Garrett-Preston Rural Development Coalition

Everbearing strawberries can be grown inside high tunnels and/or on plastic mulch to extend the growing season

Helping Farmers Find New Markets for Niche Products: Everbearing Strawberries

Phone: 301-334-6960

Fax: 301-334-6961

E-mail: Info@MoreFarmMoney.org

To contact us:

Strawberry Project

Everbearing strawberries grown in Garrett County

For the past two summers the University of Maryland researchers and the Extension Office have been working with producers in Garrett County to grow and sell day neutral strawberries. 

Day neutral strawberries, or everbearers, produce fruit during the summer.  The traditional strawberry (June bearer) produces fruit for 2-3 weeks in the spring of the year and then must be cared for the rest of the year.  These plants must be mulched in the winter and covered in the spring to prevent loss of blooms from frost.

Local producers have been using a unique system of planting spring plug plants, which is similar to transplanting tomatoes, peppers, or other garden plants.  The strawberry plants are started inside a greenhouse in the late winter in cell trays.  The plants are then transferred to the field in early to mid May.  The plants will start to bear fruit about 60 days after being planted and will reach peak production in about 90 days from planting.  The plants will produce fruit until they are stopped by frost. 

At the end of the season the plants are removed from the field.  This system does away with the over-wintering and spring frost protection costs of June bearers.  The plants are planted in raised beds covered with plastic mulch to eliminate most of the weeding.

You may be thinking, ‘this sounds good, but do they produce much fruit?’  The answer to that is yes! 

For the past two years, Garrett County producers have easily produced a pound or more of fruit from each plant.  One producer this past year was close to two pounds per plant!  Dr. Harry Swartz, University of Maryland Small Fruit Plant Breeder, has been instrumental in helping develop this system and to help provide new and improved varieties.

In 2007, 12 producers raised nearly 20,000 plants and sold strawberries at nine different farmers markets in the region throughout the summer.  The goal is to expand this type of strawberry production in the coming years.  The strawberry committee is exploring farmers markets, retail and wholesale outlets in central Maryland to help expand the market for summer strawberries.  This is an exciting opportunity because Garrett County and the surrounding area is one of the few places in the United States with cool enough summers to produce a good crop of strawberries during the summer months.

If you would be interested in discussing growing strawberries, call the Extension office at 301-334-6960.