Back in the 80’s, when land grant universities still focused on applied research, the University of Illinois did a small study on the best time to remove straw mulch from a strawberry field at a plot on the Urbana-Champagne campus. They removed straw at four different soil temperatures to see which removal time had the highest yields. The four soil temperatures were 38, 43, 48 and 54 F. The highest yields were in the fields uncovered at 38 and 43F. Earliglow and Allstar had the same yields at both temperatures, but the variety Guardian had a significantly higher yield when uncovered at 43. Plants uncovered at 54F lost a third of their crop compared to the earlier plants.* Because of those results, extension faculty have long recommended that growers uncover their berries at 40 F.
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When should you remove straw this year?
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Back in the 80’s, when land grant universities still focused on applied research, the University of Illinois did a small study on the best time to remove straw mulch from a strawberry field at a plot on the Urbana-Champagne campus. They removed straw at four different soil temperatures to see which removal time had the highest yields. The four soil temperatures were 38, 43, 48 and 54 F. The highest yields were in the fields uncovered at 38 and 43F. Earliglow and Allstar had the same yields at both temperatures, but the variety Guardian had a significantly higher yield when uncovered at 43. Plants uncovered at 54F lost a third of their crop compared to the earlier plants.* Because of those results, extension faculty have long recommended that growers uncover their berries at 40 F.