Growing Strawberries In Florida - Best Times To Plant, Best Varieties And Other Tips

[@Farmer2233]

You're video was exactly what I needed, you're voice, knowledge an concern for education was amazing!. Thank you so much ¡

[@floridavegetablegardening]

@@Farmer2233 Thank you so much for the encouraging message! I am really glad the video was helpful! 😊

[@tammybinfl4755]

I know you mentioned bare roots but a nursery in Bradenton FL has sweet sensation plant starts. They are called Earth Box. I just bought some Saturday along with FL BRILLiANCE. These I think came from Canada. The grow their own plants plugs and plants. Great healthy plants. They are really knowledgeable may be able to provide assistance.

[@floridavegetablegardening]

Thank you for the lead on sweet sensation! I will check them out. 🙂

[@valchris11]

I am growing Festival and Radiance. I purchased from a Nursey. Potted up yesterday from bare roots. I did the tower,will rotate which are in my southern exposure since it's cooling now. The Nursery is Nick's Edibles and he still has bare roots if you need any and he ships. Thanks for the video.

[@floridavegetablegardening]

Fantastic! :)

[@tarriwhite1189]

Very informative, thank you.

[@floridavegetablegardening]

You’re welcome 🙂

[@tarriwhite1189]

Would you share the Georgia source for ordering strawberries, I'm not having much luck finding the varieties you mentioned? Thanks

[@floridavegetablegardening]

Yep. I ordered from Willis Orchard in GA: www.willisorchards.com/category/strawberry-plants

[@saltlifess6226]

Very good info, thank you.

[@floridavegetablegardening]

You’re welcome! 🙂

[@Ajarfullofdreams]

Thanks for this video, this may sound silly but instead of over wintering what’s the best way to over summer in Florida? 😆 I live in south Florida near a strawberry farm so I know it’s possible but should I put shade cloth or anything. I got them in fall they are doing ok but they never sent out runners and now are looking either alittle burnt or maybe some kind of fungus on leaves. Thanks

[@saucyruben]

definitely use shade cloth, at least 30-40%. i’ll sometimes go 65% for weaker plants. (as a floridian i also wonder how to over summer instead of overwinter which is what i always hear)

[@floridavegetablegardening]

You’re welcome! Yes I would definitely give them shade over the summer. I think around (at least) 40-50% shade cloth would be good. You also want to make sure they get enough water and don’t dry out. However, since we usually get a lot of rain during the summer, you could end up having the opposite problem of too much water. Some varieties are more susceptible to fungus and disease and the rain and humidity may be too much for varieties that aren’t resistant. When you do water, it’s best to do it in the morning so the leaves have time to dry off in the sun, but obviously you can’t control when it rains. Hopefully there’s good airflow where they are planted since good airflow also helps them dry quicker and not spread diseases. Also some varieties produce more runners than others. You could try feeding them a couple of times with some fish fertilizer that’s a little higher in nitrogen during the summer to see if it promotes runner growth. I’m planning to try that. I think it helped when I did it last year, but I wasn’t very scientific about it. Just don’t keep giving high nitrogen fertilizer in the late summer and fall. Switch to a more balanced fertilizer in the fall to encourage berry growth and not just foliage growth. Good luck!

[@cityhomesteaders]

Lots of great information. Thank you just subscribed 😃

[@floridavegetablegardening]

Thanks! 😊

[@LeahBrooksJeremiahGardens]

Thanks for the info! There are everbearing varieties that do very well in FL, like Albion. Albion is grown commercially here.

[@floridavegetablegardening]

Interesting. I’ve never heard about Albion being grown here commercially before. I will have to look into that one. I’m growing an everbearing variety as an experiment so I am happy to hear that. So far the everbearing plants I have are doing fine, so fingers crossed.

[@LeahBrooksJeremiahGardens]

@@floridavegetablegardening I spoke with a farmer a couple years ago and they were experimenting with it. Interestingly, he said that Sweet Charlie, since it's been cloned over and over for many years, has been dropping in productivity for them. I started playing around with different varieties after hearing that. It can be hard to find some of the varieties that IFAS recommends, tho!

[@floridavegetablegardening]

@@LeahBrooksJeremiahGardens oh that’s very interesting! The Sweet Charlie plants I’ve grown produced well for me, but since I am not a farmer I wouldn’t have much to compare it to. I’m always very interested in what the farmers have to say about their trials. Have you tried Albion? I’m wondering how the flavor is?

[@LeahBrooksJeremiahGardens]

@@floridavegetablegardening Albion is delicious. Super flavorful! I grew it last year and it grew longer into summer than my other varieties. A couple plants made it through the summer, too. I noticed you have quite a knack for keeping your strawberry plants alive through summer. I wonder if it's because you put them in shade?

