Strawberry Season Extension Techniques: “Lessons Gained in Quebec”

Strawberry Season Extension

Techniques

“Lessons gained in Quebec”

Gérard Thébeau P.Ag.

NBDAAF, Bouctouche

ACORN – November 13, 2014

Table of content

• Traditional system (matted row)

• Why consider season extension options?

• Season extension options using the following tools:

- Cultivars; Day length

- Plant “seedling” types

- Growing systems

• Most commonly used season extension systems

• Marketing

• Acknowledgements

Matted row system

Traditional Matted Row System

• Use dormant bare roots.

• Single rows planted on bare ground with

60 inch row spacing / runners will fill row

(5000 plants/ acre)

• Establishment year without harvest

• 2 – 3 harvest years with renovations.

• Lower cost, well adapted to U-Pick

• Expensive harvest for retail, lower prices

Traditional Matted Row System

• Early to late short day cultivars

• Can increase earliness of harvest with

floating cover in the spring.

• Can harvest 8 - 10 T/Ha in first harvest yr.

Yields usually go down afterwards

• Pests cause major headaches.

• Long period before return on investment.

• Often used where land is plentiful.

Why consider

season extension options?

• New markets

• Better labour use

• Quicker return on investments

• Fewer pests (weeds, insects & diseases)

• Better land utilization

• $$$$$$ (off-season markets)

Luc Urbain - MAPAQ

How to modify harvest season?

1- Cultivars

2- Plant « seedling » types

3- Day length - Short-day vs Day-neutral

4- Growing systems

SELECT, COMBINE & MANAGE THESE

SEASON EXTENSION TOOLS TO FIT YOUR

BUSINESS NEEDS

1- Cultivars

1) Early, mid, late seasons

2) Adapted to various climates and soils

3) Different characteristics (taste, firmness,

disease resistance, appearance, yield,

climate & soil adaptability…)

Cultivars

http://gwallennursery.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/ComptableStraw.pdf

2- Plant « seedling » types

Dormant bare root plant

http://novafruit.ca/en/fraises/plants.php

Fresh plug plants

http://novafruit.ca/en/fraises/plants.php

Dormant plug plants

http://novafruit.ca/en/fraises/plants.php

Large fresh or dormant plants

(trayplants)

http://novafruit.ca/en/fraises/plants.php

Some plant plug sources

• Ferme Onésime Pouliot:

http://savoirfaire.iledorleans.com/fra/product

eurs/ferme-onesime-pouliot.asp

• Nova Fruits http://www.novafruit.ca/

• Pépinière Larreault: http://www.lareault.com/

• Johnny’s Seed:

http://www.johnnyseeds.com/c-247-

strawberries.aspx

* Plugs should be ordered in advance

Some other bare root suppliers

in Nova Scotia • G.W. Allen (http://gwallennursery.com/wp-

content/uploads/2014/09/ComptableStraw.

pdf )

• Kelly Nursery Inc.

(http://nasga.org/members/nurseries/cana

da/keddy.htm)

• Balamore Farm Ltd. (http://balamore.com )

3 - Growing systems: Other season extension tools:

• Bare ground (traditional)

• Raised beds plasticulture (High density)

• Floating covers (low & high plant density)

• Unheated caterpillar and high tunnels

• Heated greenhouses

4- Day Length

a) Short day strawberries

b) Day neutral strawberries « everbearing »

Short Day Strawberry

• Plants that produce fruit buds when days are

short or when photo-periods are 13 hours or

less.

• Thus, fruit buds are produced in less light and

colder temperatures

• Produce daughter plants (runners) when days

are long.

Systems based on the following

tools:

• Cultivars

• Plant (seedling) types

• ‘‘Other techniques’’ (bare ground,

plasticulture..)

• Short day & day neutral plants

Bare Ground Matted row system/ short

day bare root plants/ floating cover

Luc Urbain - MAPAQ

Plasticulture technique –

General Info

• Modifications to traditionnal techniques

are necessary to be successful.

Fresh plug plants / short day

http://novafruit.ca/en/fraises/plants.php

Early Spring Harvest using Short day/Plasticulture/ Fresh plugs/ Row cover

Care required to make 8

inch hills 45,000 plants / ha or

18,000 plants /acre

Early Spring Harvest using Short day/Plasticulture/

Fresh plugs/ Row cover

• Planting date: late Aug – early Sept

• Early planting: More vegetation/ More yield/

Later crop

• Later planting: Less vegetation / Less yield /

Earlier crop

• Later planting: Frees up land longer - Can use

land for short season crops & offers more time

for site preparation.

