawberries grow in the wild in temperate regions throughout the world but the species most commonly consumed globally have a purely North American lineage. The wild or Virginia strawberry grows throughout North America, even in the far arctic. I remember, as a youngster, my older sisters showing me the plants along the woodlot edge on our farm from which miniscule berries could be eaten. Lesser known is the native Chilean strawberries which grow naturally along the Pacific coast of Chile and also along the coastline from California to as far north as Alaska. It’s not widely adapted to other growing areas but has a desired attribute – large berries – though they’re not particularly tasty. The two species came together in what was likely a chance crossing, not in North America, but in France where they had been introduced the early 1700s. Seeing the potential, plant breeders, especially in England, took up the challenge and the modern garden strawberry was developed. In Canada, there are three main types of strawberries grown in gardens and on a commercial basis. June-bearing varieties, on which I’ll focus most of my comments, produce a single early season crop. Everlasting varieties produce a large spring crop, and a second smaller crop later in the year. Day neutral varieties, unlike the other types, do not respond to changes in daylength but rather flower and set fruit whenever the temperature is from just above freezing to 29°C. June-bearing strawberries are well suited to a kitchen garden setting. They combine strong yield with great taste. We generally harvest ours once a day and as the volume increases and our appetite for the delight begins to be sated, we begin the preservation process. Strawberries intended for pies or jam can be quickly accumulated. Simply arrange freshly harvested, unblemished fruit on trays and freeze and then place the frozen berries in a lidded container and store for up to a year. A significant portion of our harvest is transformed into jam. You’ll need at least about four cups for a small batch of jam but we typically double, triple or even quadruple the amount. We also make jam in combination with other fruits. High pectin fruits, like currents and gooseberries, act as a thickening agent since they have high levels of natural pectin. We often combine strawberries with rhubarb for jam making. Rhubarb adds a bit of tartness and the particular line we have in our garden appears to have a higher level of pectin than what’s usual. Rhubarb, cut into chunks, is also easily frozen like strawberries. LEFT: NEW AFRICA - ADOBE STOCK | TOP: SAFINEST - ADOBE STOCK Preserving strawberries for processing at a later date is a snap. Use unblemished berries, clean if necessary, freeze on trays and place in lidded containers for storage. Strawberries can be grown in all the provinces and there’s even been reports of successful patches in the more hospital corners of Yukon and the Northwest Territories. Strawberry seed is available but home gardener typically start with either bareroot or potted plants. Check reputable nurseries in your area or order plants on-line, taking into account their suitability in your growing area. Ideally, the young plants should be virus free. You will need a sunny site, preferably in a sheltered location especially in regions where there are harsh winters. Strawberries can be grown in a variety of soil types and it is good idea to add compost or well-rotted manure for added fertility. Planting into a raised bed is recommended in most instances, especially if the location is poorly drained. With June-bearing varieties, the general recommendation is to place the plants 18 to 24 inches apart in rows spaced three to four feet apart. In my own garden, I generally place the plants in a somewhat tighter configuration into a raised bed using a twin-row approach. As the plants send out runners in the first year, I increase the dimensions of the raised bed and increase it again the following spring. In the first year, all the blossoms from June-bearing plants should be removed to encourage the runners. Harvesting begins in year two. We’ve been able to maintain a patch of strawberries for four, five or even six years. For patch longevity, the greatest consideration is weed control. That begins by selecting a location in an existing garden that is relatively free of weeds, especially weeds like quack grass that need to be removed, root and all. Regular weeding should follow. An existing patch of strawberries can be revived by removing older plants, adding compost or manure free of weed seed, turning the soil, and allowing new runners to reestablish in the renovated areas. Last year, we had a decent harvest from an old patch that had grown over the years into a large circular area of production about three meters across. In the spring, I terminated one section and groomed the remainder, taking some of the healthier plants a new location, making sure to remove any diseased foliage prior to the transfer. With the harvest of the old patch completed, I turned the soil over, added a bit of compost, and planted lettuce and spinach for a fall harvest. It’s important to irrigate your strawberries to optimize production if spring conditions are dry or if there’s a prolong dry spell later in the season. When irrigating, first check the weather to see if rainfall is in the forecast and if no rain appears to be coming give the berries a good soaking. Continue weeding your patch into the fall and with the approach of winter, cover it with a layer of straw for cold protection. In the spring, the straw will also serve as a deterrent to weeds. Finally, a note on the other two types of strawberries home gardeners might consider, everbearing and day neutral. Everbearing strawberries are grown in a similar manner as June-bearing strawberries. In the first year of establishment, initially remove the blossoms from the plants but around the first of July, allow the blossoms to set fruit for a small late summer/fall crop. In the second and consecutive years, everbearing varieties will produce both an early crop and late crop. Day neutral strawberries can be established either in the spring or the fall (in more southerly growing areas) and are generally spaced closer together compared to June-bearing varieties. With a spring planting, remove flowers for four to six weeks and then let the fruit set. Day neutral strawberries can be overwintered, but generally only once. Commercial growers often treat them as an annual crop, grow them in either low or high tunnels and into plastic mulch, and regularly remove the runners. JEFFREY CARTER PHOTOS First year blossoms from June-bearing plants are removed. Harvesting begins in year two. 10 June 2026 Click here for Strawberry food waste reduction tips from “Waste Not”
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