Cultivating Strawberries in a Home's Backyard Vegetable Patch
Growing Strawberries in Ohio: A Guide to Choosing the Best Cultivars
Strawberries are a delightful addition to any home garden, offering a bountiful harvest and a versatile fruit that's perfect for fresh eating, baking, and preserving. In Ohio, where USDA zones 5-6 prevail, choosing the right strawberry cultivars can make all the difference in your gardening success. Here's a guide to help you select the best strawberry cultivars for your Ohio home garden.
Key Factors to Consider
When choosing strawberry cultivars, consider the following factors: ripening season, yield, berry size, freezing quality, and dessert quality. Ohio's climate, with its moderate temperatures and distinct seasons, influences cultivar suitability.
Recommended Strawberry Cultivars
| Cultivar | Ripening Season | Yield | Berry Size | Freezing Quality | Dessert Quality | Suitability Notes | |------------|-----------------|----------------|---------------|------------------|----------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------| | Albion | Everbearing | High (1-3 pints per plant) | Large, firm | Excellent | Excellent for fresh eating, pies, preserves, and freezing | Zone 4-8; disease resistance incl. verticillium wilt; grows well in Ohio climate[4] | | Chandler | June-bearing | Large, firm berries | Large, glossy | Good | Popular for fresh eating and processing | Good mid to late season variety, excellent for backyard gardens[1] | | Honeoye | Mid-season | Moderate to high | Medium to large | Good | Good taste, suitable for fresh use | Popular in Ohio and northern climates for reliable yields[1] | | Jewel | Early season | Good | Medium | Good | Highly rated dessert quality | Known for excellent flavor and early harvest in Ohio[5] | | Tribute | Day-neutral | Moderate | Medium | Fair to good | Good for fresh eating | Can produce fruit throughout the growing season in containers or garden[3] | | Evie 2 | Day-neutral | Moderate | Medium | Good | Good flavor; more compact plants for container growing | Suitable for extended harvests, including Ohio home gardens[3] |
Understanding the Cultivars
- Ripening Season: June-bearing varieties like 'Chandler' and 'Jewel' provide concentrated harvests in early summer, while everbearing and day-neutral like 'Albion' and 'Evie 2' produce fruit multiple times from spring through fall, which is convenient for continuous fresh harvests.
- Yield & Size: 'Albion' and 'Chandler' are among the highest yielding with large berries, suitable if you want large volumes or bigger fruit for fresh eating and freezing.
- Freezing Quality: 'Albion' is prized for freezing along with fresh eating. June-bearing types like 'Jewel' also freeze well.
- Dessert Quality: Most recommended cultivars have good to excellent flavor for eating fresh, baking, and preserves.
- Disease Resistance: Albion offers resistance to verticillium wilt, a common strawberry soil-borne disease, which is advantageous in Ohio’s climate.
- Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil are essential. Container growing is feasible with varieties like 'Tribute' and 'Evie 2' and appropriate pot size and care[3].
Summary
For Ohio home gardens, Albion is an excellent versatile choice with multiple harvests and high quality for fresh and frozen use. For a traditional June-bearing crop, Chandler, Honeoye, and Jewel are solid picks based on yield, size, and taste. For extended harvests or container gardening, Tribute or Evie 2 work well[1][3][4][5].
By understanding the ripening season, yield, berry size, freezing quality, and dessert quality of suggested cultivars, you can select cultivars according to your personal needs. Home fruit growers have a large number of cultivars to select from, with a greater selection for June-bearing types than for day-neutral types. Happy gardening!
- When it comes to growing strawberries in Ohio, considering the cultivar's suitability for the climate, 'Albion', known for its disease resistance, is an optimal choice for its versatility, offering multiple harvests and high-quality berries suitable for freezing and fresh consumption.
- For those seeking a traditional June-bearing strawberry crop, cultivars such as 'Chandler', 'Honeoye', and 'Jewel' are recommended due to their impressive yields, large berry size, and excellent taste.
- For home gardeners looking to extend their harvest season or possibilities in container gardening, 'Tribute' or 'Evie 2' are well-suited options, as they offer moderate yields, good taste, and are particularly suitable for growing in containers.
