100 Cardinal Strawberry Bare Roots – Fragaria × ananassa – June-Bearing Fruit Plant

Overview

Embark on a delightful gardening journey with these 100 Cardinal Strawberry bare roots. The Cardinal strawberry plant, scientifically known as Fragaria x ananassa ‘Cardinal’, is a highly sought-after June-bearing variety renowned for its robust growth and prolific production of sweet, flavorful fruit. These bare roots offer an economical and efficient way to establish a thriving strawberry patch, whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out. Developed for its resilience and adaptability, the Cardinal strawberry performs exceptionally well in various climates, particularly noted for its tolerance to humid summers. Expect a single, generous harvest over a 4-5 week period, typically in late spring to early summer, making it a perfect choice for fresh eating, jams, and desserts. Establishing your own June-bearing strawberry plants from bare roots provides a rewarding experience and a continuous supply of homegrown goodness.

The Cardinal Strawberry bare roots are a fantastic choice for anyone looking to grow their own berries. These plants are known for their vigorous, upright growth habit and their tendency to produce runners freely, which makes them highly suitable for the matted row growing system. This method allows the plants to spread and fill in the garden space, maximizing your yield. While primarily recommended for garden beds, this versatile strawberry can also be successfully grown in containers, offering flexibility for smaller spaces or patio gardening. With proper care, these bare roots will quickly establish into healthy, fruit-producing plants, bringing the joy of fresh strawberries to your table.

Key Benefits

The Cardinal Strawberry bare roots offer numerous advantages for the home gardener, promising a rewarding harvest and a beautiful addition to your edible landscape. These benefits extend from ease of growth to the quality of the fruit produced:

• Abundant June Harvest: As a June-bearing strawberry plants, the Cardinal variety produces a single, generous crop over 4-5 weeks in late spring to early summer, ensuring a concentrated harvest of delicious fruit.
• Vigorous Growth: These plants are known for their strong, upright growth and prolific runner production, making them excellent for establishing dense, productive strawberry beds using the matted row system.
• Adaptable & Resilient: Tolerant of humid summers, this variety is well-suited for various regions, including the Southern United States and Ohio River Valley, and thrives in USDA hardiness zones 4 through 8.
• Container Friendly: While ideal for garden beds, the Cardinal strawberry can also be successfully grown in containers, providing options for gardeners with limited space or those interested in growing strawberries in containers.
• Sweet, Flavorful Fruit: Enjoy classic, delicious strawberries perfect for fresh eating, baking, preserves, and freezing, bringing farm-fresh taste directly to your table.
• Economical Planting: Starting with 100 Cardinal Strawberry bare roots is a cost-effective way to establish a large and productive strawberry patch.
• Rewarding Gardening Experience: Witnessing the transformation from bare root to a thriving, fruit-laden plant is incredibly satisfying for any gardener, making strawberry plant care a fulfilling endeavor.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Successful strawberry plant care for your Cardinal Strawberry bare roots begins with proper planting and attentive maintenance. Upon arrival, if you cannot plant immediately, keep the bare roots cool and slightly moist. Plant them as soon as possible in well-draining soil, ensuring the crown (the point where roots meet stems) is level with the soil surface. Planting too deep or too shallow can hinder growth. For sunlight, Cardinal strawberries require at least 6-8 hours of full sun daily for optimal fruit production. While they tolerate humid conditions, good air circulation is crucial to prevent fungal diseases. Space plants 12-18 inches apart in rows, with rows 3-4 feet apart, especially if using a matted row system to allow for runner development.

Watering is critical, especially during establishment and fruit development. Keep the soil consistently moist but never waterlogged. Strawberries have shallow root systems, so they dry out quickly. Mulching around the plants with straw or pine needles can help retain soil moisture, suppress weeds, and keep berries clean. Fertilize in early spring with a balanced fertilizer, and again after the main harvest. In colder zones (4-5), provide extra winter protection with a thick layer of straw or frost blankets once temperatures consistently drop below freezing. Regularly remove weeds, as they compete for nutrients and water. When growing strawberries in containers, be mindful that they will require more frequent watering due to faster soil drying.

Size & Details

This offering includes 100 Cardinal Strawberry bare roots, ready for planting. As a bare root product, these plants are shipped without soil or pots, making them lightweight and easy to transport. Each bare root is a dormant plant, carefully harvested to ensure a strong root system, which allows for robust establishment once planted in your garden. The Cardinal strawberry is a vigorous grower, and mature plants typically reach a height of 6-10 inches with a similar spread, especially when allowed to form runners. Expect these June-bearing strawberry plants to produce their first significant crop in the spring of the year following planting. The fruit is medium to large in size, known for its classic conical shape and sweet flavor. These plants are recommended for USDA hardiness zones 4 through 8, though gardeners in colder zones should provide additional winter protection. This variety is an excellent choice for creating a productive and beautiful strawberry patch.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big do these Cardinal Strawberry plants get? A: Once established, Cardinal Strawberry bare roots grow into plants that typically reach 6-10 inches in height and spread, especially as they produce runners. The overall size of your strawberry patch will depend on how many runners you allow to establish.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: The Cardinal Strawberry is primarily an outdoor plant, thriving in full sun in garden beds. However, it can be successfully grown in containers on patios or balconies, and some gardeners even try growing strawberries in containers indoors with sufficient light.
• Q: How much sunlight do Cardinal Strawberry plants need? A: For optimal fruit production, these June-bearing strawberry plants require a minimum of 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day. More sun generally leads to sweeter, more abundant berries.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, Cardinal strawberries are considered relatively easy to care for, making them a good choice for beginner gardeners. Consistent watering, adequate sunlight, and proper fertilization are key to successful strawberry plant care.
• Q: What condition will the bare roots arrive in? A: Your 100 Cardinal Strawberry bare roots will arrive dormant, without soil or leaves, carefully packaged to ensure they are healthy and ready for planting. They may appear dry, but a good soak before planting will rehydrate them.
• Q: When is the best time to plant Cardinal Strawberry bare roots? A: The ideal time to plant bare root strawberries is in early spring, as soon as the soil can be worked. This allows the plants ample time to establish before the summer heat.
• Q: How long until these bare roots produce fruit? A: Typically, Cardinal Strawberry bare roots planted in spring will produce a harvest the following spring. It’s recommended to pinch off any flowers that appear in the first year to allow the plant to focus its energy on root and foliage development.
• Q: Will Cardinal Strawberries survive winter in my zone? A: These plants are hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8. In colder zones (4-5), providing a thick layer of straw mulch or other winter protection is essential to help them survive the winter and ensure a good crop next season.
• Q: Can I use the runners to expand my strawberry patch? A: Absolutely! The Cardinal strawberry is known for producing runners freely. You can allow these to root to expand your existing bed, or carefully transplant them to start new plants in other areas. This is a great aspect of Fragaria x ananassa Cardinal.
• Q: What kind of soil is best for these strawberries? A: Cardinal strawberries thrive in rich, well-draining soil with a pH between 5.5 and 6.8. Amending your soil with compost or other organic matter will greatly improve its quality and fertility for your strawberry plant care.