Introducing the Highest Yield Strawberry Plants
I have had quite the journey with my garden. Gardening takes a superb amount of work and patience, and a certain amount of grace in dealing with disappointment. Growing edible plants is incredibly exciting, but sometimes it doesn’t turn out the way you may have hoped.
There are fewer things more disappointing than flowers that never bloom, and fruits that never ripen. But luckily, there are ways that you can give yourself a little leg up in the gardening department.
When it comes to strawberries, you truly never know how they’ve turned out until you pop one in your mouth. So, to ensure that every plant you care for provides nothing but sweet and beautiful fruit, do yourself a favor by picking varieties that are known to be easy to grow, and are known for producing fruit quickly!
This article is going to go through 10 of the best, most vigorous, and best-tasting strawberry varieties out there. Whether you’re planning on make strawberry shortcake, or strawberry pie, or you just like eating fresh strawberries, these plants are guaranteed to keep your fridge and your belly full with homegrown fruit.
Are you growing strawberries but don’t have much space? Check out 6 Methods of Growing Strawberries in Small Spaces.
Struggling with strawberry pollination? Check out 3 Ways to Pollinate Strawberry Plants.
10 of The Best Strawberry Plants for Huge Harvests
To start things off, I’ll prepare you between your three categories of strawberry plants: ever-bearing, day-neutral, or June-bearing. Fruit production time, quality, and harvest time is what differentiate these different types.
Every-bearing strawberry plants begin to bloom their strawberry flowers once the length of the day is 12 hours of sunlight or more. They produce 3 different small yields throughout the year: one in the late spring or early summer, one in midsummer, and one final crop in the late summer or early fall.
Day-neutral strawberry plants don’t require a specific length of day in order to bloom, and they will have irregular, smaller yields throughout the growing season. This type does not tolerate high temperatures in the summer so usually there won’t be a crop in the midsummer.
June-bearing strawberry plants will produce one large crop at the beginning of the growing season – usually in the late spring or early summer – and that will be it for the year.
Knowing this, you should better be able to decide which type of strawberry plant you want, depending on how often you desire a strawberry yield and how large of a yield you’re looking for.
1. AC Wendy
- these strawberry plants grow best in USDA growing zones 3-8
- a June-bearing variety that starts bearing fruit very early on in the season.
- they’re known for producing a super high yield of high quality fruit
- they will start to produce fruit in their second year of growth
- also resistant to diseases like powdery mildew
- they’re known for producing a ton of runners (easy to propagate)
2. Alpine Alexandria
- these strawberry plants grow best in USDA growing zones 5-9
- an ever-bearing variety that produces small fruits all growing season long
- the more space you give this plant, the more fruit it will produce
- they produce very small berries that are known for being absolutely packed with flavor
- well known as being the sweetest strawberry variety out there
- make excellent ground cover, serving as ornamental plants as well
3. Alpine Yellow Wonder
- these strawberry plants growing their best in USDA growing zones 3-9
- known for growing better in areas with less heat and in partial shade
- an ever-bearing variety of wild strawberries
- produces small, pale yellow berries that are very sweet (this is ideal if you face difficulties with pests, as red berries are more likely to attract animals)
- they produce fruit within their first year of planting
4. Earliglow
- these plants grow their absolute best in USDA growing zones 4-8
- they are the earliest fruit producers of early season June-bearing varieties
- known for being extremely easy to grow and produce fruit in the first year
- produces many runners after fruiting, allowing for easy propagation
- produces famously large, sweet, bright red, and juicy strawberries
- resistant to most diseases
5. Flavorfest
- grow best in USDA growing zones 4-7
- a June-bearing variety that produces fruit mostly in mid-season (best suited to northeastern North America)
- extremely tasty fruit that is bright red, plump, and attractive
- known as producing one of the largest strawberry fruits in size
- resistant to most diseases
6. Honeoye
- they grow the best in USDA growing zones 3-8
- popular mid-season June-bearing variety with large fruit
- ideal for midwestern gardeners since berry flavor is enhanced when they ripen in temperate climates
- known for being cold hardy and vigorous growers
- plant won’t produce fruit until second season of growth, but will produce consistently for 4-5 years after
7. Ozark Beauty
- grow best in USDA growing zones 4-8, but can do well in ones 3-9 with a bit of extra care and attention
- an ever-bearing strawberry variety
- known for being a very vigorous grower with huge yields
- first yield can sometimes produce irregular berries that get slowly more uniform each year
- known as being a favorite amongst commercial growers for their ease of growth
8. Seascape
- these grow their best in USDA growing zones 4-9
- a day-neutral variety
- produces a ton of fruit as long as temperatures range between 35-85 degrees Fahrenheit
- very tolerant to heat and known for being disease resistant
- produce large red berries of a conical shape, sometimes reaching over 2 ounces each, incredible flavor
- perfect for growing in eastern North America
- evergreen in frost free zones, beautiful ornamental plant
9. Sweet Charlie
- a strawberry plant that grows best in USDA growing zones 3-8 (first developed in Florida)
- an early season June-bearing variety
- first yield in the late spring or early summer, second yield in the fall
- known for producing firm fleshed, sweet fruit (perfect for dessert making)
- a favorite among commercial growers
10. Sweet Kiss
- growing their best in USDA growing zones 4-8
- a very popular ever-bearing strawberry variety
- known for producing one of the highest yields of all strawberry varieties
- in first year, pluck away the first blooms of flowers to encourage a better harvest later in the season
- regularly picked fruit encourages plant to flower more and produce more fruit
- known for having super sweet fruit that is wedge shaped, dark red, and juicy
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There you go folks! Hopefully you’ve found the absolute perfect strawberry variety according to where you live, what your strawberry needs are, and ease of growth. Truth is, strawberry plants are a true gift to the planet, producing candy-sweet fruit with little to no care.