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 Ever-bearing strawberries
Ever-bearing strawberries have the characteristic of producing fruit in the spring and again in the fall. It is useful to cover the fall crop with cloches to extend the season, possibly in late October. It is best to grow ever-bearers for one year only because the size and weight of the crop deteriorate in the second year. Replant with new runners each year.
Cultivation
The basic requirements of soil, spacing, mulching and feeding are the same as for June-bearing strawberries. The soil should be highly fertile and moisture-retentive. Be sure to water well in late summer and fall. Plant in
the early spring and remove the first flush of flowers to ensure a good crop later in the season. In the fall, when cropping is finished, clean up the rows, remove the old straw, surplus runners and one or two of the older leaves, and burn the debris. Cover with straw or hay in the late fall to protect against winter damage. Do not fertilize the plants in the spring of the following year, but apply a balanced fertilizer immediately after all the spring berries have been picked to encourage a second, smaller, crop in the fall. Then remove plants entirely.
Alpine strawberries
Several varieties have been selected for garden and commercial cultivation. They make an attractive edging plant, having masses of small white flowers. They bear dark red fruits continuously or in flushes from June until November.
Cultivation
Alpine strawberries are usually grown from seed and kept for no more than two years before re-sowing. There are a few varieties that produce runners, but most do not. Maintaining virus-free stock is difficult.
Sowing Sow the seeds in March under glass. Sow into seed boxes containing a moist seed starting mixture. Maintain them at a temperature of 18o-20°C/64o-68°F. Cover the boxes with glass and shade until the seeds germinate. When two true leaves appear, prick out the seedlings 1 in apart into flats or peat pots.
Soil preparation, planting and feeding The soil should be rich, well drained and slightly acid (pH 6.0-6.5). Just before planting apply sulfate of potash at 1/2oz per square yard. Once the danger of frosts is over, but by the end of May, plant out the seedlings in the prepared, moist soil. Plant in the open or in light shade. Space the seedlings 1ft apart with 21/2ft between the rows. Water them in dry weather (about 3-4 gal per square yard every 7-10 days). For better cropping, when the flowers appear, feed every two weeks with a liquid fertilizer.
Harvesting Pick carefully. Slight crushing, sugaring, and overnight soaking brings out the flavor.
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