I'm considering planting a strawberry patch. I was wondering if anyone has experience and/or a preference with either the June bearing or everbearing plants. I'd love to have fruit the first year, but was wondering if you get better fruit or better plants by using the June bearing and waiting until the next year? Which varieties do you like as an all purpose strawberry? Also any hints that have proved to be succesful for you would be helpful also. Oh, and do you have difficulty picking them before the birds? We have alot of birds! Thanks!

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2001

Answers

Denise, I can not remember where you are. Location is a big factor in chosing varieties. We are in Michigan and have tryed several of the everbearings and never were as happy with the berries. Taste, texture, keeping ability....we were just not happy. Sooo...we stick with the June bearings. And, yes we have difficulty with the birds, especially the Robins think they need a bite of each big berry. We have a rather large patch so we manage to get enough for us. Going to try some deterents again this year...like maybe cheese cloth. Open to suggestions from other "berry people".

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2001

Oops! I did forget to mention where I am. I'm in southwest Ohio! I had a feeling there would be something better about the June bearing strawberries. How often I've heard "Good things come to those who wait." If the robins just take a bite of a berry, is it ruined? Seems like you could just cut that part off. Would that work?

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2001

Personally, Denise, I would cut the spot out and eat it anyway. I think the problem is that if the birds bite them, you need to pick them right away or spoilage sets in pronto. Possibly not that big a problem with a small patch. Has anyone used the bird netting, and did it work?

-- Anonymous, May 10, 2001

I have used netting and it works, unless of course you have GEESE, now those guys will eat right through anything to get to a strawberry!! I seem to have radar driven robins though, they will walk right under the netting, as do the little chimpmunks. And yes, I cut the spot out and eat the rest, but you are right, have to pick every day or you lose the whole berry.

-- Anonymous, May 11, 2001

In Ky-everbearing no good.Suggest Alpines? Small but tasty. Bear all summer except when it gets real hot,but then come back and bear in the fall.You get enough to throw on the cereal and such.

Everbearings were discussed in an earlier thread too.Wasn't that here? Or am I hopelessly confused?

-- Anonymous, May 11, 2001

Denise-saw your location-I have alpines growing right now for transplant-have more than I need.Where are you? Willing to take a lovely weekend drive in the country? I don't think I'm too far from you,but not sure.

-- Anonymous, May 11, 2001

I've used bird netting, too. It worked great at keeping the birds out.

My sister gave me some everbearing strawberry plants (raspberry plants, too) while I was up visiting her last weekend so I'm excited about getting them in the ground this weekend.

I'll definitely have to get more bird netting so I don't lose the strawberries to the "winged raiders". :-)

-- Anonymous, May 11, 2001

Hi Denise!! I don't think that I've ever planted everbearing berries, but I've put a lot of June bearers in the ground. I like them the best because they go away!! Maybe I just have too many, but after 4 or 5 weeks of berries for breakfast, lunch and dinner - I'm ready to call it quits!! With June bearers you get more of a harvest in less time so that you have a better chance of having enough for you AND the birds; also plenty to freeze and jel. I plant Jewel berries - they do great in my clay soil here in E. Central Illinois - zone 5, I think.

I also eat after the robins, and the chipmunks, and the squirrels, and the land turtles..... One thing you can do is plant something else that robins like in order to lure them away from your berries - mulberries come to mind, but keep them far, far, far away from the clothesline!

-- Anonymous, May 11, 2001

Sharon, what a generous offer! I'd be willing to take drive. Email me privately about location. Thanks!

-- Anonymous, May 11, 2001

Well, phooohy! I like my everbearing plants in Kentucky. I get berries till the first frost, around December usually. I started off with 12 plants, 3 years ago, and now have hundreds. Do strawberries ever make your skin break out in a rash? I wonder why some people can't eat them.

-- Anonymous, May 11, 2001

Cindy, what variety of everbearing are you using???

-- Anonymous, May 12, 2001

I don't know exactly, I looked for the plastic marker today, but couldn't find any, it's been 3 years since I planted them, just everbearing. I picked a couple gallons today, I think I am going to turn into a strawberry if I eat any more! They are sending out runners allready. I can take another pic of them if that would help. They're pretty hardy.

-- Anonymous, May 12, 2001