Strawberry Bed Renovation Review
 

The first step in the bed renovation process is to determine which beds should be carried over for another year and which should be plowed down and put into a crop rotation.  Beds that do not appear to have suffered much from winter injury, had good production, and a good plant stand with no major weed, insect or disease problems should be carried over for another year. 

Renovating a strawberry bed is basically a thinning process to promote healthy new growth that can support a heavy crop next spring.  While some of the general renovation scheme may need to be modified for individual situations, all beds should undergo the following steps once harvest is complete.

1.    Broadleaf weed control: Manually or with herbicides.

2.    Leaf mowing: mow off the leaves of the strawberries about 1 1/2 inches above the crowns.  If the planting is weak, it is recommended that this step of the renovation process be skipped this year.

3.    Fertilization:  Apply 40 to 60 pounds of actual nitrogen per acre. Phosphorus and potassium applications should be made according to soil test recommendations.  Soil testing kits and information are available from your county Cooperative Extension office.

4.    Plant thinning: After mowing off the leaves, till the sides of the rows to narrow the beds back to a width of 12 to 18 inches. Set the tiller so that it incorporates the mowed leaves and spreads about one inch of soil over the remaining crowns at the same time.  This will reduce leaf disease and mite problems, and help stimulate new root growth on the remaining plants.

5.    Pre-emergent weed control: If you are not using herbicides, regular cultivation, before weeds are more than 2” tall, will be needed throughout the summer. 

6.    Subsoiling: Soil compaction caused by tractor and picker traffic in the field can cause soil drainage problems and interfere with good root development.  Using a subsoiling blade between the rows will break up compacted layers of soil and improve water infiltration.

7.    Irrigation:  To encourage rapid plant growth and get the most out of fertilizers and herbicides, irrigate the beds regularly.  Strawberries will grow best if they receive 1 1/2 inches of water per week during the growing season.

8.    Observation: Don't forget your plants once these renovation steps are completed.  Check the strawberry fields regularly during the summer for pest problems.  Finding and managing problems early can prevent major problems next spring.

Source: Handley, D., Strawberry IPM Newsletter, No. 6, July 2009