5 Guardian Strawberry Bare Roots – Fragaria x ananassa – High Yield

Overview

Transform your garden into a berry haven with these premium Guardian strawberry bare roots. The Guardian strawberry, botanically known as Fragaria × ananassa, is a highly sought-after June-bearing cultivar renowned for its exceptional qualities. This offering includes 5 individual bare roots, ready to be planted and establish themselves in your garden. Gardeners consistently praise the Guardian variety for its robust growth, impressive yields, and the superior quality of its fruit. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, these bare roots provide a fantastic opportunity to grow your own delicious, home-grown strawberries.

The Guardian strawberry is a vigorous plant that produces large, firm, and incredibly flavorful berries. Its reliability and ease of cultivation make it a top choice for home gardeners across various climates. Plant these Fragaria x ananassa bare roots and look forward to a bountiful harvest season after season. They are particularly favored for their ability to produce a large crop all at once, making them perfect for those who enjoy preserving their harvest through jams, jellies, or freezing.

Key Benefits

Investing in Guardian strawberry bare roots offers a multitude of advantages for the home gardener. This particular variety stands out for several compelling reasons, contributing to a rewarding and productive gardening experience:

• Exceptional Berry Size: The Guardian strawberry is famed for producing very large berries, making them satisfying to pick and enjoy.
• Superior Firmness: These berries maintain their firm texture, which is excellent for both fresh eating and processing, ensuring they hold up well during transport and storage.
• High Yields: Experience an abundant harvest with the Guardian cultivar, known for its prolific production of fruit, maximizing your garden’s output.
• Disease Resistance: This variety boasts good resistance to several common strawberry diseases, reducing the need for chemical interventions and promoting healthier plants.
• June-Bearing Type: As a June-bearing strawberry, it produces a single, generous crop within a few weeks, perfect for large-batch preserving or family gatherings.
• Versatile Culinary Use: The delicious flavor and firm texture of the berries make them ideal for eating fresh, baking, making preserves, or freezing.
• Easy to Grow: With proper care, these high yield strawberry plants are relatively easy to establish and maintain, suitable for gardeners of all skill levels.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

To ensure your Guardian strawberry bare roots thrive and produce a plentiful harvest, understanding their specific care requirements is crucial. Guardian strawberries prefer a location that receives full sun, meaning at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. Adequate sunlight is essential for optimal fruit production and sweetness. Plant your bare roots in organically rich, moist, and well-drained soil. Heavy clay soils should be amended with compost or other organic matter to improve drainage and aeration. Raised beds are often an excellent choice for strawberries as they provide superior drainage and allow for easier soil amendment.

When planting, ensure the crown of the bare root (where the leaves emerge) is level with the soil surface, with the roots spread out beneath. Water thoroughly after planting to settle the soil around the roots. Consistent moisture is key, especially during flowering and fruiting. Avoid overwatering, which can lead to root rot, but do not let the soil dry out completely. A layer of mulch around the plants can help retain soil moisture, suppress weeds, and keep berries clean. Fertilize in early spring with a balanced slow-release fertilizer or a specific strawberry formula. These disease resistant strawberry plants are hardy in USDA zones 3-10, making them suitable for a wide range of climates. In colder zones, provide winter protection with a thick layer of straw.

Monitor your plants for common pests and diseases, though the Guardian variety shows good resistance. Proper spacing and good air circulation can further prevent fungal issues. Remove any runners (new plantlets) that emerge if you want to maximize fruit production on the main plant; otherwise, allow them to root to expand your patch. Pruning older, unproductive leaves can also encourage new growth. With diligent care, your Fragaria x ananassa plants will reward you with years of delicious fruit.

Size & Details

This offering includes 5 Guardian strawberry bare roots. These bare roots are dormant plants, meaning they are not actively growing when shipped, which helps them transplant successfully. Upon arrival, the bare roots should be planted as soon as possible, or temporarily stored in a cool, dark place if immediate planting isn’t feasible. Once planted, these June-bearing strawberries will begin to establish their root system and produce foliage. While specific mature size can vary based on growing conditions, Guardian strawberry plants typically grow to a height of 6-12 inches and spread about 12-18 inches wide, forming a compact and productive patch.

The Guardian variety is known for its vigor and relatively fast establishment. You can often expect a light harvest in the first year after planting, with full production commencing in the second year. These plants are shipped without pots or soil, ready for direct planting into your garden beds or containers. The focus on providing high yield strawberry plants means you’re investing in a variety known for its generous fruit production, making it an excellent choice for anyone looking to grow a significant amount of strawberries for fresh eating or preservation.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How large do Guardian strawberry plants get? A: Guardian strawberry plants typically grow to about 6-12 inches tall with a spread of 12-18 inches. Their size can vary slightly depending on growing conditions and care.
• Q: When is the best time to plant these 5 Guardian strawberry bare roots? A: The ideal time to plant these Guardian strawberry bare roots is in early spring after the danger of hard frost has passed, or in late fall in milder climates.
• Q: Is the Fragaria x ananassa Guardian strawberry easy to care for? A: Yes, the Guardian strawberry is considered relatively easy to grow, making it a good choice for both beginner and experienced gardeners. It requires full sun, rich soil, and consistent watering.
• Q: What condition will the bare roots arrive in? A: Your disease resistant strawberry bare roots will arrive dormant, without any soil or leaves, ready for planting. This is a standard and effective method for shipping strawberry plants.
• Q: Do these June-bearing strawberry plants produce fruit in their first year? A: While you might get a small harvest in the first year, Guardian strawberries generally produce their full, abundant crop in the second year after planting.
• Q: What kind of soil do Guardian strawberries prefer? A: They thrive in organically rich, moist, and well-drained soils. Amending heavy clay with compost is recommended for optimal growth of your Fragaria x ananassa.
• Q: Are Guardian strawberries suitable for container gardening? A: Yes, Guardian strawberries can be successfully grown in containers, provided they have adequate drainage, sufficient sunlight, and consistent moisture.
• Q: How often should I water my high yield strawberry plants? A: Water regularly to keep the soil consistently moist, especially during dry periods and when the plants are flowering and fruiting. Avoid waterlogging.
• Q: What is the USDA hardiness zone for Guardian strawberries? A: These June-bearing strawberry plants are hardy in USDA zones 3 through 10, indicating their adaptability to a wide range of climates.
• Q: Can I freeze the berries from my Guardian strawberry plants? A: Absolutely! The firm texture of Guardian strawberries makes them excellent for freezing whole or sliced, perfect for enjoying homegrown berries year-round.