Strawberries: which varieties to choose and grow?

With the raspberriesthe strawberries are the most consumed and appreciated berries. Simple to cultivate, whether you have a large or small area, make the right choice between remontant and non-remontant varieties in order to harvest strawberries the longest time possible.

Varieties of remontant strawberries

Those strawberries have the advantage of producing several crops in a year. The first strawberries are picked in June and July, then from the end of August until the first frosts, with a short summer break. Here are the best-known varieties of remontant strawberries:

• ‘Charlotte’: this variety bears beautiful red fruits which are harvested from June until the first harvests;
• ‘Mara des Bois’: it produces small fruits from May until the first cold snaps;
• ‘Cirafine’: it offers medium-sized, well-scented and sweet strawberries;
• ‘Maestro’: variety that bears large, very firm, very fragrant fruits from mid-June until the end of September;
• ‘Reine des Vallées’: this variety has the advantage of producing, without interruption, strawberries from June until the end of September.

Varieties of non-remontant strawberries

Unlike everbearing strawberries, these only produce one crop in a year, from mid-May to the end of July. On a duration quite short, around a month, the production is quite dense. Varieties can be early or late. Grow both to prolong harvests. Here are the best-known varieties of non-everbearing strawberries:

• ‘Ciflorette’: medium-sized strawberries that are picked from mid-May to mid-June;
• ‘Cigaline’: variety which is harvested in April and May;
• ‘Favette’: strawberries which are picked in April and May;
• ‘Gariguette’ : very early variety, it forms medium-sized fruits with very fragrant flesh.

Varieties adapted to your needs

In addition to choosing the harvest period, you can choose a variety with melting flesh, more suitable for making jams, marmalades or sorbets. Strawberries with firm flesh will be appreciated for tasting as you wish or to garnish or decorate pastries (charlottes, pies). The best thing is to multiply the varieties in your garden in order to eat strawberries from May until the first frosts and to be able to discover textures and different flavors. If you run out of space, don’t panic! Strawberries grow easily in a pota plantera bin and even in suspension.