[@floridavegetablegardening]

@@LeahBrooksJeremiahGardens awesome! Maybe I will try those next year! I’m always looking for the best flavored varieties. I’m not very impressed with the flavor of the ones from the store lately. That’s one of the reasons I grow my own. Yes I think putting the strawberry plants in partial shade during the summer is what helps them stay alive. I try to let them get full sun in the morning but partial shade for the rest of the day in summer. They will all get moved back to full sun as soon as the weather cools down.

[@lindafogarty3924]

Hi. I love your channel and thanks for sharping your knowledge. Im in Central Florida Ocala and I ordered strawberries so far from Walmart and have had good luck with the everbearing. I saw that you recommend June bearing. I was wondering why. I got a huge harvest this Spring, and now everyday I get a handful of strawberries which is why I like these everbearing. Don’t the June bearing just bear once a year? Also, wonder why you don’t recommend the everbearing. I have been using a fungicide regularly for the brown spots but I read that it’s normal and it won’t affect the plant. Is that true? Should I stop spraying then? I also pick off the leaves that have those spots and maybe I shouldn’t be doing that especially since a lot of the leaves have those spots. Thanks so much!

[@alexandrarosado5220]

Absolutely loved your video. Felt like a failure for since my strawberry died but i had everbearing! :(

[@floridavegetablegardening]

Thanks! I'm glad the video helped. It's worth it to try again. The right strawberries at the right time, can be easy to grow, but the wrong time of year or wrong types for our climate can certainly be disappointing. Your success can also depend on how healthy the bare roots are when you receive them. I have received sickly batches in the past that also led to failure and disappointment. I hope you have more success this time around! It's very rewarding to get a nice strawberry harvest. Good luck! :)

[@alexandrarosado5220]

@@floridavegetablegardening thanks I ended up ordering sweet charlie bare roots

[@alexandrarosado5220]

@@floridavegetablegardening i forgot to as what do you recommend as a pot and fertilizing

[@floridavegetablegardening]

@@alexandrarosado5220 I mainly use this Espoma Berry Fertilizer for Strawberries (I get it at my local Ace Hardware, where it's cheaper): amzn.to/3C2D4qG I also sometimes mix the Espoma Fertilizer 50/50 with one of these other fertilizers (these I don't see in stores, so I buy from Amazon): amzn.to/3juXpO9 Or: amzn.to/3ptBFWE I think most any pot will work. The roots don't go very deep. Just remember that the smaller the container is, the faster it will dry out and they will need to be watered more often. I like using fabric grow bags. Last year I used these grow bags with 4 - 5 strawberries per bag: amzn.to/3pIepEL and this year I am using these grow bags with just 1 plant in each one: amzn.to/3Eaz2Ns

[@guesswho6946]

Thank you for the video. Any of these heirlooms or non-GMO? I'd like to stay organic, if possible, but if not which one is most hardy.

[@floridavegetablegardening]

@@guesswho6946 You’re welcome. Most of the large strawberries that are farmed or grown in home gardens are hybrids that have been bred through traditional methods to have desired traits, like resistance to disease and fruit size and high fruit production. There are not any gmo strawberries being sold at this time, so you need not worry about that. There are some heirloom and wild varieties available, but they typically produce smaller berries and are likely to have very soft fruit, which doesn’t keep long. I have grown both wild and hybrid strawberries and I like growing different varieties, but I prefer the hybrid varieties over the wild or alpine varieties. Sweet Charlie is a nice, sweet variety that is also hardy. It’s one of my favorites. I also like Chandler, Festival, and Albion. Occasionally I see bare roots for sale that are organic, but usually not. However, once I plant the bare roots in my garden, I grow them using organic methods. You may want to watch this video I made about some of the different varieties I have tried: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kHSXoWV-brCWi80si=JGE3iwE-q7S2hGuj

[@guesswho6946]

@@floridavegetablegardening Thank you for the info and recommendations. Think I'll try the 3 you mentioned.

[@tonilabbad8365]

I just purchased Albion. Do you think I can have success here in South Florida?

[@floridavegetablegardening]

@@tonilabbad8365 yes I do. I grew Albion this past year and it did well. I have been meaning to post a review video for it. It is a pretty hardy variety here. I kept mine in a shady, cooler part of the yard last summer and moved it out into the full sun in the fall. It produced throughout the fall, winter and spring. It has slowed production now and is putting out some runnners, which I plan to get rooted in pots to start more plants. This summer I have left it in the full sun now that it’s well established and it is fine so far.

[@majorchance2606]

Great video! Can you tell me where to purchase strawberry plants? I would love to get them in the garden in September. Thank you and please keep these videos coming!

