Strawberry farms start opening for the season
This winter's cold weather means the strawberry crop is a week or more behind the usual schedule at farms across the state. But it's time to get your buckets ready.
Posted — UpdatedThis winter's cold weather means the strawberry crop is a week or more behind the usual schedule at farms across the state.
Some are open now with pre-picked berries for sale. A few are open and will open this weekend with pick-your-own berries. And by early May we should see the rest open for the season with plants dotted with red berries.
"Usually it peaks around Mother's Day, but it's not going to happen this year around Mother's Day," said Gina Fernandez, professor of small fruits at N.C. State's College of Agriculture and Life Science. "It's going to be later."
Farmers have been busy over the last month protecting the delicate blooms from cold overnight temperatures.
"We had a cold winter and we had lots of events this spring where the farmers had to do some frost and freeze protecting using overhead irrigation and row covers," she said. "And they were very successful with that."
The regular overhead irrigation protects the blooms by keeping them at 32 degrees. The flowers aren't killed as long as farmers keep them at 32 degrees, Fernandez said. The row covers serve as a kind of blanket.
"My husband had to frost protect during the night multiple nights," she said. "All of those things in combination helps us open up a little earlier."
The farm is open now with pre-picked strawberries for sale. Jones expects the fields will be open for visitors to pick their own around May 5.
Strawberry season generally runs until early June.
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