Farm Scene for the Salisbury Post

Darrell Blackwelder

November 19, 2001

One hundred strawberry producers from the southeastern United States, including growers from as far away as Ohio, Illinois and New Jersey, had an opportunity to visit one of North Carolina's premier strawberry producers, Patterson Farms, Inc located in China Grove, NC. Patterson Farms was the first stop of the North Carolina Strawberry Association Farm Tour, which was held on November 7-9.The tour included visits to strawberry producers in both North and South Carolina.The purpose of the tour was to provide strawberry producers and those with aspirations of growing berries a chance to experience first hand the complexities of not only trying to produce a bountiful crop, but also learn how marketing is a key factor in the success of strawberry production.

Strawberry production, like many horticultural crops, has radically changed over the past 10 years. Strawberry producers now grow pre-chilled berry plants on black plastic and drip irrigation as annuals. Years of trial and error have perfected black plastic and drip irrigation providing cleaner, larger, more desirable fruit which peaks earlier in the season.Different colored plastics are now under observation to determine if variation in colors will enhance yields.

The Patterson's are continuing to experiment with integrating Global Positioning Satellite system (GPS system) into their soil fertility practices. This procedure uses satellite technology to correctly apply nutrients in a field to the nearest inch. This system not only saves money from over-application, but is also kind to our environment. One would naturally think that our unseasonably warm temperature would be a plus for strawberry producers. On the contrary, it can be more of a problem at this stage of growth than a late frost in the spring. Overly aggressive growth means plants are growing too fast and far more susceptible to early freezes, actually producing a smaller crop. Smaller, undersized berry plants can not mature quickly enough to produce a crop.

Growers are now counting leaves to determine the proper stage of growth of the plant.Strawberry specialist, Dr. Barclay Poling, from N.C. State University determined that the crowns should be splitting and the plants exhibiting 6-8 new leaves with no runners. Roots need to be developing andthe crowns shouldn't be planted too deeply. Some growers nodded with agreement while others looks somewhat perplexed as they conceded their crop was not this far along.

Most think all the grower has to do is follow a detailed planting calendar; just follow practices from a previous productive season and this should provide the grower with enough information to produce a good crop, right? Not really. When have we experienced two growing seasons that been exactly alike? Drought, temperature extremes, unreliable transplants, unknown disease problems, labor concerns, andinsects are just a few variables growers must conquer before the first berry is plucked in April. Then throw in consumer fickleness and you're ready to plant. Growers need to muster all the skills and technology available to help minimize these variables and produce an abundant, tasty berry crop that the general public has grown to expect each year. It is not a task that was learned in a few years but has taken growers as the Patterson's years to learn.