[@floridavegetablegardening]

Thanks! In the past I have bought strawberry bare roots (not potted plants) from Green Daze Exotics, Willis Orchard Co., and Parksdale Farm stand in Plant City (you have to go there to pick them up, I don't think Parksdale ships). I have also seen that Nick's Edibles sells them. I have not purchased any from Nick's before, but he gets good reviews. I haven't seen any of these places offering strawberries for sale yet this year. I think it's a little early still. You may have a hard time finding somewhere that ships them in September. It seems like most places ship in October. Your best bet is probably to get on their mailing lists or follow their Facebook pages so you can see updates. They usually post what they will have available and when they will ship (once they get their orders placed with their vendors). Usually you preorder, and they ship out when their shipment(s) come in. Strawberry bare roots don't ship well and don't keep very long, so they have to be shipped out right away whenever suppliers receive them. If you don't want to deal with planting bare roots, you can also find potted strawberry plants in many nurseries in the fall, but they will cost a lot more than bare roots.

[@Bittagrit]

I just found this channel. I live in FL zone 9b. Ordered strawberries last fall and they just arrived now in FEB. should I put them in planters and keep them inside or go ahead and plant them outside?

[@floridavegetablegardening]

Hi! I would go ahead and plant them outside in the sun asap. You might be able to get a few harvests before it gets too hot. Once we start getting really hot summer weather in late April or May it would be a good idea to keep them in the shade through the summer and hopefully they will stay alive and produce again in the fall.

[@ginavanbeck8134]

Great videos. I’m new to growing anything! I wanted to do some strawberry’s now but can’t get any roots from your links. They only send in October

[@bumbygrl]

Hi, thank you for your video. Have you had any luck finding the sweet sensation? You haven't seen it locally? I'm also in Central Florida.

[@floridavegetablegardening]

Hi. I actually did find sweet sensation. I had to drive an hour to get the bare roots but they were healthy and cheaper than any of the other ones I’ve bought ($6.95 for 25). I got them from Parksdale Farmers Market in Plant City. I signed up to get notified by email when they had them in stock and then I called when I got the notification and made arrangements to come pick them up that same day. It was a hassle but it was worth it to me. I don’t think they will be selling them again until the fall planting season but you could sign up to get the notifications for the next time they have them. I think the other varieties I’m growing are a little sweeter tasting but the sensation are good and very productive.

[@bumbygrl]

@@floridavegetablegardening that is a really good price on them. I was too late to order bare root plants this year but did find someone selling plugs and I bought them all up. I'll definitely have to pre order and I agree it's well worth it to get them especially from plant city.

[@dianeavriett6878]

At Parksdale Farm in Plant city, Florida, they sell bare root strawberry plants ( with large green plant leaves on top to promote fast growth but mine are droopy and floppy…..some improvement in 2 days). Should they be in full sun right after planting, should you trim off the long stemmed leaves (8 inches) or leave them on? Not sure which is best, trim at crown to promote new healthy green leaves or leave on the struggling leaves? ( I did cut off any runners and dead or yellow leaves at the crown. And how much to water? Is a sprinkler left on too much? They are in four to five gallon pots with drainage holes.

[@floridavegetablegardening]

It is common for them to look droopy for the first week or so. As long as the roots were healthy and not starting to rot when they were planted then they should bounce back. I don’t usually cut all of the long leaves off but if they look diseased or like they are dying then I do cut them off. Yes they should be planted in full sun and watered regularly. I try to water every day for the first couple of weeks until the plants are established but I would not leave the sprinkler on continuously or they can get moldy and rot. Good luck!

[@dianeavriett6878]

Thank you so much for your fast response. I appreciate it!

[@floridavegetablegardening]

@@dianeavriett6878 you’re welcome!

[@floridavegetablegardening]

How are your plants doing after a week? I went to Parksdale this week and picked some up too since you mentioned they were the Sensation variety. Now that I see how long the leaves are, I feel bad for saying not to cut them. I've never seen bare roots with such long leaves like these. Usually there are just a few small and medium sized leaves on bare roots, which I don't cut off, but these are so long and top heavy that I think they do need to be cut. I'm going to do half with the long leaves cut and half with them still there and see how each does. I won't cut small or medium length leaves, but will remove some of the long heavy ones.

[@anhthunguyen8919]

Can u share which nursery in Georgia you got the bare roots from ? Thanks

[@floridavegetablegardening]

The Nursery in Georgia is called Willis Orchards. www.willisorchards.com/category/strawberry-plants#.YXmeR9rMKUk

[@2021-j2d]

Where can June bearing strawberries be purchased in Tampa Bay Area. I bought everbearing plants and they produced some gorgeous berries by the second fruits don’t look good at all. 3:16

[@floridavegetablegardening]

