Growing Strawberry Plants

Fragaria : Rosaceae / the rose family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
                P P P  

(Best months for growing Strawberry Plants in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

  • P = Plant out (transplant) seedlings

September: Protect from frost

  • Easy to grow. Plant with crown (of roots) just covered.. Best planted at soil temperatures between 50°F and 68°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 12 - 39 inches apart
  • Harvest in approximately 11 weeks. Strawberries bruise easily when ripe, handle carefully. Pick with a small piece of stem attached..
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Better in a bed on their own to allow good sun and air circulation
  • Avoid growing close to: If you are using rotation beds, avoid putting strawberries where you have grown tomatoes, potatoes, peppers or eggplant

Your comments and tips

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13 Oct 20, Meredyth Anderson (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Hi my strawberries leaves are turning creamy white, though still green as well and plant looks healthy. What could be the problem please. From Meredyth.
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16 Oct 20, (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Could be powdery mildew, phone an agricultural produce agency in your area and talk to them.
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01 Jun 20, Donna (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Hi. I have flowers in late May/June just going into winter on my Camarosas. I planted in summer last year and got very little fruit. The plants are now in their second year. Should II pick those flowers off? Thanks
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02 Jun 20, Anonymous (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
I wouldn't - maybe read or research when to grow strawberries in your area. In sub tropical Qld Australia - they plant early April and start picking June. I don't know anything about your variety.
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16 Jan 20, Suzanne (New Zealand - temperate climate)
I live in central auckland and grow strawberries in a large concrete trough approx 340 mm deep and wide. I had the opportunity to get a number of strawberry plants a few days ago, and want to know if I plant them now, protect them will they winter ok?
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20 Jan 20, Another gardener (New Zealand - temperate climate)
I live sub-tropical Queensland Australia, strawberry plants here send out runners from early summer. These runners develop new plants along the runner. These new plants are transplanted out early April, they grow and produce fruit from May to Sept. IF those plants offered to you have soil all around the roots and has not been disturbed much then they may keep growing. My suggestion is to find new plants around the time you normally plant strawberries in your area. Read up about growing strawberries in NZ.
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28 Oct 18, Caroline Burnell (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Do I cut off the leaves on my strawberries that are growing in a raised garden and covered with netting so that the sun can ripen them? Thanks Caroline
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30 Oct 18, Mike (New Zealand - temperate climate)
NO - strawberries take about 4 weeks from flowering to ripe fruit. Keep cutting the leaves and the plant will probably die. Plants need leaves to take in the sunlight.
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08 Mar 18, Julie (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
How long do you keep strawberry plants growing. Mine are about three years old now, do they need replacing?
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23 May 20, Allan (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Yes, second season is always best crop, third season is ok. Replace with runners and plantlets from your current bed as they are tuned to your area. Past three years plants don’t produce as well.
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Showing 11 - 20 of 21 comments
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Your title says strawberries - your question is regarding peaches. You seem to have two issues. The first chilling hours -- which the net (FTN) defines as: Chilling hours are the minimum number of hours that a peach tree needs to get, specifically, nighttime temperatures between 32 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit, in order to produce a good crop of peaches.. If the hours are not met (say in a warm winter), the blossoms mostly just fall off the trees and do not set fruit. Additionally you mentioned humidity which for peaches is leaf curl: (FTN) Peach leaf curl is a fungal disease of peach and nectarine. It is favoured by prolonged wet, cool weather in the spring as new growth is developing. Infected leaves become thick and curled with red and yellow discolouration. Infected leaves eventually drop. Again FTN Peaches with the fewest chill hour requirements are all yellow freestones. Cultivars needing 100 chill hours or less, the lowest requirement, include Gulf Queen (Prunus persica “Gulf Queen"), Mid Pride (Prunus persica “Mid Pride”), Bonita (Prunus persica “Bonita”) and Ventura (Prunus persica “Ventura”). Also Eva's Pride. additionally: With one exception, white peaches with low chill requirements are all freestones. At 200 chill hours, Tropic Snow (Prunus persica “Tropic Snow") has the lowest requirement. If you think a nectarine might work then: Desert Delight is a good choice --- but it seems to me that you might want to think about persimmons.

- Celeste Archer

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. GardenGrow is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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