strawberries… they’re gorgeous, delicious, and very nutritious. A rare combination! While the process of growing strawberries is pretty simple in itself, there are some aspects that gardeners, especially beginners, find baffling. One of these is picking the type of strawberries to grow. For most gardeners, the choice revolves around two of the most famous types- June bearing strawberries and Ever bearing strawberries. Here’s some useful information.
June bearing Strawberries
June-bearing strawberries bear fruit early in the spring season, very often in the month of June. There’s a single, large crop in a year and the berries are big. The harvesting period lasts for about 3 weeks. If you’re interested in a big supply of strawberries for freezing or making jellies, I’d recommend growing June bearing strawberries. Two of my favorite varieties are Sparkle Supreme June bearing Strawberries and Honeoye strawberries. Plants from both these varieties are self-pollinating and highly resistant to diseases.
Ever bearing Strawberries
Everbearing strawberry plants are relatively smaller than the June bearing
varieties. The plants can offer up to 3 harvests in the first year. The first produce is often in June followed by a second production in the summer season, and another at the beginning of fall. The total produce in case of ever bearing strawberries is often less than the single produce of June bearing strawberries. Ever bearing varieties have fewer runners and are much easier to manage. If you’re interested in near carefree strawberry plants that provide decent produce at different times in a year, I’d recommend growing Ever bearing strawberries. Ozark Beauty are one of my favorites in this category. They’re deep-rooted, vigorous, and resistant to most diseases. A great pick for those living up north or in the southern mountain regions!
Deciding the type of strawberries to grow isn’t that hard really. It’s just a question of your goal and requirement. June bearing strawberries or Ever bearing strawberries? Choose for yourself!