The San Andreas and Chandler varieties are considered among the best options for strawberry cultivation. The San Andreas variety is particularly well-suited for export markets and selling the fruit individually due to its exceptional taste and conical shape. On the other hand, the Chandler variety is ideal for processing the fruit into products like jam and yogurt. The San Andreas variety has a firm outer shell, providing a longer shelf life. Additionally, compared to the Chandler variety, the San Andreas variety requires less feeding, resulting in cost savings and excellent outcomes.
Strawberry Propagation Methods
There are four common methods for propagating strawberries. The first method involves using seeds, but it is generally not recommended due to the time it takes and the potential loss of the original plant’s genetic characteristics. The second method is using splits or cuttings, which is also not advised as the splits/cuttings inherit the health and age of the mother plant, including any diseases or weaknesses.
The third and recommended method is growing strawberries from runners, which are essentially new plants. This approach is highly effective for strawberry propagation. Lastly, tissue culture can be used for propagation, but it is less commonly employed as it requires laboratory conditions.
Obtaining Strawberry Runners
To obtain strawberry runners, plant them in clear plastic cups and wait for approximately two weeks until roots begin to appear at the bottom of the cup. Once the roots have developed, detach the runner from the mother plant and transplant it. A single strawberry mother plant can produce around five runners. For example, if you aim to have three thousand plants on an eighth of a farm, you can start with 300 plants. Considering that each mother plant produces five runners, this yields 300 multiplied by five, resulting in 1500 new plants, in addition to the initial 300. Moreover, if you cultivate an additional 800 plants to generate another set of runners, you will have a total of 9,000 plants, along with the initial 1800, reaching a grand total of 10,800 plants. This approach proves to be cost-effective while expanding your strawberry crop.”
