If you’re curious where are strawberries grown in the US, the top five states are California, Florida, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. However, Colorado State University also mentioned Oregon as a top producer. According to Pennsylvania State University, the US is first in the world when it comes to strawberry production and that 60,000 acres of the country grow strawberries.
The strawberry industry in the US is always on the rise, so it’s not surprising that many farmers are interested in it. The good news is that even if your state is not from the top five mentioned, it’s still possible to grow these delicious and healthy berries successfully. For example, the greenhouse proves to be advantageous for strawberry farming if you’re in other states like Idaho, Michigan, and Nebraska.
With proper knowledge of strawberries’ ideal environment and gardening practices, you can contribute to the United State’s popular fruit production.
Where Are Strawberries Grown In The US And Where They Grow Best
As mentioned earlier, the states known for producing the best strawberries are California, Florida, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Oregon. Additionally, every state in the US and every province in Canada grows strawberries. Provided that you have researched the growing requirements and needed adjustments for your area, you shouldn’t have any problem in yielding quality strawberries.
What makes strawberries unique is that this fruit is not easy to cultivate worldwide. They are not as flexible to the weather and climate compared to other fruits like bananas or watermelons. However, the United States has favorable growing conditions that make it one of strawberries’ biggest producers.
More so, berries are ranked third on the most popular fruits in the US when it comes to consumption.
Where do strawberries grow best in the US?
All the states mentioned in the list are ideal locations for growing strawberries in the US. However, the top two, which are California and Florida, would be the best among them. You can also use a greenhouse if you’re from another state, and create an optimal growing environment to have a productive strawberry farm.
To give you a general idea of the best location for growing strawberries, California is responsible for 75% production. The fruits are available from January to November, with peaks from March to May. The state can produce a billion pounds of berries each year, and each acre has an average of 21 tons annually.
Following California is Florida, where the strawberry season is from December to May. It peaks from March to April, and the state also imports winter strawberries from November to May. This way, the state can meet the demand for the strawberries year-round.
Challenges in growing strawberries in the US
If you’re interested in growing strawberries in the US, you also have to be aware of potential production challenges. It’s not enough to know where they grow and which states provide the fruits’ ideal climates. For example, while California ranks first in strawberry production, the state also has production challenges to consider.
The weather can still be challenging, the costs in labor and land values can be high, and the state has restrictions and regulations for fumigants. Florida also experiences challenges in production due to soil fumigation, volatile prices, rules, Mexican competition, and labor shortage. Regardless of your region, you can expect some potential drawbacks, so you must be prepared beforehand.
Best Strawberries For The US
Remember that there are three types of strawberries: June-bearing, everbearing, and day-neutral—choosing among the three means considering certain factors. For commercial production, June-bearing is the most common in the US because they produce bigger fruits and have many runners. This type can also fruit for two weeks, so it’s more productive compared to other types.
On the contrary, everbearing strawberries will only fruit up to three times per year. Day-neutral strawberries will be abundant from July to September, but it’s crucial to maintain the ideal temperature because it can affect their flowering. You could achieve a long growing season at minimum costs if you considered using greenhouses.
You don’t need to face potential outdoor fluctuations in climate, and the extended season helps you receive a higher price for your strawberries. As a bonus, you’ll always be confident with the quality of your berries, considering that weather influences their flavor. It’s essential to provide high-quality strawberries consistently to make it easier to sell them.
Some stores even require good quality, so don’t let all your hard work go to waste by settling for so-so fruit quality.
Conclusion
The strawberry industry is always on the rise because of the high demand from consumers. So if you’re thinking of venturing in it, you must know where are strawberries grown in the US. While all states can grow these fruits, California, Florida, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Oregon are the top states.
This gives you a general idea of what is the best growing environment for the strawberry plants. However, challenges can and will happen, so be prepared beforehand. Even the top state, California, can experience drawbacks such as challenging weather conditions.
Therefore, it’s an excellent consideration to use a greenhouse and get an extended growing season.