Expert fruit farmer Mark Diacono chooses the best strawberries, picking out varieties which will keep you in fresh strawberries all summer.
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When I was a delightful wee child, I was dragged kicking and screaming from the television and into the summer sunshine to visit the local pick-your-own farm. As is traditional, the adults carefully placed fruit into punnets as the kids squeezed as many berries into their mouths as possible.
I was introduced to the wonderful loganberry that sunny day, but perhaps the biggest shock I had was eating my first strawberry warm from the plant. These were like no strawberries I’d ever known. I stopped eating and picked some to take home as, even at that age, I knew I’d want more the next day — and the day after, and the day after.
I am still surprised every time I taste the first homegrown strawberry of the year. It is somehow even finer than my memory tells me it will be and it is all the inspiration I need to keep doing the few things that mean I get to enjoy them year after year.
Strawberries are a delicious and rewarding fruit to grow in your own garden. With hundreds of varieties to choose from, it can be tricky to know which are the best strawberries to plant for your particular region and growing conditions. In this article we’ll go over some of the most popular and proven strawberry varieties that grow well in gardens across North America.
Choosing the Right Strawberry Variety
The most important factor in determining which strawberries will thrive in your garden is choosing varieties adapted to your hardiness zone and climate Strawberries can be broken down into three main categories based on their growth habits
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June-bearing – Produce one large crop of berries in early summer. Most common type grown.
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Everbearing – Produce two smaller crops, one in early summer and another in late summer/early fall.
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Day-neutral – Produce berries throughout the growing season. Best for warm climates.
Along with growth habit, it’s also crucial to consider disease resistance, chill hours required, and flavor when selecting strawberry varieties. Refer to local Cooperative Extension offices for recommended types for your specific area.
Most Popular Strawberry Varieties
Here are some of the most widely grown strawberry varieties in home gardens:
Chandler
- June-bearing
- Widely adapted, performs well across North America
- Large, firm, glossy red berries
- High yields
- Susceptible to root rot in wet conditions
Earliglow
- June-bearing
- Cold hardy, recommended for northern gardens
- Small to medium-sized conic berries
- Sweet flavor, soft texture
- Susceptible to leaf scorch
Camarosa
- June-bearing
- Recommended for warm winter climates
- Large, firm, flavorful berries
- High yield
- Susceptible to Verticillium wilt
Ozark Beauty
- Everbearing
- Cold hardy and disease resistant
- Small to medium berries
- Good for jams and preserves
Quinault
- Everbearing
- Cold hardy, suited for Pacific Northwest
- Large, soft, aromatic berries
- Prone to soil fungal diseases
Tribute
- Day-neutral
- Widely adapted
- Large, firm, conical berries
- Mildly sweet flavor
- High yields through summer
Albion
- Day-neutral
- Resistant to root rot and anthracnose
- Medium to large berries
- High yield potential
- Recommended for warm climates
This covers some of the most common and successful strawberry varieties for home growing based on their growth habit and regional suitability. Be sure to check your local extension office’s recommendations to find the best types for your specific climate and growing conditions. With the right strawberry variety choice, you’ll be rewarded with an abundant harvest of sweet, juicy berries from your garden.
The best strawberry varieties to grow at home
Most fruit is perennial, so you’ll be enjoying (or otherwise) the quality of your choice of varieties for years to come. Flavour should be paramount, but also have an eye on when they produce. I’m not much of a preserver, so I tend to like a long season rather than a glut, which guides my choice.
‘Honeoye’ is a superb early-season variety, fruiting through June, when ‘Cambridge Favourite’ takes over for Wimbledon and July into August, alongside another older variety, ‘Royal Sovereign’.
‘Mara des Bois’ comes next, giving me delicious berries from mid August into autumn. These are my non-negotiables; the rest come and go, as I try different varieties.Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter
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A punnet of Mara des bois strawberries.
A couple of recent favourites are ‘Marshmello’ — an aromatic sweet-sharp strawberry that you won’t find in the shops as it’s so delicate — and ‘Just Add Cream’.
The latter is not only delicious and productive over a long season, but its pink flowers and intense scent also offer reasons to plant it. I suspect it may become a non-negotiable one, too.
I often grow new varieties in containers. Strawberries are so well suited to container growing and it gives me a chance to see how good they are before committing them to my precious space in the garden. Harvesting is easier, slug damage reduced and the plants and fruit are well exposed to sun and breeze.
The form of some varieties is especially suited to containers, with ‘Montana’ perhaps my favourite of these: it’s compact, has a great flavour, sends out a flurry of white flowers in spring and offers a long season of good-sized, sweet fruit.
These Are The BEST Strawberry Plants I’ve Ever Seen!
FAQ
What is the best variety of strawberries?
The “best” strawberry variety depends on individual taste preferences and growing conditions, but some highly recommended options include Albion, Chandler, and Mara des Bois. Albion is known for its sweet flavor and large, firm fruit. Chandler produces large, dark red berries with excellent flavor and is known for its high yield.
Which are better, everbearing or June-bearing strawberries?
June-bearing strawberries are the most familiar type and produce the largest fruits as well as large yields. Ever-bearing plants produce two smaller crops, one in June and another in early fall. June-bearing varieties also produce larger numbers of runners than ever-bearing varieties.
What month is the best month to plant strawberries?
Middle to late August generally is the best time to plant strawberries in all locations.
What do coffee grounds do for strawberry plants?
What are the benefits of coffee grounds for strawberries? Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for strawberries as not only does it help the plant to grow, but it helps the plant to produce fruit, thus, promoting more crop growth, reports the Express.