100 Chandler Strawberry Bare Roots – Fragaria × ananassa – June-Bearing

Overview

Embark on a rewarding gardening journey with 100 Chandler Strawberry Bare Roots, the perfect choice for cultivating your own sweet and abundant strawberries. The ‘Chandler’ strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) is a highly esteemed June-bearing variety renowned for its exceptional flavor and productivity. These bare roots offer a cost-effective and efficient way to establish a thriving strawberry patch, promising a generous harvest of large, firm, and incredibly sweet berries. As a June-bearer, you can anticipate one significant fruiting period over 2-3 weeks in late spring to early summer, making it an exciting annual event for fresh fruit enthusiasts. Ideal for gardeners in USDA Zones 5 to 8, the Chandler strawberry bare roots perform particularly well in warmer Southern climates, delivering consistent results and delightful fruit.

The ‘Chandler’ variety is a favorite among home gardeners and commercial growers alike, thanks to its reliable performance and delicious output. Planting these Fragaria x ananassa bare roots is an investment in future culinary delights, from fresh eating to jams, pies, and desserts. They are a robust and adaptable choice, providing a satisfying gardening experience for both novice and experienced growers looking for a high-quality strawberry.

Key Benefits

Choosing Chandler strawberry bare roots for your garden offers a multitude of advantages, ensuring a delightful and productive growing season. These benefits contribute to a successful harvest and enjoyable gardening experience:

• High Yielding & Abundant Harvest: Enjoy a prolific crop of strawberries. The ‘Chandler’ variety is known for producing a large, concentrated harvest over a 2-3 week period, providing plenty of fruit for fresh consumption, preserving, and sharing.
• Superior Flavor & Sweetness: Experience the rich, classic taste of home-grown strawberries. These berries are celebrated for their exceptional sweetness and juicy texture, making them a favorite for all uses.
• Large, Firm Berries: The ‘Chandler’ produces impressively large and firm berries, which are not only visually appealing but also hold up well for transport and storage, perfect for any kitchen endeavor.
• Reliable June-Bearing Variety: As true June-bearers, these June-bearing strawberries offer a predictable and concentrated harvest in late spring to early summer. This makes planning your gardening and harvesting activities straightforward and enjoyable.
• Adaptable to Various Climates: Thriving in USDA Zones 5 to 8, these Chandler strawberry bare roots demonstrate excellent adaptability, performing especially well in Southern regions where other varieties might struggle.
• Excellent for Fresh Eating & Preserving: The versatile nature of the ‘Chandler’ strawberry means it’s perfect for eating fresh off the plant, as well as for making delicious jams, jellies, pies, and other treats, ensuring you can enjoy your harvest all year round.
• Easy to Plant Bare Roots: Planting bare roots is an efficient and straightforward method to establish a new strawberry patch. With proper care, these roots quickly establish themselves and grow into productive plants.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your Chandler strawberry bare roots is straightforward, ensuring a bountiful harvest of delicious berries. These plants prefer a location that receives at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal fruit production. While they tolerate some partial shade, full sun will result in sweeter and more abundant berries. Prepare your planting site by ensuring the soil is well-draining and rich in organic matter. A slightly acidic to neutral pH (5.5-6.5) is ideal for these high-yielding strawberries. Amend heavy clay soils with compost or peat moss to improve drainage and aeration.

When planting your Fragaria x ananassa bare roots, ensure the crown (the point where the roots meet the leaves) is level with the soil surface. Water thoroughly after planting to settle the soil around the roots. Consistent moisture is crucial, especially during flowering and fruiting periods. Aim for about 1 inch of water per week, either from rainfall or irrigation. Avoid overhead watering if possible to reduce the risk of fungal diseases; drip irrigation or soaker hoses are preferred. Mulching around the plants with straw or pine needles helps retain soil moisture, suppress weeds, and keep berries clean.

Fertilize your strawberry plants in early spring and again after the main harvest with a balanced fertilizer. Avoid excessive nitrogen, which can lead to lush foliage at the expense of fruit production. In colder regions, provide winter protection by covering the plants with a thick layer of straw after the first hard frost. Remove this covering in early spring when new growth begins. Regularly inspect your plants for pests and diseases, addressing any issues promptly to maintain plant health and ensure a successful crop of Chandler strawberry bare roots.

Size & Details

This offering includes 100 Chandler Strawberry Bare Roots, providing a significant foundation for a productive strawberry patch. Each bare root is a dormant plant ready to be awakened in your garden, a highly efficient way to cultivate a large number of plants. As a June-bearing variety, these plants are designed to produce a concentrated, heavy crop of fruit over a 2-3 week period in late spring to early summer. Once established, individual plants typically grow to a height of 6-12 inches with a similar spread, forming a dense ground cover over time.

The ‘Chandler’ strawberry is known for its vigorous growth and runner production, allowing your patch to expand naturally. Berries produced are typically large, firm, and conical, reaching up to 1-2 inches in diameter. Expect these plants to begin producing fruit in their second year after planting, with peak production occurring in subsequent years. The bare roots are shipped without soil or pots, making them lightweight and easy to plant upon arrival, and they are ready for immediate introduction into your prepared garden beds or containers.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big do Chandler strawberry bare roots get after planting? A: Once established, individual ‘Chandler’ strawberry plants typically grow to about 6-12 inches tall and spread similarly wide. They will also send out runners, which can root and create new plants, expanding your patch.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The Chandler strawberry bare roots are primarily intended for outdoor cultivation in garden beds or large containers. They are not typically grown as indoor houseplants due to their specific light and space requirements for fruiting.
• Q: How much sunlight do Chandler strawberries need? A: For optimal growth and fruit production, ‘Chandler’ strawberry plants require at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. Full sun exposure will result in the sweetest and most abundant berries.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for, especially for beginners? A: Yes, ‘Chandler’ strawberries are relatively easy to care for and are a great choice for beginner gardeners. They require consistent watering, good soil, and adequate sunlight, but are generally robust and forgiving.
• Q: What condition will the Fragaria x ananassa bare roots arrive in? A: Your bare roots will arrive dormant, without soil or pots. They will be carefully packaged to ensure they remain viable during transit, ready for planting upon arrival.
• Q: How long until these June-bearing strawberries produce fruit? A: ‘Chandler’ strawberry plants typically begin to produce a significant harvest in their second year after planting. You might get a small harvest in the first year, but the plants focus on establishing their root system.
• Q: Will Chandler strawberries survive winter in my USDA zone? A: Chandler strawberry bare roots are hardy in USDA Zones 5 to 8. In colder parts of this range (Zones 5-6), it’s recommended to apply a thick layer of straw mulch for winter protection after the first hard frost.
• Q: What is the best time to plant high-yielding strawberries? A: The best time to plant bare root strawberries, including the ‘Chandler’ variety, is in early spring after the danger of hard frost has passed. This allows them ample time to establish before the summer heat.
• Q: Do these strawberry plants require special soil? A: They thrive in well-draining soil that is rich in organic matter. A slightly acidic to neutral pH (5.5-6.5) is ideal. Amending with compost or aged manure is beneficial for these strawberry plant care needs.
• Q: Can I grow these strawberries in containers? A: Yes, ‘Chandler’ strawberries can be successfully grown in containers, provided the containers are large enough (at least 8-10 inches deep and wide) and have excellent drainage. Container growing might require more frequent watering.