Land preparation
I want to grow strawberries. How should I get my land ready?
Start six months before planting by cultivating the soil and applying fertilisers and lime according to soil analysis results. Then follow the recommended schedule of green manure cropping, cultivation, soil analysis, fertilising for nutrient adjustment, cultivation and fumigation.
I want to grow strawberries, but haven’t got enough time to plant green manure crops etc. What should I do?
Get a soil analysis done immediately and then apply lime and fertiliser as recommended in the analysis. Use some pelleted poultry manure in conjunction with manufactured fertilisers. The lack of a green manure crop generally means that a lower plant performance can be expected.
Should I fumigate my soil before I plant?
Fumigation is not essential where no problems with soil borne diseases or nematodes have been experienced. However where these pests are a problem then fumigation can help achieve better plant establisment and growth and improve yields.
What fumigant should I use?
Methyl bromide, the chemical traditionally used to fumigate strawberry beds is no longer available. An alternative chemical is 1,3-dichloropropene plus chloropicrin (Telone C-35), which has performed well in strawberry trials. It is recommended that an experienced contractor with specialised equipment be used to apply this chemical to the soil as it needs to be applied very carefully and evenly to achieve good results, this chemical is only available to accredited operators who attend an appropriate training course. Other chemicals that have also given good results are metham sodium (Metham, Metham Sodium) and metham potassium (Envirofume). All these chemicals all have significant residual activity in the soil after treatment, the product label gives the minimum plant back time for the fumigant, as much as 6-12 weeks between treatment and planting may be needed during cold and/or wet weather. Treatment should be done as early as possible before planting, a lettuce seed germintaion test is recommended to check for residual phytotocity.
Fertiliser
Can I put my fertiliser through the irrigation system?
Yes, as long as you use soluble fertilisers suitable for such applications.
Is it all right to use foliar fertiliser on strawberries?
Yes, but don’t rely on it as the only way of applying fertiliser to the plant. Some nutrients are not well absorbed through the leaves and plants prefer to take up nutrients through their roots. Foliar fertilisers can be useful as a tonic, such as when a heavy flush of fruit is being produced. Use it for applying magnesium and boron, important nutrients for strawberry plants. The rates and timing of foliar fertilisers should be based on leaf or sap analysis results.
Harvesting and marketing
Where do I sell my fruit?
Most growers send fruit to a wholesale agent in one of the major metropolitan markets. The other options are selling direct to local retailers and restaurants, selling pre-packed fruit on the farm, selling direct to supermarkets and fruit barns, and running a ‘pick-your-own’ operation. Join a cooperative marketing group as it gives you greater strength in the marketplace.
Where can I get pickers?
Contact local employment agencies. They will be able to advise you of the availability of pickers. They often advertise to attract experienced pickers to the area. Otherwise you need to advertise in the local paper.
I want to build a small cold room. How do I go about it?
Designing a cold room is a specialised business and we suggest that you get some expert advice. Contact your local electricity authority for technical advice. They will also be able to give you the names of local refrigeration designers and builders. If you are planning to build a small cold room, think carefully about the advantages of forced-air systems to cool fruit rapidly. This may hold significant advantages for future quality management.
