strawberries-growing-instructions-seeds
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fl Johnny's delected deeds An employee-owned company #8866: Strawberries from Seed: Growing to Sell 955 Benton Ave., Winslow, ME 04901 • Phone: 1-877-564-6697 • Fax: 1-800-738-6314 Email: service@johnnyseeds.com • Web Site: Johnnyseeds.com TRADITIONAL STRAWBERRIES (Fragaria Xananassa) and ALPINE STRAWBERRIES (Fragaria vesca) Growing strawberries from seed requires some patience, but these plants are a nice addition to any container sales program. Johnny’s offers many different day-neutral varieties from seed, both hybrids and one open-pollinated type. All of the hybrid varieties are traditional strawberries, which produce small to medium-sized fruit and grow well in containers. They have varying habits, flower colors, and some may also be grown in the field — please refer to the variety descriptions on our website or in the catalog for more information. The open-pollinated variety is an alpine type and produces small fruit, so it is best as an ornamental. LIFE CYCLE: Perennial in Zones 5-8. CULTURE: Sow thinly, pressing seeds into moist soilless mix, and keep moist. The growing media used should be well drained with a pH of 6.0-6.8. Keep soil temperature at 60-75°F/16-24°C, if possible. Your planting date will vary depending on your desired end-product; use the chart below to determine when you should seed the trays. Strawberries are slow to germinate and may take 2-3 weeks to emerge. Bottom water or use a fine mister to water during the germination period as heavy watering can move seeds and hinder germination. Transplant into cell flats when seedlings are large enough to handle. Finishing and Presentation: It is always best to experiment and see what your local market demands, but some common ways to retail strawberry plants are listed below: • Green plants in 6-, 8-, or 12-packs for consumer transplanting into containers, window boxes, hanging baskets, strawberry jars, patio planters, or directly into the garden. • Flowering plants in 3^” or larger pots suitable for either retail sales or marketing to your wholesale customers for final finishing and sale. One plug per 3^” pot is ideal. • Flowering plants with first fruits visible in larger containers, hanging baskets, patio planters, and even window boxes. Three to four plugs per 12” container is ideal. Copyright © 2015 Johnny’s Selected Seeds. All rights reserved. SEED BREEDERS, GROWERS, AND MERCHANTS SINC