Field preparation – Short day

Plasticulture/ F. plugs/ Row cover

• Fertily before making beds

- Conventional: 1/3 of normal recommendation

- Organic: compost + N rich material (all upfront)

• Make beds: mid-Aug / Early Sept

• Trickle irrigation under plastic

• Fertigate weekly @ 3 lbs / N (Conv.) Start fertilize

for 4 – 5 X until about 20 total N.

• Some will monitor fertility needs with salt test.

• Use greenhouse liquid / soluble fertilizers (Ca

NO3 , KSO4)

• 1st frost forecast (-2 ºC): White fabric floating

cover ( 1 X P-40 or 2 P-17)

• Extend fruit initation period.

• Many will lift cover to add straw + re-apply

floating cover for winter protection

• Following spring: Move straw in between rows

and re-apply floating cover until 10% bloom

• Frost control….

• Bees, fertility program.

Short day -Plasticulture / Fresh

plugs/ Row cover

Fertigation

Fertigation

Short day / Plasticulture / Fresh

plugs / Row Cover

• Harvest – Early June for 4-5 week period.

• 10 – 15 tonnes / ha of fruit of excellent

quality

• Organic production….. (annual production)

Renovation for Short day / Plasticulture

/ Fresh plugs / with few weeds

• Stop fertilizing close to end of harvest. (Let

runners run down mother plant)

• Mow once harvest is done just above crown

hearts.

• Remove runners just before fruits bud initiation

at the end of August

• Start fertilize with 3-4 kg / ha N per week for 4-5

X until about 20 total N once days get 13 hrs.

and less of photoperiod.

• Straw / No floating cover

Renovation for Short day / Plasticulture

/ Fresh plugs / with lots of weeds

• Stop fertilizing close to end of harvest. (Let

runners run down mother plant)

• Address weed problems before August 10.

• While weeding, trim old foliage with pruning

shears to leave about 5 trifoliate leaves. This

technique requires about 1000 hrs / ha (Extra 5

tonnes / ha compared to just mowing..)???

• Remove runners at the end of August

• Start fertilize at 3 – 4 kg / ha per week from mid-

August on for 4 – 5 X until about 20 total N

• Straw / No floating cover

Short day cultivars /

Plasticulture / Fresh plugs

• Next Spring: Remove straw

• Frost protection

• 2nd year harvest: Not as early & not as late

harvest as 1st harvest.

• 10 – 12 tonnes / ha (acceptable fruit size –

somewhat smaller fruit)

• Clery – Favourite ; good calibre, good

taste, orangy dark (protected cultivar)

• Tried Veestar: Size goes down quick?

• Chambly – interior color?

Short day cultivars /

Plasticulture / Fresh plugs

Short day cultivar possibilities

Matted row Plasticulture

Day Length

a) Short day strawberries

b) Day neutral strawberries

« everbearing »

Day Neutral Strawberries

• Capacity to produce flowers continously

(indifferent to day length)

• Form fruit buds at any day length as long

as temperatures are favourable.

• Don’t produce as many runners

• More suitable for high density plantings

http://www.novafruit.ca/fraises/plants.php

Fall Harvest using

Plasticulture / Day Neutral /

Bare roots / Spring planted

• Plant as early as possible using bare root

plants (usually early May) ( a few use dormant

plants)

• Few (if any) organic growers in Québec use this

system mainly because of pest issues in the fall

(tarnished plant bug, Spotted wing drosophila,

gray mold, powdery mildew…)

• Weekly fertilization program for conventional

system…

Fall Harvest using

Plasticulture / Day neutral /Dormant

bare roots / Spring planted • Plantation done mainly by hand . (3000 plants/

day/ person) a few use machine with plug plants

• Remove blossoms until plants reach 5 to 6 trifoliate leaves + cut runners a few times.

• Prefered cultivar: Albion; Seascape (Powdery Mildew susceptible)

• Spacing: 11 X 12 inch + 52 inches between rows (center to center).

• Plant density : 45,000 plants / ha

• Plastic 1.25 mil thickness

Fall Harvest using

Plasticulture / Day Neutral /Dormant

Bare roots / Spring planted

• Will produce harvest during fall of spring planting

year; Usually from about mid-July to mid-October.

• In Québec, very seldom keep plants a second year.

• Irrigation needs - tensiometers.

• Overhead irrigation used for frost control.

Plasticulture / Day Neutral/ Dormant

Bare root spring planting /

Fall harvest

• 60% of harvest is done between August 10th and

September 10th. Peak : August 20th.

• Harvest: 20 to 30 tonnes/ ha is possible.

– (1 lb/ plant!?)

• Never leave contaminated berries in field.

