Strawberries are a highly rewarding crop for Pennsylvania home gardeners. Successfully growing these berries requires understanding their specific needs concerning the local climate and varied growing conditions. Pennsylvania’s environment, which transitions from milder southeastern regions to colder, higher elevations, makes timing and variety selection particularly important. Mastering the planting process ensures bare-root crowns establish a strong, perennial root system, which is the foundation for abundant future yields.
Choosing the Right Strawberry for Pennsylvania
The choice of strawberry cultivar significantly impacts the growing schedule and harvest pattern. The three main types are June-bearing, Everbearing, and Day-neutral varieties. June-bearing strawberries are the most common choice for the region, producing one large, concentrated crop typically in June over a two-to-three-week period. Reliable varieties for Pennsylvania include ‘Earliglow,’ known for its flavor and disease resistance, and ‘Honeoye,’ valued for its cold hardiness and high yield.
June-bearing plants produce many runners, allowing them to form the thick, matted-row culture favored by many local growers. Everbearing varieties, such as ‘Ozark Beauty,’ offer two main harvests: one in early summer and a smaller crop in the fall. Day-neutral types, like ‘Seascape’ or ‘Tribute,’ fruit continuously from June until the first heavy frost when temperatures remain between 35°F and 85°F. While productive, their summer crop can be small in Pennsylvania’s southern, hotter areas unless soil temperatures are managed with heavy mulch.
Optimal Planting Windows in Pennsylvania
The optimal time to plant strawberries is early spring, as soon as the ground is thawed and workable. This period generally falls between mid-March and late April, depending on the specific location and weather conditions. Planting bare-root crowns during this window allows them the longest cool growing season to establish roots before summer heat arrives. The goal is to plant immediately after the danger of hard frost has passed, while the soil remains moist and cool.
Gardeners in warmer southeastern parts of the state may plant in March, while those in colder, higher elevations often wait until mid-to-late April. Bare-root plants tolerate cool soil temperatures well, but the primary risk is planting into overly wet soil, which can lead to root rot. Planting after June 1 is not recommended because the plants struggle to establish a strong root system before winter.
Fall planting is a less common alternative, primarily used for pre-grown plugs in late summer or early fall for an early spring harvest. For typical bare-root crowns, spring planting is the preferred method to ensure maximum establishment and survival through the first winter. Early spring timing is particularly important for June-bearing varieties, which need the entire first season to develop the crown and flower buds for the next year’s harvest.
Preparing the Site and Planting Techniques
Successful strawberry growth begins with careful site selection and soil preparation. Strawberries thrive in full sun, requiring at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily to produce sweet fruit. The soil must be well-draining to prevent root diseases, and amending the bed with organic matter, such as compost or well-rotted manure, is beneficial.
Strawberries prefer a slightly acidic soil pH ranging from 5.5 to 6.5, with an optimal level near 6.2. Performing a soil test is recommended to determine pH and nutrient levels, allowing for adjustments with sulfur or lime well in advance of planting. When planting bare-root crowns, the hole must be wide enough to allow the roots to spread naturally rather than being curled up.
The most important technique is setting the crown correctly, ensuring the central growing point is positioned precisely at the soil surface. If the crown is buried, the plant will likely rot; if the roots are exposed, the plant will dry out and fail to establish. After positioning the plant, firmly press the soil around the roots and water thoroughly to settle the soil and eliminate air pockets.
First-Year Management for Strong Yields
The focus of first-year management is encouraging the development of a robust root system and strong plant crowns, not harvesting fruit. After planting, consistent watering is necessary to help the shallow roots establish themselves, aiming for about 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week. Applying a balanced fertilizer upon planting, such as a 10-10-10 blend, can give the plants a good start, but avoid excessive nitrogen as it promotes leafy growth over crown development.
The most important step for establishing June-bearing plants is removing all blossoms that appear during the first year. Pinching off these flowers directs the plant’s energy into developing strong crowns and runner plants, which will form the productive bed for the following year. For Day-neutral varieties, blossoms should be removed for the first six weeks after planting to allow for root establishment, after which fruit can develop for a small fall harvest.
Managing runners is a key first-year practice, especially for June-bearing varieties grown in a matted-row system. Runners should be allowed to root and establish new daughter plants within a controlled row width (typically 12 to 18 inches) to prevent the bed from becoming too dense. Once the ground freezes in late fall, the plants require winter protection, provided by covering the crowns with four to six inches of clean straw mulch.