Hey fellow gardeners! I'm super excited for this season, and I'm planning to set up a vertical strawberry tower. I've been doing some research on when to plant strawberry starts and wanted to know how much frost a non-flowering strawberry plant can actually handle. From what I've gathered, it seems like blooming strawberries can't survive if it drops to 32°F, but I've read that in zone 7a, March is typically the right time to plant. Since I'm aiming for June-bearing strawberries, I'm not worried about flowers in March, but I definitely don't want the plants to die off from frost either. So my main question is: Can I go ahead and plant nursery strawberry starts as soon as the risk of a hard frost passes, or should I really wait until no frost at all is expected? I'm a bit hesitant since I know we sometimes get a late cold snap in my area, but I also want to ensure I'm not too late to get those tasty berries in May or June!
2 Answers
Honestly, I just planted some bare root strawberries last week! As for frost tolerance, they can handle temperatures down to about 28°F. Fertile Farms usually ships at the right planting time and offers good growing tips. If you’re looking for a solid June-bearing variety, Honeoye is pretty great!
I think it’s safe to plant as soon as you’re past your hard frost dates! Just keep an eye on the weather, since you might still get a surprise cold front. Depending on the specifics of your area, maybe aim for late March to early April if conditions are right. Better to miss a flower than the whole plant!
Sounds good, I’ll definitely keep watch!
Are they doing well so far?