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Growing strawberries in hoophouses?

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Posted by berry-nut 4bWI (My Page) on
Mon, Jan 26, 09 at 16:52

Hi All
We grow for a small farmers market and want to try strawberries in hoophouses. I have a good idea on background info on this but am looking for additional advice.

Thanks,
Jake

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RE: Growing strawberries in hoophouses?

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Jake:

I have never grown strawberries in hoophouses, but I did just go to the Vegetable Growers Conference in St. Joe Missouri and learned a little more than I knew before.

Most of their advice was plan them in September and force out in the end of Feb-March.

Chandler is a very good variety and you have to watch your nutrients very close! Several grows say the tear out the berries and plant tomatoes or grafted tomatoes after the strawberries to maximize the hoop. Just an FYI, a grafted tomato is disease resistant rootstalk with a favorable tomato top. I was unaware this could be done.

I know of several people in Kansas who grow berries this way and I want to go and visit them and see how it is done.

Good luck!

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RE: Growing strawberries in hoophouses?

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Thanks for the reply jrslick
We already have a 20x40 strawberry patch and I was thinking about putting a hoop house on it. I think about mid april would be a good time to start it. Avg lows are 35 so I would have to watch for frost some nites but I have tarps and blankets. I've seen info saying that temps need to get to 75 or 80 degrees to force them to bloom. Just looking for someone who knows more than me. And that will be easy :)
Thanks again
Jake

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RE: Growing strawberries in hoophouses?

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I have grown day neutral strawberries in hoop houses for the past 5 or 6 years. If the houses go on them by Feb you will get an early harvest of about 3 to 4 weeks. The one time I waited until the end of march to cover the berries with a house we got maybe a weeks jump on the harvest.

The day neutrals will go into full bloom with air temp in the hoop house between 35F (night) and 80F (day with full sun). Generally I will get the first harvest of hoop house berries by May 1st. The uncovered berries won't be ready until June 1st.

We have grown Tri-Star and Tribute.

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RE: Growing strawberries in hoophouses?

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Thanks boulderbelt.
I have been wondering when to put up the house. Will regular junebearers be different on the timing of flowering? I'm guessing not. Since you're 1 Zone warmer I think I might try enclosing them 1 or 2 weeks later. As cold hardy as strawberries are I only have to watch for a frost when they are flowering right?
Thanks again,
Jake

  
 

 

 


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