Planting Strawberries in Zone 4 (Maybe zone 3)

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

I can't tell you exactly what zone I am in because most websites show different zones for my zip code.(Burpee says 4 but usda and other sources say zone 3) But for this particular question we will consider I am in 4a -30F to -25F in the winter(North Dakota). My soil is considered alkaline and is located very close to a river.(I will take a soil sample and get the exact pH and make adjustments if needed)

I have ordered 15 catalogs in the past 3 months and have used the information in each catalog to try to make my decision of what plants to buy. In all honesty I can say I am as far from making my decision today as I was the day I ordered all the catalogs. Each catalog basically describes each type of strawberry as being amazing, vigorous and a great option. Very few of them will describe their negatives.

My goal: plant 500-1000 strawberry plants. Have fruit most months out of the summer/fall.

Narrow it down: In my catalogs I basically just crossed out all of the plants that aren't for my zone. Next I took into account the descriptions of each all of which seem to get the same results(some are disease resistant, some have huge berries some are delicious ect...)

So I basically have 10 different varieties that I can plant and still can't decide.

Basic reasoning tells me I should plant two types to keep things simple an everbearing and a june bearing. Or simply plant 100 of each plant to let me make my own decision.

Will planting 100 of each plant actually hurt the crop(issues with cross polinating?) Will planting 100 of each plant spread disease throughout different varieties?

Should I be buying from midwest strawberry distributors as their strawberry plants might be more suitable for the cold midwest or does it not matter because most will grow indoors(tissue cultures) so ordering from the south or the north is a non issue?

I will be using a combination of plasticulture and traditional row planting(no plastic). I read that some varieties are better suited for plasticulture and will take that into account.

My end goal is to have a public U-Pick strawberry patch and to have a private collection for myself.

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Comments (2)

spartanapples
9 years ago
Joe:

I cannot help you on what varieties are best for North Dakota. I would refer to the suggestions by NDSU for that. They did research years ago on what varieties are best

suited for North Dakota when I used to travel out there and I assume they still do.

I read your comment about the catalog descriptions on all the varieties as "wonderful" and "delicious". I have found the same thing on apple descriptions. I have seen Honeycrisp apple

described as "excellent for eating and cooking". Actually it is the worst apple I have ever cooked with and will never try that again. I have seen Wealthy apple described as a good eating apple too and it is not (strictly for cooking). You have to remember that nurseries want

to sell what they grow so descriptions of "fruit is mushy and bland" is not going to make sales.

Also flavor is very particular to the person sampling. I would not cross the street for a Tolman

Sweet apple but many find it a very good apple.

It should not matter where you buy a certain strawberry plant as far as plant hardiness is concerned. Hardiness is based primarily on genetics and also climatic conditions. A Sparkle

strawberry plant produced in Georgia will be no less hardy than one produced in Missouri. Do order from a reputable nursery supplier however.
drew51 SE MI Z5b/6a
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I can't answer most of your questions. But can give you some info. Cross pollination is not a problem at all. All regular strawberries are hybrids and won't come true to seed anyway even if all the same. As far as it changing fruit that will never happen. The fruit is produced from the genetics of the plant, not the seed. The only time this can happen is when we eat the seeds. Such as with corn. So what pollinates the plants self or other has no bearing on fruit at all.
My favorite tasting strawberries are Albion, Sequoia, Mara Des Bois , and White D Pineberry.
other pineberries are not near as nice. I'm sure others are good too, but so far out of the cultivars I have tasted, I like these the best. They might not grow in your zone?

Strawberries grow well in acidic soils, even very acidic soils. So I would lower pH of your soil if alkaline.

I just grow for my family, here is a mix of some of my berries. June, everbearing, Pineberry, Alpine, and Musk.
Strawberries. · More Info
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Planting Strawberries in Zone 4 (Maybe zone 3)

Comments (2)

spartanapples

drew51 SE MI Z5b/6a

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