When growing strawberries in the United States, there are specific sun requirements that must be met in order for them to thrive. Most of the country experiences a temperate climate, which means the number of sunlight hours available varies depending on location. In this article, we will explore how much sun strawberries need basing on their latitude and how climate change impacts these requirements.
To understand how much sun berries need, let’s first look at the seasonality of strawberry production in different parts of our country. As far back as 1759, Benjamin Franklin has noted that strawberries will ripen earlier and later depending on where you are located geographically – northern states versus southern ones such as New York State (NYS) or Pennsylvania, respectively. Strawberries grown outside may be ready for harvest sometime between April through June, while those grown under cover typically fruit during the October-January months, with some plants maturing sooner than others based upon how late they were planted/established outdoors before being brought indoors due to cold temperatures approaching frost levels like 40F degrees overnight minimums which can damage tender foliage especially if leaves freeze solid because they’re won’t photosynthesize as efficiently and will likely incur foliar desiccation when defrosting.
Today, with the help of agricultural maps from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), we can see that strawberry production in California and Florida peaks during December while NYS sees its main harvest occurring in June. States in the southern part of the country generally have more sunshine than those in the north.
Impact of Climate Change
How climate change impacts these sun requirements need to be taken into account when planting strawberries in the future. In recent years, we have seen increased foggy days and cloudy conditions in parts of the country that used to be sunny. For example, San Francisco has experienced an increase in foggy days from 18 per year in 1950 to 47 per year by 2015. This has made it difficult for strawberry growers in this area to meet the six-hour sunlight requirement.
As the Earth’s climate continues to change, we may see more areas experience decreased sun exposure, making it harder for strawberry farmers to produce high-quality fruit. As a result, it will be necessary for those interested in growing strawberries at home to choose a location that receives plenty of direct sunlight.
Soil Requirements
You may also want to consider how much sun your particular type of soil needs to be fertile enough to produce healthy plants with fruits that taste good. Soil pH is another important factor that should not be overlooked when growing strawberries at home.
The best way to determine how much sun your soil needs would be by testing its pH using a kit purchased from any garden center or online retailer like Amazon. The test results will tell you how acidic or alkaline the ground under which you’re planting them might be. If it’s too high, then adding some peat moss could help bring down acidity levels. Many types of berry plants prefer slightly more acidic conditions.
Another way to check how much sun your soil requires would be by looking at plants nearby that are already thriving. If they show any signs of stress or disease, you may want to investigate soil and sunlight requirements in greater detail.
Growing Strawberries Worldwide
You have less need to worry about if you live near the equator. Strawberries will rarely get less than 6 hours of sunlight. However, they will still run into other problems such as heat stress during the hot summer months. In addition, a successful harvest is difficult without adequate soil moisture. This can be caused by prolonged periods of drought or extreme rainfall events. If gardeners want success with strawberry plantings, then researching how much direct sunlight each strawberry variety needs is crucial.
Final Thoughts
Strawberries do best with six hours of direct sunlight per day. If you live in an area with less sun exposure, such as San Francisco or Seattle, choosing well-suited varieties for your particular location will be essential. You may also want to consider other crops you plant, so there is enough room to meet the sun requirements of all plants.