ABC's STRAWBERRY PLASTICULTURE IN MARYLAND

Robert J. Rouse, Regional Specialist, Vegetables and Fruit
University of Maryland

As many of you know, we have been looking at both the normal June Bearing production system and Annual Plasticulture for the last eight seasons. The work has been partially funded by the Maryland Horticultural Society and by SARE. There are several key points that one must keep in mind when it comes to Annual Plasticulture in Maryland with Chandler.

1. The system is highly management intensive with high input costs - $7,000-$8,000 per acre.
2. The system with Chandler annual plasticulture is generally limited in the state to the lower shore and Southern Maryland.
3. Plug plants are preferred.
4. Row covers are needed for winter protection and for protection from cold late winter winds (a real must) - heavy covers preferred (1.25 oz.)
5. Deer exclusion is a must. Deer just love those nice strawberry leaves, both in the fall and early spring
6. Frost protection is a must, as we get blooms earlier than the normal June bearing systems.
7. A high, well-formed bed is a must, along with good fertility and pest management spray schedules.
8. Marketing is the key to success.
9. Don't U-pick the fields or you'll never get your customers to pick in the matted row system again.
10. Make sure the fruit is ripe to the tip for local sales if you want flavor.
11. Have your drip line hooked up and running in the fall.

These are just a few thoughts on observations I have made on the system. Strawberry production is changing. Efforts are being made in New Jersey by Dr. Joe Fiola to see how far north plasticulture of annual strawberries can go, but it's going to be different varieties and techniques that make it happen. Otho Wells in New Hampshire is growing them in high tunnels - anything is possible if the dollars work out.

1998 SUMMARY OF STRAWBERRY PROJECTS AT THE WYE RESEARCH AND EDUCATION CENTER

R. Rouse - MCE, M. Newell - WREC, J. Bouwkamp - NRSL, H. Swartz - NRSL, J. Fiola - RUT

Annual Plasticulture Strawberries


Objective: Strawberry annual plasticulture experiments have been ongoing at the Wye Research and Education Center since 1992.

Time of planting is critical for each variety. There is a different planting window for each variety and location. Our work at the Wye Research and Education Center will be to look at a number of varieties and breeding lines as to planting window, yields and fruit quality and marketability.

Methods and Materials: September plantings of ten varieties and 15 breeding lines were made. Released varieties were planted September 5, 18, 30 and breeding lines on September 5, 1997. Planting was made with plug plants in high black poly covered beds. Floating row covers were used for winter protection.

The total fertility program was as follows:

N/125, P205/85, K20/85, Boron/1/8 lb

with approximately 2/3 of the material applied prior to bedding. The remainder was fertigated through the drip irrigation system in early spring, prior to first harvest date.

Fungicide and insecticide treatment applied per EB 242 and EB 236.

Results: First harvest with the variety Sweet Charlie began on April 22, 1998 and last harvest was June 22, 1998 with the following varieties still being picked: Chandler, Camarosa, Sweet Charlie and breeding lines B196, MDUS 5334, B27 and B28.


Variety
Planting Date
(1997)
Harvest Dates
(1998)
Mean Gram
Berry Weight
25 Berries
Yield
Lbs/acre
Chandler
9/5/97
5/1- 6/17
397 def
25,442 a
Chandler
9/18/97
4/29-6/17
425 cde
23,574 a
Camarosa
9/5/97
4/29-6/17
427 cde
23,548 a
Camarosa
9/5/97
4/29-6/17
442 abc
23,327 a
Camarosa
9/18/97
4/29-6/17
471 ab
22,290 ab
Cavendish
9/5/97
5/1-6/17
474 a
19,311 bc
Allstar
9/5/97
5/1-6/8
431 cde
15,610 cd
Sweet Charlie
9/5/97
4/22-6/17
410 cde
15,433 cd
Sweet Charlie
9/18/97
4/22-6/17
394 ef
14,985 d
Marmolade
9/5/97
5/1-6/5
434 bcd
13,690 de
Seneca
9/5/97
4/29-6/10
366 fg
12,263 de
Northeaster
9/5/97
4/22-6/15
474 a
10,581 e
Annapolis
9/5/97
4/27-6/5
338 g
3,937 f


Comments:
Numbers followed by the same letter are statistically not different. As said earlier, we had a Carolina winter and our yield seems to bear this out. Both Chandler and Camarosa did well at both the early and mid-September planting dates here at the Wye. The Florida variety, Sweet Charlie, showed once again its earliness and moderate yield potential. Early September plantings needed here at the Wye on this variety. Allstar and Cavendish continue to do well as June varieties on plasticulture. The Italian variety, Marmolade, had some two spotted mite problems and requires more nitrogen, which limited its yield in this trial. Mean gram berry weights per berry went from a high 19 grams per berry for Northeaster to a low of 13.5 grams for Annapolis.


Plasticulture Historical Yield Averages at the Wye From
Plug Plants with 2 Year Averages or More
Year
Planting
Date
Chandler
Planting
Date
Sweet Charlie
Planting
Date
Camarosa
1993
9/19/92
14,342
--
--
--
--
1994
9/23/93
11,328
9/23/93
4,890
--
--
1995
9/22/94
19,242
--
--
--
--
1996
9/7/95
8,337
9/1/95
9,971
9/7/95
14,249
1997
9/5/96
17,672
9/5/96
18,900
9/5/96
16,598
1998
9/5/97
25,442
9/5/97
15,433
9/5/97
23,438
Average
(6 yr)
16,060
(4 yr)
12,299
(3 yr)
18,095

Year
Planting
Date
Cavendish
Planting
Date
Allstar
1993
--
--
--
--
1994
--
--
--
--
1995
9/19/94
15,506
--
--
1996
--
--
--
--
1997
9/5/96
30,871
9/5/96
26,739
1998
9/5/97
19,311
9/5/97
15,610
Average
(3 yr)
21,896
(2 yr)
21,175
 
Now, let's review our ABC's:

A. Advertise; Anthracnose
B. Beds (size, height, row orientation) Bare roots or plugs
C. Covers; Costs
D. Deer control; Double crop; Disease control; Drip irrigation
E. Economics; Equipment
F. Frost protection; Fertigation; Fertilization
G. Ground cover
H. Harvest; Hail
I. Irrigation; Insect control; IPM
J. June Matted Row varieties and Plasticulture
K. Keep over or double crop
L. Lime; Labor; Loss
M. Marketing - Direct Marketing, Farm market, Farmer's Market (Tailgate; "U-pick"); Management intensive
N. Nematode control; Nurseries; North Carolina Strawberry Association
O. Over-production can be fatal
P. Plugs; Planting dates; Plant source; Post harvest; Picking; Profit; Plastic
Q. Quality control
R. Rotations; Retail; Row covers
S. Sales; Site selection; Soil spacing
T. Two crops
U. "U-pick"
V. Varieties
W. Weed control; Wind protection; Wholesale
X. X-port
Y. Your positive management of all these factors will lead to a profitable crop
Z. ZZZ's - catch a lot of them, 2000 will be here soon!

Click here to return to the Proceedings page.