Successfully growing strawberries in Oklahoma is a rewarding endeavor that provides a generous harvest of fresh fruit. The state’s climate, characterized by cold winters and intense summer heat, demands precise timing for planting success. Getting the plants established before the harsh summer temperatures arrive is the single most important factor for developing a robust patch.
Determining the Optimal Planting Window in Oklahoma
The definitive time to plant bare-root dormant strawberry plants in Oklahoma is during the late winter and early spring. This ideal period generally extends from February 1 through mid-March, though it can stretch until March 20 in some years. This narrow window allows the plants to establish a strong root system while the soil is cool and moist, preparing them for the vegetative growth phase. Planting during this time ensures the plants are well-rooted before the intense heat of a typical Oklahoma summer arrives.
The precise timing can vary slightly depending on the region within the state, as southern Oklahoma can often begin planting earlier than northern zones due to milder winter temperatures. Gardeners should wait until the ground is workable and the immediate forecast does not predict severely cold weather or dry, windy conditions. Although spring planting is standard for establishing a new patch, the goal remains the same: to get the plants in the ground while they are still dormant.
Preparing the Soil and Location
Site selection is an initial step that lays the foundation for a productive strawberry bed for years to come. Strawberries require a minimum of six to eight hours of direct sunlight each day. The planting area should also be located away from low-lying spots where cold air and late spring frosts often settle, which could damage early blossoms. It is recommended to avoid locations that have recently grown tomatoes, peppers, or potatoes to mitigate the risk of certain soil-borne diseases.
Soil preparation should begin well in advance of the planting date. Strawberries thrive in slightly acidic soil with a pH range of 6.0 to 6.5, though a range of 5.5 to 7.0 is acceptable. Soil testing through a local extension office can confirm the existing pH and nutrient levels, allowing for necessary amendments. Incorporating a generous amount of organic matter, such as compost or well-rotted manure, is beneficial for all soil types. This addition improves the structure of heavy Oklahoma clay soils, promoting the excellent drainage that strawberries need to prevent root rot.
Since many areas of Oklahoma have heavy clay that naturally drains slowly, creating raised beds or mounded rows is often a practical solution. This ensures water does not pool around the crowns, which is a common cause of plant failure. The prepared beds should be tilled to remove weeds and loosen the soil to a depth of about 12 inches. Any recommended lime or fertilizer should be mixed into the soil two to three weeks before the plants are set out.
Proper Techniques for Setting Strawberry Plants
Strawberry plants are typically purchased as bare-root crowns, arriving dormant and without soil around their roots. Before planting, it is helpful to soak the roots in water for one to two hours to rehydrate them after shipping. If the roots are excessively long, they can be trimmed back to about six inches to encourage new growth and prevent them from bending in the planting hole. Trimming the roots also aids in ensuring the plant can be positioned correctly in the shallow, nutrient-rich topsoil layer.
The single most important technical detail during planting is setting the crown at the correct depth. The crown, which is the central growing point where the leaves emerge, must be exactly level with the soil surface. Planting the crown too deeply will bury the bud, causing it to rot, while planting too shallowly will expose the roots to drying out. After preparing a hole deep enough for the roots to hang straight down, fan the roots out and backfill the soil, firming it gently around the plant.
For home gardens in Oklahoma, the matted row system is often the preferred method for June-bearing varieties. This system involves spacing the initial plants 1.5 to 2.5 feet apart within the row. The distance between rows should be approximately three to four feet. Immediately after planting, a thorough watering is essential to settle the soil and eliminate any air pockets around the newly set roots.
Critical Care for First-Year Establishment
The entire focus of the first year is not on harvesting fruit but on building a robust root system and generating new runner plants. To achieve this, it is necessary to remove all blossoms that appear on June-bearing varieties during the first growing season. Allowing the plant to produce fruit diverts energy away from root development, resulting in a significantly smaller harvest in subsequent years. For everbearing or day-neutral varieties, only the first flush of flowers needs to be removed, after which the plant can be allowed to fruit later in the season.
Consistent moisture is necessary for newly established plants, which have shallow root systems and are vulnerable to the Oklahoma heat. If rainfall is scarce, the bed should receive about one inch of water per week, ensuring the soil is wet to a depth of 12 inches. Runner management is also part of first-year care; allow the mother plants to generate runners that will fill in the row to a final width of 18 to 24 inches. Once the desired row width is achieved, subsequent runners should be trimmed to prevent the bed from becoming overcrowded.
As the plants approach dormancy in the fall, typically between mid-August and mid-September, a nitrogen application can encourage the formation of fruit buds for the following year. Once several hard frosts have occurred, usually in late December, a three to four-inch layer of straw mulch should be applied over the entire bed. This winter mulch insulates the crowns, preventing damage from alternating freeze-thaw cycles and winter winds, ensuring the plants survive to produce a plentiful harvest the following spring.