Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
ltilton_gw

Chandler strawberries

ltilton
9 years ago

I'm really enthusiastic about these and waiting for them to ripen. I love the tall, strong upright growth of the stems, that I hope will keep the fruit up off the ground.

Of course, these are obviously going to be large berries, and the weight might bend the stems down. Time will tell.

Comments (11)

  • drew51 SE MI Z5b/6a
    9 years ago

    Yeah i like the uprights too, but I have both. Strawberry fields forever...

  • ltilton
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Which both? Which variety is your most upright one?

  • franktank232
    9 years ago

    Is this your first year eating Chandler? You'll have to report back the results.

    I've noticed my berries are loaded with flowers this year (I don't have Chandler)... Should be a good berry crop. All this heat/humidity is really moving things along quickly.

    I added 25 Jewel plants this year. They've grown amazingly well...

  • ltilton
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I planted them last summer in my plasticulture experiment. Chandler and Cavendish, which is smaller and not so upright. Both new to me.

    Apparently both are supposed to be southern varieties, but these went through the Polar Vortex under a ton of snow, and came out just fine.

  • drew51 SE MI Z5b/6a
    9 years ago

    I meant I have both upright, and not so upright. probably Elan F1 is the most upright. Great plants, I love it! First berries are tart, by the end of the season even the green ones are sweet. An everbearing type.
    Here's one bed, made from runners so really many cultivars in there. I have no idea which is which? In center are newly planted melon plants.

    This post was edited by Drew51 on Wed, May 28, 14 at 8:23

  • ltilton
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I've sure had that happen, growing different varieties in the same bed.

    I did once get a variety called Maxim as a free premium in an order, probably because someone wanted to get rid of it. Horrible oversized things. I could always spot one of them, though, to dig it out, because the plants were so much larger than the normal ones.

    Of course it's too early to make any decisions about this bed.

    This post was edited by ltilton on Wed, May 28, 14 at 11:07

  • drew51 SE MI Z5b/6a
    9 years ago

    Yeah I'm certainly still experimenting to see what i like. I really like the pineberries, and last year they were shy bearers, but this 2nd year they are loaded, I'm very happy about that.

  • franktank232
    9 years ago

    I had a bed with many varieties ...it became a jungle and since then, i've been moving beds around, potting up runners that are berries that i like. My biggest issue (and i see you went with plastic) is weeds. Constant battle here.

    I've been feeding my berries heavily. I've noticed (at least i think) berries are heavy feeders (N) and also require a lot of water, although berries do get watery if you go overboard.

    Its going to be a good berry year. Last year was pretty weak for me.

  • ltilton
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Yes, I went with plastic last year when I put these in. Weeds and mold from contact with the ground were making it impossible.

  • wayne_5 zone 6a Central Indiana
    9 years ago

    I have Earliglow starting to ripen...also have Jewel and Mesabi. I love the flavor of Earliglow!!

    Mesabi is a lot like Cavendish...large berries that lay flat on the ground horizonaly and ripen too slowly on the bottom...definitely need good ground cover to keep from rotting. I do have some success for the ones on bare ground...lay a covering of pine needles in late fall and leave more straw on in spring.

  • ltilton
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I'm hoping the plastic will help with that rotting problem on the Cavendish. Failing that, I'll be potting up runners from the Chandler.