WIXLIB

NRAES–88StrawberryProduction GuideFor the Northeast, Midwest, and Eastern CanadaNortheast Regional Agricultural Engineering ServiceCooperative Extension

Cooperative ExtensionNRAES–88StrawberryProduction GuideFor the Northeast, Midwest, and Eastern CanadaTechnical EditorsMarvin Pritts, HorticulturistDepartment of Fruit and Vegetable Science, Cornell UniversityDavid Handley, Extension HorticulturistUniversity of Maine at Highmoor FarmProduction Editor and DesignerCathleen WalkerNortheast Regional Agricultural Engineering ServiceCooperative ExtensionPO Box 4557Ithaca, New York 14852-4557

The Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Service (NRAES) is an official activity of thirteen landgrant universities and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The following are cooperating members:University of ConnecticutStorrs, ConnecticutRutgers UniversityNew Brunswick, New JerseyUniversity of DelawareNewark, DelawareCornell UniversityIthaca, New YorkUniversity of the District of ColumbiaWashington, DCThe Pennsylvania State UniversityUniversity Park, PennsylvaniaUniversity of MaineOrono, MaineUniversity of Rhode IslandKingston, Rhode IslandUniversity of MarylandCollege Park, MarylandUniversity of VermontBurlington, VermontUniversity of MassachusettsAmherst, MassachusettsWest Virginia UniversityMorgantown, West VirginiaUniversity of New HampshireDurham, New HampshireNRAES–88March 1998 1998 by the Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering ServiceAll rights reserved. Inquiries invited.ISBN0-935817-23-9Requests to reprint parts of this publication should be sent to NRAES. In your request, please statewhich parts of the publication you would like to reprint and describe how you intend to use thereprinted material. Contact NRAES if you have any questions.Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Service (NRAES)Cooperative Extension, PO Box 4557Ithaca, New York 14852-4557Phone: (607) 255-7654 Fax: (607) 254-8770 E-mail: nraes@cornell.eduDISCLAIMER: Neither the authors nor NRAES guarantees or warrants recommendations orproducts discussed in this publication. Use of a product name does not imply endorsement of theproduct to the exclusion of others that may also be suitable.ii

AcknowledgmentsThe authors would like to thank the following forproviding helpful reviews of this publication: Edward Burns, North American StrawberryGrowers Association, Tarpon Springs, Florida Robert Cobbledick, North American StrawberryGrowers Association, Grimsby, Ontario, Canada Greg English-Loeb, Department of Entomology,New York State Agricultural Experiment Station,Cornell University, Geneva, New York W. Alan Erb, Horticulture Research Center,Kansas State University, Wichita, Kansas John Esslinger, Penn State Cooperative Extension, Lackawanna County, Scranton, Pennsylvania Richard Funt, Department of Horticulture andCrop Science, Ohio State University, Columbus,Ohio Vern Grubinger, University of Vermont Cooperative Extension, Brattleboro, Vermont Scott Guiser, Penn State Cooperative Extension,Bucks County, Doylestown, Pennsylvania Robert Kime, Department of Food Science, NewYork Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva,New York (New York State Gold Medal Vintnerawardee) Joseph Kovach, Integrated Pest ManagementFruit Program, Cornell University, Geneva, NewYork Kevin Maloney, Department of HorticulturalSciences, New York Agricultural ExperimentStation, Cornell University, Geneva, New York Eric Oesterling, Penn State Cooperative Extension, Westmoreland County, Greensburg, Pennsylvania Robert Pollock, Penn State Cooperative Extension, Indiana County, Kittanning, Pennsylvania Regina Rieckenberg, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Oswego County, Mexico, New York Albert Rose; Department of Agricultural, Managerial, and Resource Economics; Cornell University; Ithaca, New York David Ross, Department of Biological ResourcesEngineering, University of Maryland, CollegePark, Maryland Robert Rouse, University of Maryland Cooperative Extension, Queenstown, Maryland Joseph Scheerens, Department of Horticultureand Crop Science, Ohio Agricultural Researchand Development Center, Ohio State University,Wooster, Ohio Roger Williams, Department of Entomology,Ohio Agricultural Research and DevelopmentCenter, Ohio State University, Wooster, Ohio Del Yoder, Division of Community and EconomicDevelopment, West Virginia University ExtensionService, Morgantown, West Virginiaiii

About the AuthorsThe chapters each author contributed to arelisted in parentheses after his or her affiliation. Bertie Boyce is a horticulturist with the Department of Plant and Soil Science, University ofVermont, Burlington, Vermont. (chapter 5) Daniel Cooley is a plant pathologist with theDepartment of Microbiology, University ofMassachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts. (chapters 8 and 9) Donald Daum is professor emeritus of agricultural engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania. (chapter 11) Alison DeMarree is an economist with CornellCooperative Extension, Newark, New York.(chapter 14) Richard Derksen is an agricultural engineer withthe U.S. Department of Agriculture — Ohio StateUniversity, Wooster, Ohio. (chapter 11) James Dill is an entomologist with the Department of Entomology, University of Maine,Orono, Maine. (chapter 8) Joseph Fiola is a horticulturist with the RutgersFruit Research and Development Center, CreamRidge, New Jersey. (chapter 3) Barbara Goulart is a horticulturist with theDepartment of Horticulture, The PennsylvaniaState University, University Park, Pennsylvania.(chapter 6)iv James Hancock is a strawberry breeder in theDepartment of Horticulture, Michigan StateUniversity, East Lansing, Michigan. (chapter 1) David Handley is an extension horticulturist withthe University of Maine at Highmoor Farm,Monmouth, Maine. (chapters 1, 3, 4, 8, 9, and 13) Kevin Maloney is a strawberry breeder at theNew York State Agricultural Experiment Station,Cornell University, Geneva, New York. (chapter 3) Marvin Pritts is a horticulturist with the Department of Fruit and Vegetable Science, CornellUniversity, Ithaca, New York. (introduction andchapters 2, 4, 5, 7, 10, 12, and 13) Regina Rieckenberg is a fruit extension specialistwith Cornell Cooperative Extension, Mexico,New York. (chapter 14) Sonia Schloemann is a pest management specialist with the Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts.(chapters 8 and 9) Chris Watkins is a postharvest physiologist in theDepartment of Fruit and Vegetable Science,Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. (chapter 12) Wayne Wilcox is a plant pathologist in the Department of Plant Pathology, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Cornell University,Geneva, New York. (chapter 9)

