• Choosing strawberry varieties

      Growers will soon be getting their plants from the propagators, and there are always new varieties to consider. The variety decision is complicated because each grower has to define “best” for themselves. Is early yield the most important? Is fruit size king? Or is the sales value of the fruit sold from each plant over… Read more

    • Day Neutral Variety Trial Update

      Geoff Langford Every year NZ Berryfruit Propagators do two variety trials—one in Auckland, with both day neutral and short day varieties, and one in Lincoln, with only day neutral varieties.  The Lincoln trial is planted in September from plants held potted since May.  Picking started in November, in an outdoor table-top system.  We expect to… Read more

    • Bugs in Strawberries

      Bugs in Strawberries

      In late summer we often see bugs migrating into strawberry crops as the plants they have been living on start to dry down.  We tend to use the term “bug” to mean any insect, or even an arachnid like a spider, but entomologists mean something much more specific.  Technically, a “bug” is an insect that’s… Read more

    • Planting year herbicide trial for Blackcurrants

      Planting year herbicide trial for Blackcurrants

      The success of weed control during the establishment year has in the past been variable and the cost of weed control failures is high. It was decided to test five products/combinations, and to evaluate for weed control efficacy and plant safety. Methods Trial was hosted by Mike Read at Hinds, on Kaiapoi soil which is classed… Read more

    • Finish line!

      Finish line!

      Strawberry variety horse race, 2023-24 season, Auckland Geoff Langford, Berryworld The Auckland trial concluded on 21st January and produced some really interesting results as well as some confusing ones.  The trial included field grown plants from the main 3 runner producers as well as nuclear stock plants from Lincoln.  The latter were in 10 cm… Read more

    • “Them’s small pickins”

      Every strawberry grower intuitively knows that small fruit cost more to harvest. We tend to reflect on this especially much in the later part of the season when “them’s pickin’s are small,” However, we rarely QUANTIFY the cost of small fruit.  Our Auckland strawberry variety trial collects data on yield and berry size over the season, and… Read more

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