STRAWBERRY V A RIETIES FROM OTHER FA RTS OF TIIE COU!!TRY 



Fruit growers are always Interested In varieties, particularly new ones. In 

 no group of fruit growers is there more interest in varieties than among straw- 

 berry growers. This is quite natural because of the sho'-t H f e span of the straw- 

 berry plant and the common practice among strawberrj' gror/ers of frequently 

 starting new beds. Mew plantings present opportunities for trying new varieties. 

 Hence, many growers both large and small use part of their land to try out one or 

 more new varieties. These grower variety trials are excellent because they 

 continually add to our knowledge of variety performance under local soil and 

 climatic conditions. However, these trials can lea<1 to some very disappointing 

 results if the grower is not aware of some of the pitfalls and is not careful to 

 avoid them. For example, someone sees Florida 90's fine crops of delicious berries 

 in Florida. Why not try it here? Or someone hears of the fabulous yields obtained 

 in the Central Coastal area of California. Why can't we grow their Shasta or Lassen 

 here and get equally high yields? Of course the easy answer is the climate isn't 

 right. Why isn't it? 



To ansv/er this question we need to take a look at some of the basic reactions 



of the strawberry plant to its environment. Like all other plants and trees, it 



responds to changes in temperature and length of day or, as the scientist says, 

 photoperlod. 



It has been common knowledge for years that, within certain limits, plants 

 grow faster as the temperature increases and belov/ a certain temperature all grc«-.'th 

 stops. Growth is not the onlj' life process in pi ants wliich is affected by tempera- 

 ture. Respiration, or breathing, in a p]ant is controlled by temperature. If a 

 plant is exposed to temperatures much above those to vzhich it is accustomed, its 

 respiration may increase to such a degree that fast living ruins it as it does some 

 humans. Cool temperatures in the fall cause plants to go into a winter rest. These 

 and many other processes in plants are markedly affected by temperature. 



The effects of photoperiod are not so well knov^n although they can be seen all 

 around us. It controls flo'.rering in many pl?.nts, has a marlied effect on grov.'th, 

 helps to initiate dormancy, ?nd affects man}' of the chemical processes in plants. 

 Anyone who has done very much gardening knows that some varieties of head lettuce 

 v/hen planted in the early spring while days are short foTrm good heads. If planted 

 in mid-summer when days are long, the plant goes to seed and does not form ? head at 

 all. Among the flowers. Chrysanthemum blooms in the short days of fall but China 

 Aster blooms in the long days of mid-suminer . Of the weeds that infest lavms 

 dandelion blooms in the short days of spring while plantain blooms in the long days 

 of mid-summer. These are all photoperiodic effects. 



The strawberry, like the other plants, is affected by temperature and day 

 length. However, not all varieties are affected in the same way. Northern varieties, 

 such as Catskill and Sparkle, foT-m their fruit buds in the short days of fall. The 

 combination of short days and lov/ temperature causes them to stop grov/th and go into 

 a v;inter rest. This rest is eventually broken by a period of chilling. As it v/arms 

 up in the spring, they bloom and produce fruit for two to three weeks. Then, with 

 the onset of long days and high temperature in mid-summer, runners are formed. 