DedicationThe Strawberry Production Guide for the Northeast, Midwest, and Eastern Canada isdedicated to Dr. Gene Galletta, strawberry breeder at the United States Department ofAgriculture–Agricultural Research Service laboratory in Beltsville, Maryland. Throughhis tireless efforts, Dr. Galletta released many strawberry varieties to the industry, including Scott, Allstar, Lester, Lateglow, Tribute, Tristar, Mohawk, Northeaster, Primetime,Latestar, and Delmarvel. He has been a lifelong friend of the berry industry and hasspoken at countless meetings to share information about the latest developments in berrybreeding. Dr. Galletta continues to inspire and provide leadership for a new generationof scientists throughout North America. He is a gentleman and a scholar, and his influence will be felt for decades to come.v

Table of ContentsAcknowledgments . iiiAbout the Authors . . ivDedication . vList of Figures . xList of Tables . xiiList of Photographs . .xivIntroduction . 1About This Guide. 1Getting Started . 2Chapter 1The History and Biology of the Cultivated Strawberry . 3A Brief History . . 3Growth and Development of the Strawberry Plant . 4Flower Cluster and Fruit Development . . 5Further Reading . . 6Chapter 2Site Selection and Preparation . 7Site Selection . . 7Site Preparation. 8Further Reading . . 12Chapter 3Plant Selection . 13Strawberry Variety Descriptions. 14Chapter 4Production Systems . . 18The Matted Row System . . 18The Ribbon Row System . 21Waiting Beds. 22Annual Plasticulture . 22Dayneutral Strawberries . . 25Plastic Tunnels and Greenhouses . 27vi Strawberry Production Guide

Chapter 5Temperature Regulation: Mulches, Row Covers, Frost Protection, and Evaporative Cooling . 31Winter Temperatures and Cold Injury. 31Early Spring Temperatures and Row Covers. 33Spring Frost Protection. 34Hot Summer Temperatures and Evaporative Cooling. 37Chapter 6Water Management . 38The Need for Irrigation. 38Irrigation Systems for Frost Protection, Evaporative Cooling, and Chemical Injection. 39Irrigation Systems for Water Application. 39Planning an Irrigation System. 41Water Supply Considerations. 42Scheduling Irrigation. 46Irrigation System Components. 48Equipment Use and Maintenance. 50Further Reading. 50Chapter 7Soil and Nutrient Management . . 52Soil Components. 52Some Basics. 53Diagnosing Nutrient Problems. 54Soil Amendments. 55Individual Nutrients. 57Fertilizer Sources. 63Chapter 8Insect, Mite, Mollusc, and Vertebrate Scouting and Management . . 66Bees. 66Fruit Damage. 67Leaf Damage. 70Root Damage. 73Further Reading. 75Table of Contents vii

Chapter 9Disease Management and Physiological Disorders . 76Fruit Damage . . 76Leaf Damage. 78Root Damage. 80Winter Injury. 82Further Reading . . 83Chapter 10Weed Management . 84Integrated Weed Control. 84Reducing Weeds Prior to Planting . 85Herbicides . 85Weed Control without Herbicides: Use of an Alternative Planting System . . 86Using Cover Crops in Established Plantings . 88Geese for Weeding. 88Summary. 88Further Reading . . 88Chapter 11Spray Application Technology . 89Some Terminology. 89Power Spraying Equipment . 89Equipment Components . 89Sprayer Calibration. 96Sprayer Operation. 98Spraying Equipment for Small Plantings. 100Hand Sprayer Calibration . . 101Hand Sprayer Operation . . 102Sprayer Maintenance . . 102Chapter 12Harvesting, Handling, and Transporting Fresh Fruit . 104Preharvest Considerations . 104Harvest Management . 105Postharvest Considerations. 105Cooling Methods . . 106Transporting Berries to Market . 107Further Reading . . 108viii Strawberry Production Guide

Chapter 13Marketing Strawberries . . 109Pricing. 109Marketing Options . 110Advertising Basics . 114Forms of Advertising . 115Dealing with the Media . 116Timing and Quantity of Advertising. 117Chapter 14Budgeting . . 118Strawberry Profit Spreadsheet Template. 118“What If?” Scenarios. 125Appendix AKey to Common Strawberry Pests and Problems . 132Appendix BApproximate Strawberry Ripening Seasons in the United States . 134Photographs . . 135Glossary . 155Table of Conversions . 157Suggested Readings . 158An Invitation to Join: The North American Strawberry Growers Association . 162Table of Contents ix