20 Earliglow Strawberry Bare Roots – Fragaria × ananassa – Hardy Berry Plants

Overview

Bring the joy of homegrown berries to your garden with our 20 Earliglow strawberry bare roots. This delightful pack provides you with twenty high-quality bare root plants of the renowned Earliglow variety (Fragaria × ananassa). Earliglow strawberries are celebrated for their exceptionally rich, sweet flavor and their reliable early-fruiting, June-bearing nature. These robust plants are an excellent choice for both novice and experienced gardeners looking to cultivate delicious, fresh strawberries right in their backyard. Known for their hardiness and resistance to several common diseases, these earliglow strawberry bare roots promise a bountiful harvest of delectable fruit.

The Earliglow variety is particularly suited for home gardens due to its vigorous growth and consistent production. You’ll find these plants easy to establish, quickly developing into healthy, productive patches. The convenience of starting with fragaria ananassa plants as bare roots means they are ready to be planted directly into your garden beds, containers, or raised beds upon arrival, setting the stage for a successful growing season.

Key Benefits

Choosing to grow Earliglow strawberries offers a multitude of advantages for the home gardener. These plants are not only productive but also bring a unique set of qualities that enhance your gardening experience and your table.

• Exceptional Flavor: Enjoy the intensely sweet and rich taste of freshly picked earliglow strawberry bare roots, far superior to store-bought varieties. Their distinct aroma and juicy texture make them perfect for eating fresh, baking, or preserving.
• Early & Abundant Harvest: As a June-bearing variety, Earliglow produces a concentrated crop early in the season, allowing you to enjoy your first berries sooner than many other types. This early yield is a significant advantage for those eager to taste their harvest.
• Disease Resistance: These hardy strawberry plants are naturally resistant to several common strawberry diseases, reducing the need for chemical treatments and making them a low-maintenance option for organic gardening. This resilience ensures healthier plants and a more reliable harvest.
• Adaptable & Hardy: Thriving across a wide range of climates, Earliglow strawberries are suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 8. This broad adaptability means more gardeners can successfully grow Earliglow strawberries.
• Perfect for Home Gardens: Their manageable size and prolific nature make them ideal for various garden settings, including traditional rows, raised beds, or even large containers on patios.
• Versatile Culinary Use: Beyond fresh eating, these berries are excellent for jams, jellies, pies, smoothies, and desserts. The robust flavor holds up well in cooking and preserves.
• Easy to Establish: Starting with bare roots simplifies the planting process, allowing for quick establishment and vigorous growth in your garden.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Proper care is essential to ensure your earliglow strawberry bare roots flourish and produce a bountiful harvest. These resilient plants are relatively easy to grow, but understanding their specific needs will yield the best results. Upon arrival, soak the bare roots in water for 20-30 minutes before planting. Choose a site with full sun exposure, meaning at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. Good air circulation is also important to prevent fungal diseases. Prepare your soil by enriching it with organic matter, ensuring it is well-draining and slightly acidic, with a pH between 5.5 and 6.8. Planting in raised beds can help achieve optimal drainage and soil conditions for your fragaria ananassa plants.

When planting, create a small mound of soil in the center of your planting hole, spreading the roots over the mound. Ensure the crown of the plant (where the leaves emerge) is level with the soil surface, not buried too deep or too exposed. Space plants about 12-18 inches apart in rows, with rows 3-4 feet apart to allow for runners. Water thoroughly immediately after planting. During the growing season, consistent moisture is key, especially during fruiting. Avoid overhead watering if possible, as this can encourage disease; drip irrigation or watering at the base of the plants is preferred. Fertilize lightly in early spring and again after the main harvest with a balanced fertilizer. For the first year, it’s often recommended to remove flower buds to encourage stronger root and plant development, leading to a larger crop in subsequent years. Protect your hardy strawberry plants from pests like birds by using netting as the berries begin to ripen.

For those looking to maximize their yield and extend the life of their strawberry patch, consider renovating your bed every 2-3 years. This involves thinning out older plants, removing excessive runners, and refreshing the soil. While Earliglow strawberries are disease-resistant, monitoring for common issues like powdery mildew or leaf spot and addressing them promptly will keep your plants healthy. These early fruiting strawberries are a rewarding addition to any garden, and with a little care, they will provide years of delicious fruit.

Size & Details

This offering includes 20 Earliglow strawberry bare roots, ready for planting. Each bare root is a dormant plant, carefully harvested and prepared for shipping, ensuring optimal health and viability upon arrival. When established, these plants typically grow to a height of 6-12 inches and spread about 12-18 inches wide, forming a dense groundcover of foliage with delicious berries.

Earliglow is a June-bearing variety, meaning it produces one large crop of fruit in early to mid-summer. The plants are fast-growing and will begin to establish quickly after planting. While individual berry size can vary, Earliglow strawberries are known for their medium-sized, consistently flavorful fruits. These bare roots are an economical way to start a substantial strawberry patch that will produce for many seasons to come. You’ll be delighted by how quickly these fragaria ananassa plants transform into a productive berry patch.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big do these Earliglow strawberry plants get? A: Once established, earliglow strawberry bare roots typically grow to about 6-12 inches tall and spread 12-18 inches wide. They will send out runners to form new plants, creating a denser patch over time.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: Earliglow strawberries are primarily outdoor plants, thriving in full sun in garden beds, raised beds, or large outdoor containers. While they can be grown in containers, they need significant light and space.
• Q: How much sunlight do my Earliglow strawberry bare roots need? A: These hardy strawberry plants require at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day to produce the best fruit. A sunny location is crucial for a successful harvest.
• Q: Are these plants easy to care for? A: Yes, Earliglow strawberries are considered relatively easy to care for, especially due to their disease resistance. Consistent watering, good soil, and adequate sunlight are the main requirements for these early fruiting strawberries.
• Q: What condition will the bare roots arrive in? A: The earliglow strawberry bare roots will arrive dormant, meaning they will not have leaves or flowers. This is normal and ideal for planting, as it reduces transplant shock.
• Q: When is the best time to plant Earliglow strawberries? A: The best time to plant earliglow strawberry bare roots is in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked, after the last hard frost. This gives them ample time to establish before summer.
• Q: Will these strawberry plants survive winter in my zone? A: Earliglow strawberries are very hardy and suitable for USDA Zones 3 through 8. In colder zones, applying a layer of mulch after the first hard freeze will help protect the plants over winter.
• Q: Do I need to remove runners from my strawberry plants? A: For the first year, it’s often recommended to remove runners to encourage the parent plant to put energy into root and crown development. In subsequent years, you can allow some runners to root to expand your patch, or remove them to maintain plant vigor.
• Q: Can I grow Earliglow strawberries in containers? A: Yes, you can grow Earliglow strawberries in large containers or hanging baskets, provided they receive enough sunlight and consistent moisture. Ensure containers have good drainage.
• Q: How long until I get fruit from these bare roots? A: While some fruit may appear in the first year, it’s often recommended to remove the first year’s blossoms to encourage stronger plant development. You can expect a full, abundant harvest from your fragaria ananassa plants in the second growing season.