Effects of Runner Tip Size and Plugging Date on Fall Flowering in Short-Day Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) Cultivars

Abstract

Producing strawberry transplants from runner tips that were plugged ∼1 month earlier (early July) than the standard time (early August) promoted fall flowering in some short-day strawberry cultivars. In 2002,100% of ‘Chandler’ transplants produced in early July flowered in the fall, but none of the August-plugged ‘Chandler’ transplants flowered in the fall. In 2003, 73% of ‘Chandler’ transplants produced in mid-July from average-size runner tips and less than half of transplants from small-size runner tips flowered in the fall. Again, August-plugged plants did not flower in the fall. Flowering was absent in ‘Northeaster’ plants. Under protected cultivation, July-plugged ‘Sweet Charlie’ plants bloomed earlier and produced more fruit in November and December than those plugged in August. This study showed that fall flowering in ‘Chandler’ and ‘Sweet Charlie’ strawberry is possible if the transplants are prepared by plugging runner tips in early July. This novel technique for propagating strawberry transplants for annual plasticulture combined with production under high tunnels creates an opportunity for strawberry production in early winter and again in the spring (double cropping) in the mid-Atlantic coast region.