Yesterday we planted the last of our strawberry plants for next year’s patch. Unlike last year, when there was a shortage of plants available, this year there were plenty and they are some of the nicest plants we have gotten in a long time. The two varieties we planted were Seascape, which was introduced in the early 90’s and isn’t widely grown any more because it is considered too soft to ship, and Albion, a more recent introduction that we first started growing a few years ago and love because of its amazing flavor. Albions are firmer than Seascapes, and while both types are really delicious, they are noticeably different to the discerning strawberry palate. We like to grow both varieties when we can.
The “plants” that we use are actually runners that are dug and trimmed off of mother plants that were grown at high elevation nurseries in the far Northern part of the state. After the plants have accumulated many hours of “chill”, including 3-4 addition weeks in the cooler after they have been dug, they are essentially fooled into thinking (if a plant can do such a thing) that they have already gone through winter. By the time we plant them here at our more temperate coastal location, they grow vigorously through the heart of winter and start setting fruit as early as April.
Managing the amount of chill that the plants receive is critical for organic growers. Because we don’t use the high analysis, highly soluble synthetic fertilizers that conventional growers use, finding other ways to give the plants vigor is critical. Most conventional growers get their plants out after they have only been in the cooler 1-2 weeks, but this year we gave our plants a full month of additional chill. And as strange as it sounds, a field that has been planted in early December can come into production earlier in spring than one planted in early November—because the plants have accumulated more chill hours sitting in the cooler.
Preparing for strawberry planting requires a lot of field prep. It needs a special tractor set-up to raise the beds and lay down mulch. Some years early rains can wreak havoc with this time-critical field work. But this year all has gone smoothly and the field has been dry enough to work when we needed to get in. If all goes as it should, this means the first scrumptious spring berries should appear in your boxes by early April.
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