Texas strawberry producers have experienced an average season so far despite freezes, drought and temperature variability impacting yields, according to Russ Wallace, AgriLife Extension horticulturist in Lubbock and professor in Texas A&M’s Department of Horticultural Sciences.
The growing season started in October with planting. Strawberry crowns and root systems develop over winter, and cold temperatures help the plant prepare for fruit production in the spring, Wallace said.
Growth is good around much of the state, but up and down temperatures impacted early season production opportunities, he said. Above-average winter temperatures pushed strawberry plants in East, North and Central Texas to flower early, but a cold front with freezing temperatures knocked off blooms and set plants back.
See, Strawberry production part of family operation
Last year, Winter Storm Uri also “dinged” strawberry plants, but they recovered and performed well overall, Wallace said.
Fluctuating temperatures somewhat confused the plants this season, he said. Strawberries are a cool-season crop, and while freezing temperatures can hurt blooms and fruit sets, summer-type temperatures can signal the plant to shut down.
Plants typically do well with day temperatures into the low 80 degrees and cooler nights, Wallace said.
Poteet, which is known for its strawberry production, experienced multiple freezes that hurt production, but the area also experienced 100-degree daytime temperatures a few weeks ago, Wallace said.