At strawberry planting time (late October) you can usually find bare roots at Parksdale Farmers Market in Plant City. I think they get the extras from whatever the strawberry farms are planting so they are the June bearing varieties that our local farmers grow. All of the Florida vendors and farmers usually get bare roots shipped in from up North or California around the same time- mid or late October. The bare roots won’t keep for more than a few weeks and then they have to be potted, so the nurseries will stop selling bare roots and start selling potted strawberries which are quite a bit more expensive than the bare roots. I’m telling you all of this for next year, but for this year, since it’s past the time for bare roots to be circulated in the area, you may still be able to find potted strawberries in nurseries. I would check Duncheon’s nursery. I know they had bare roots a month or two ago and I have bought potted strawberries from them in the past. If you look online you still may be able to find some bare roots being sold and shipped here. I have had good luck with Hand Picked Nursery in NC. I think they are affiliated with Plant World on Etsy, which I have also been happy with. I think they have Chandler and Sweet Charlie, which are both good for our area. I ordered Chandler from them this year and they are growing well so far. Good luck!

[@2021-j2d]

@@floridavegetablegardening thank you 😊

[@floridavegetablegardening]

@@2021-j2d you’re welcome 😊

[@LourdesMenendez-m4c]

Where can I find the festival and Camarosa seeds?

[@floridavegetablegardening]

Most strawberries are grown from bare roots or plugs, including Festival and Camarosa. The only strawberry seeds I have ever seen for sale were for alpine strawberries but they were much smaller and different from the strawberries most of us are used to. In Florida you can find nurseries selling the bare roots or plugs during our fall planting season (usually October is when Florida nurseries ship the bare roots). Nick’s Edibles had Festival this past season but they wouldn’t still have bare roots this time of year. They may have plants you can buy for a higher price. Plant World on Etsy has Camarosa bare roots. I have ordered from them several times and was pleased with what I got from them. They have various quantities but here is a link to their 25 plant bundle: www.etsy.com/listing/495781352/25-strawberry-plant-camarosa-organically?click_key=9e8846be5a2c147c91d20fbcad20bcffe861969d%3A495781352&click_sum=c3d6aaf0&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=camarosa+strawberry+plants&ref=sr_gallery-1-1&frs=1&sts=1 Whenever I shop for strawberries online I type in the name of the variety + bare roots and/or plugs or plants (not seeds). Note that bare roots need to be planted quickly after receiving them. Plugs or potted plants can last much longer without being potted up.

[@Crazykillax]

I know I’m late but am I able to plant now in late march or will it be a waste

[@Crazykillax]

Jacksonville I’m near

[@floridavegetablegardening]

Sorry to say, but I think it would probably be a waste to plant strawberries right now. Even up near Jacksonville it will be getting too hot soon. If you already have the berry plants then I would plant them in at least one or two gallon pots so you can move them to a shady area for the summer and then plant them out in the full sun in early fall. Or if you plant them in the ground you could cover with shade cloth for the summer. Even in the shade they still might not survive the summer with all the rain, humidity, bugs, etc., so if you haven’t already bought strawberry plants then I would just wait and get them in September.

[@yolotoko2393]

what is the yummiet big strawberries to plant?

[@floridavegetablegardening]

Of the ones I have tried I think Sweet Charlie is the sweetest variety and the berries are pretty big.

[@yogininamaste]

Can you plant them from seeds? I've seen them in Home Depot.

[@floridavegetablegardening]

You saw strawberry seeds in Home Depot? Interesting! I wonder what kind they are? There are some strawberries that grow from seed, but they probably aren't going to be much like the ones that we normally eat/grow. The strawberries we are used to eating are hybrids that have been bred for certain traits and disease resistance. To get a clone of those hybrid plants, we grow them from the bare roots, or plugs. The last plants I showed at the end of this video are some that I grew from seed. They are Alpine strawberries. They are pretty different from what we are used to getting at the grocery store. They are sweet and tasty, but very small and soft. They taste good, but not exactly like what I'm used to strawberries tasting like. I start the seeds at the end of August so that I have plants to transplant in October. It's getting kind of late to start from seed, but it could probably still be done. It's just not likely that the strawberry plants will be what you're used to, and they may not be one of the varieties that does well in Florida. Still it might be a fun experiment, and seeds usually don't cost much.

[@yogininamaste]

@@floridavegetablegardening Thank you very much! I'll look for the one you suggested.

[@angelsuniverse6021]

Did u try tulle to cover them?

[@floridavegetablegardening]

I haven't used tulle, but I used old bed sheets once. The raccoons had no problem removing them to get the strawberries underneath. I even tried wrapping the almost ripe berries in foil, but in the morning the foil was removed and tossed aside and the berries were gone. The only creature I know of that can unwrap foil, is raccoons (maybe opposums?). After that happened, I realized nothing was going to work except a cage. I made a cage for my berries this season and it worked perfectly. I got to eat most of my berries this year (except bugs got some). :)

[@angelsuniverse6021]

@@floridavegetablegardening should try it....many critters n animals dont like it....

[@dianeavriett6878]

Any advice on the below comment would be greatly appreciated!