- Spacing
- 12-18 inches
- Sun requirements
- 6 hours per day, minimum
- Days to harvest
- 3-5 weeks after blossoms appear
This is the variety we've purchased to add to our hydroponic strawberry stand so I figured I should add them to the database, along with all the information that I have about them so far. Albion strawberries are most well known for their large, firm, sweet strawberries that are, supposedly, disease resistant.
Also important to note that Albion strawberries are both day-neutral, meaning it will continue to blossom regardless of the length of day, and also everbearing, meaning it will continue to produce throughout the full growing season from spring into fall. This is what makes the albion strawberry so attractive to hydroponic growers.
If you're wanting to grow this variety from seed, simply sprinkle the seeds across the ground and give them just enough water each day to make sure they remain moist, but not soaked. Once the seedlings start to root themselves you'll want to move them into their growing containers or, like in our case, into their pots to be placed into the hydroponic stand.
When planting these plants in larger containers, you'll want to have them spaced 12-18 inches apart but, like most strawberry varieties, they will eventually produce runners that will spread out to fill your full container. Also, if you plant them in a specific area, strawberry plants will come back every year, granted they don't succumb to the elements.
Strawberry plants require a minimum of six hours of sunlight daily, up to full sun. However, especially once outdoor temperatures start reaching over 90F, it's best to have them in a location where they are mostly shaded in the afternoons.
Our strawberry patch is on the east side of a shed in our backyard where the strawberries get full sun in the mornings until just after noon, where they remain shaded the rest of the day. So far, this has worked great for us. We'll be doing the same thing with our hydroponic stand this summer.
Strawberries are ripe when the entire fruit is completely bright red. One thing we found out growing our own is that when you open up a strawberry, the inside of the fruit should also be fully red, and not have spots of white, or unripe areas, like the ones that typically come from grocery stores.
To harvest the strawberries, you'll want to pinch, or cut, the stem about a quarter inch above the strawberry, preserving some of the stem with the strawberry to help preserve freshness.
When harvest season starts, you'll also want to make sure that you're looking beneath all the green leaves and stems to make sure you don't miss any. In my opinion, strawberries are way too valuable to risk losing some due to being in a hurry and not looking for every last one.
If you end up growing any of these strawberries, please let us know what works for you. I'll be doing the same, hopefully soon!
Also important to note that Albion strawberries are both day-neutral, meaning it will continue to blossom regardless of the length of day, and also everbearing, meaning it will continue to produce throughout the full growing season from spring into fall. This is what makes the albion strawberry so attractive to hydroponic growers.
Planting and sowing
If you're wanting to grow this variety from seed, simply sprinkle the seeds across the ground and give them just enough water each day to make sure they remain moist, but not soaked. Once the seedlings start to root themselves you'll want to move them into their growing containers or, like in our case, into their pots to be placed into the hydroponic stand.
When planting these plants in larger containers, you'll want to have them spaced 12-18 inches apart but, like most strawberry varieties, they will eventually produce runners that will spread out to fill your full container. Also, if you plant them in a specific area, strawberry plants will come back every year, granted they don't succumb to the elements.
Growing and care
Strawberry plants require a minimum of six hours of sunlight daily, up to full sun. However, especially once outdoor temperatures start reaching over 90F, it's best to have them in a location where they are mostly shaded in the afternoons.
Our strawberry patch is on the east side of a shed in our backyard where the strawberries get full sun in the mornings until just after noon, where they remain shaded the rest of the day. So far, this has worked great for us. We'll be doing the same thing with our hydroponic stand this summer.
Harvest
Strawberries are ripe when the entire fruit is completely bright red. One thing we found out growing our own is that when you open up a strawberry, the inside of the fruit should also be fully red, and not have spots of white, or unripe areas, like the ones that typically come from grocery stores.
To harvest the strawberries, you'll want to pinch, or cut, the stem about a quarter inch above the strawberry, preserving some of the stem with the strawberry to help preserve freshness.
When harvest season starts, you'll also want to make sure that you're looking beneath all the green leaves and stems to make sure you don't miss any. In my opinion, strawberries are way too valuable to risk losing some due to being in a hurry and not looking for every last one.
If you end up growing any of these strawberries, please let us know what works for you. I'll be doing the same, hopefully soon!