Renovation

June-bearing strawberry beds can be renovated and maintained for several years. Renovation thins the beds and invigorates the remaining plants. Plant thinning is essential because beds that retain too many plants yield small berries that are difficult to find under the dense foliage.

The renovation process should begin immediately after the harvest is completed. This gives the plants time to develop the canopy, which in the fall will determine the number and quality of flower buds that will produce fruit the following spring.

To renovate, remove weeds, narrow the rows to 6 to 12 inches, and thin the plants so that there is a plant about every 3 to 4 inches. Try to select strong runner (daughter) plants, and remove mother plants when they are 3 to 4 years old, replacing them with strong runner plants. Clip or mow the leaves off and fertilize the plants with about 5 pounds of 10-10-10 per 100 feet of row. Irrigate if the weather is exceptionally dry. Renovation is not recommended for day-neutral strawberries. These plants will need to be replaced every third year. With proper renovation and pest control each year, a strawberry planting should produce abundant large berries for at least 5 years.