• Not meant for U¨Pick

• Average yield in other provinces might be lower…

Fall Harvest using

Plasticulture / Day Neutral /Dormant

Bare roots / Spring planted

• Conventional system: fertigation 1X per week.

• Windbreaks are useful.

• Supplemental bees are recommended

• Straw between rows for better fruit quality…

Plasticulture - Day Neutral

Strawberries

• Annual cost is more $$$$$

• Some pest pressure (less weeds & insect

pressure)

• Tarnished plant bugs, Spotted wing

drosophila, Powdery Mildew and grey mold

can affect yields.

• Winter protection is not necessary.

Plasticulture - Day Neutral

Strawberries

• A lot of attention to details is necessary;

therefore limiting who can produce.

Plasticulture

• Last season extension system example:

Plasticulture - Day Neutral –

Fall planted / Fresh plugs -

Fall crop

Plasticulture - Day Neutral –

Fall planted / Fresh plugs -

Fall crop • Fresh plugs planted in August / September

• Weekly fertigation feedings

• Floating cover for frost protection & extend

fruit bud initiation. + straw??

• Very early harvest in June (up to 15

tonnes / ha) excellent quality!!

• Dormant period / 2nd harvest – Late July till

mid-October (up to 15 tonnes/ ha of

medium quality fruit!!)

Matted row - Traditional

• Better adapted to U-Pick.

• Smaller investment.

• Longer time before ROI.

• More pest pressure.

• Land tied longer.

• Less technical

Plasticulture

• Easier picking reducing

labour by as much as

50% (retail market)

• Better price off-season

• Higher yields/ fruit size

• Lower pest incidence

• Quicker ROI

• Higher investments

required

• Better land use.

• More technical.

Comparisons

Plasticulture Comparisons

Early Harvest/ Short Day plugs/

Fall planting

• Less pest pressure -

Possibility to do an

organic production and

one early harvest.

• Conventional: Possibility

to harvest 2 seasons for a

total yield of 20 – 30

tonnes/ ha

Fall Harvest/ Day neutral/ bare

roots/ Spring planting

• More pest pressure –

Organic production

difficult

• Big harvest in one longer

harvest with 20 – 30

tonne / ha (organic

fertility)

Plasticulture

Short day vs Day neutral Comparisons

Early Harvest/ Short Day plugs/

Fall planting

• Less pest pressure -

Possibility to do an

organic production and

one very early harvest.

• Conventional: Possibility

to harvest 2 seasons for a

total yield of 20 – 30

tonnes/ ha

Fall Harvest/ Day neutral bare

roots/ Spring planting

• More pest pressure –

Organic production

difficult

• Big harvest in one longer

harvest with 20-30 t / ha

(organic fertility)

Take Home Messages

Many tools are available to growers …

So, many production systems exist

Take home message for organic growers:

• Plasticulture helps deter weeds.

However, organic fertilization must be front loaded

• Row covers for season extension help deter insect pest such as

Tarnished Plant Bug and Clipper Weevils.

However, they must be removed at bloom time

• Early harvest systems (short day cultivars) /

Annual production systems offer more opportunities,

less pressure from diseases such as powdery mildew

and gray mold.

• Day neutral varieties not very compatible with organic

production. No (few) effective tools to control insects and

diseases which build up over time.

Plasticulture – Labor distribution

Short Day Fall planting Fall Harvest of Day

Neutral

Unheated Greenhouse – Short

Day Berries

Unheated Greenhouses

Heated structures

http://www.novafruit.ca/fraises/systemes/view.php?id=9

Season Extension

Technologies Strawberries • New marketing is necessary / Not for U-

Pick!!!

• Increase fruit size & quality /Small fruits can be sold for processing markets.

• Marketing of different « product »: 2x better retail price than conventionnal.??

• Typical markets : roadside stands, restaurants, Farmers’ markets and wholesalers. Sell in pint containers, quarts and 8 lbs clam shells.

“Off-season” Strawberries –

Marketing Summary

• Most successful growers are the ones that

market their produce near big centers; who

specializes.

Marketing

Marketing

"20 years ago, we had 20 different varieties in

only one production system, today we have 20

ways to grow the same variety“

(Peter Vinson, England)

Acknowledgements

• Jacques Painchaud; Luc Urbain – MAPAQ

• John Lewis – Perennia

• Ferme Talfort; Ferme J-Y Gamelin; Ferme des

Ormes; Ferme de la Berceuse; Potager André

Samson; Ferme René Fontaine; * Paul & Sandy

Arnols (NY State)

• Nova-Fruits ;

• ACORN – Theresa Richards & Tara Scott

• NBDAAF – Claude Berthélémé, Roger

Tremblay

Thank you / Merci!!

• Questions??????