Getting a strawberry plant to produce greater yields starts long before the growing season. Proper soil testing and remediation, plant selection, planting and watering will all determine the health of the plants and the size of their yields. But there is a trade-off: Larger plants will produce larger berries, but there will be fewer of them; smaller plants will produce more strawberries, but they will be smaller. Getting a strawberry plant to produce more berries means choosing the right cultivar and adequately preparing before you plant.
Choose a strawberry cultivar that is known to produce a large berry crop. The California Garden Web of the University of California's Master Gardener Program says strawberry cultivars are either short-day or day-neutral plants, and short-day varieties produce the largest crops. Short-day plants flower and grow in summer and fall, as days begin to shorten. Day-neutral plants will flower and produce fruit regardless of day length. Short-day cultivars thrive in Mediterranean climates. Good short-day strawberry cultivars that can yield large crops are Douglas, which is planted in early October; Pajaro, which is planted in August or September; and Chandler and Camarosa, which are generally planted in mid-winter.
Choose an area for planting that has sandy, well-drained soil. Test the soil's acidity, using a soil-testing kit. Strawberries grow best in soil with a pH of 5.5 to 7.5, which is slightly acid to neutral. If the soil is too acidic, add lime to raise the pH level. If the soil is too alkaline, add sulfur or compost to lower the pH.
Prepare the soil and planting beds. Apply organic matter to the soil at approximately 1 pound per square foot, and work it in. Fertilize the soil with alfalfa meal or a vegetable food fertilizer. Follow label recommendations for the amount to apply. Create beds that are 6 to 8 inches high, and space the beds 14 to 18 inches apart in rows that are 2 to 2 1/2 feet apart.
Plant each strawberry plant so that the crown, or the area between the root and the leaf stem, is above soil level. Strawberry plants have shallow roots, and they need lots of moisture as they grow. For best results, use a drip irrigation system, which will provide the most water and minimize fruit and leaf rot.
Pinch off the earliest blossoms and let offsets -- small plants that develop near the parent plants via the runners -- grow 7 to 10 inches apart for heavy yields of smaller berries, suggests "The New Sunset Western Garden Book." Pinch off additional runners once the strawberry plants have made enough offsets. Decrease plant density by removing mother plants to leave room for younger plants, which will be more productive next year if they are given space and proper care. Having too many plants competing for resources will decrease, rather than increase, crop yields. Harvest the strawberries when they are fully ripe, or at least three-fourths of the berry is pinkish red. Pick the berries with the stem on to prolong shelf-life.
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- Remove foliage after the harvest with a mower set high to avoid injuring the crowns, so that the plants will continue to produce good yields next year. Remove the plants after three years, suggests "The New Sunset Western Garden Book."
- Pests and disease can sap the life from strawberry plants, and even kill them. To minimize this problem, use certified disease-free plants, and immediately remove diseased foliage and ripe or rotten fruit.
- University of California -- The California Garden Web: Strawberries
- Google Books: California Master Gardener Handbook
- University of California Cooperative Extension -- Sonoma County: Growing Strawberries on the North Coast
- Master Gardeners -- Santa Clara County: Growing Strawberries for the Home Garden
- The New Sunset Western Garden Book; Kathleen Norris Brenzel
- Sunset.com: Acid or Alkaline Soil: Modifying pH Acid or Alkaline Soil: Modifying pH
- Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images