Growing Strawberries in South Carolina

Quick Guide: Growing Strawberries in South Carolina

Plant Type: Perennial fruit crop grown as an annual or perennial
Soil: Sandy loam, pH 6.0–6.5, good drainage
Light: Full sun
Water: 1–1½ inches per week during key growth stages
Planting Time: Spring (matted row) or fall (annual hill)
Common Problems: Anthracnose, Botrytis (gray mold), nematodes, birds
Harvest: March–May, depending on region

A Clemson Extension guide for growing healthy, productive strawberries across all South Carolina regions.

Best Soil & Site for Growing Strawberries in South Carolina

Strawberries are shallow-rooted and grow best in sandy loam soils that drain well, at a pH between 6.0 and 6.5.

Clay soils drain poorly and are difficult to manage.

In the year prior to planting, destroy all perennial weeds to reduce competition and disease risk.

Improving Soil Structures and Fertility

Soil structures and fertility may be improved by incorporating organic matter such as:

• Leaves
• Chopped straw
• Compost
• Rotted sawdust
• Grass clippings in the fall

Incorporate these materials into the soil in the fall by digging, rototilling, or plowing. By early spring planting time, the organic material will be well decomposed.

For more information, please refer to HGIC 1655, Soil Conditioning- Establishing a Successful Gardening Foundation.

Soil Testing for Nutrients & Nematodes

• If there is a history of plant pest nematodes in the planting area, submit a soil sample for nematode assay.
• Do not plant strawberries if sting nematodes are present.
• Strawberries are resistant to southern root-knot nematode.
• Conduct a soil analysis for plant nutrients and lime several months before planting.

For more information, please refer to HGIC 1652, Soil Testing.

Strawberry Cultivars & Varieties for South Carolina

For a list of recommended strawberry varieties for South Carolina, refer to HGIC 1404, Strawberry Types.

Fertilizing Strawberries in South Carolina
Fertilization Before Planting

• Amend the soil according to the recommendations of a soil test.
• Add any lime amendments three to four months before planting to allow the lime’s neutralization effect to occur.
• Always apply lime based on the soil analysis results and till the soil to a depth of 6 inches.

Fertilization After Planting

If new plants appear light green and do not grow well:

• Side-dress with nitrogen about one month after planting.
• Apply 3 pounds of calcium nitrate per 100 linear feet of row.
• Always apply fertilizer to the plants when the foliage is dry
• Gently sweep the plants with a broom immediately following the application. Alternatively, overhead watering can be used to wash the fertilizer from the leaves.

In late winter of the second and subsequent years, broadcast 4 pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer over the bed per 100 feet of row.

How to Plant Strawberries in South Carolina

Two very different production systems are used in South Carolina: the matted row system and the annual hill system.

Matted Row System in South Carolina (Low Input)

This system works best in Upstate South Carolina, where strawberry fruit production may continue for several years on the same plants.

Plants are set out in the spring of year one and produce fruit in the spring of year two.

Strawberry Matted Row Planting Practices

• When transplanting, the temperature should be 40 to 50 °F; frost generally will not harm new plants.
• If plants arrive early, store them in a refrigerator until planting.
• When soil is ready, lay out two rows 4 feet apart, keeping each row 2 feet from the bed edge.
• Set plants 2 feet apart in early spring so the base of the crown is at the soil level.
• Press the soil firmly around the roots and water them in.
• Water thoroughly after planting and keep the soil moist during establishment.

Flowers will appear a couple of weeks after the new plants begin to grow. Remove these flowers to improve establishment and channel food reserves into the production of vigorous runners. During the summer of establishment, allow the strawberry runners to grow into a matted row.

Annual Hill System in South Carolina (High Input)

The annual hill system is preferred in the Sandhills and Coastal Plain because anthracnose disease usually destroys the matted row plantings before producing fruit.

In this system, plants are set out in the fall (mid-September to mid-October) and fruit the following spring.

After harvest, the planting is usually discarded.

Strawberry Varieties for Annual Hill System

‘Chandler’ and ‘Camarosa’ are the best for the annual hill system, but other varieties will produce fair results.

Only use anthracnose-resistant plants when planting the matted row system in the Sandhills and Coastal Plain. For instance, ’Sweet Charlie’ is resistant, while ‘Chandler’ is susceptible to anthracnose.

Strawberry Annual Hill Planting Practices

• Form raised beds 6 inches high at the shoulder, 8 inches high in the center, and 26 inches wide. Leave 22-inch aisles between beds for walking.
• Set plants from September 15 to November 15. In the Coastal Plain, October is usually the best month. Plant earlier in the Upstate, where September is preferred.
• Space plants 12 inches apart in the row and 12 inches apart between rows on beds that contain two rows.
• Set each plant so the crown is slightly above the soil line, with the roots ¼ inch below the surface. Avoid bending the roots, known as “J” rooting.
• Water freshly dug plants frequently during the first week after planting. Potted plants may be used and require less watering to establish.

If the planting remains free from anthracnose, it may live for several years and be managed as a matted row system.

After removing the plants, use a cover crop to protect the soil from erosion, capture any leftover nutrients, and add organic material to the soil. For more information, please refer to HGIC 1252 Cover Crops.

Watering, Weeding & Mulching for Strawberries in South Carolina

Watering Strawberries

Strawberries require moisture during the following “critical” times:

• When plants are set and during dry periods following setting
• Before and during harvest, when berry size is developing
• After renovation, as needed, to encourage new runners
• In late August, September, and early October, when fruit buds are forming for the next season’s crop.

If rainfall is insufficient during these times, water the plantings weekly to wet the soil to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. Strawberries need 1 to 1½ inches of water per week.

Weeding During the Growing Season

Weeds compete for nutrients, water, and sunlight, so consistent weed management is essential.

Control weeds by:

• Mulching
• Hand-pulling
• Hoeing
• Tilling between rows

In vigorous plantings, cut runners that grow into the aisles to maintain airflow and reduce competition.

Check beds regularly for developing weeds and remove them promptly.

Mulching to Protect Soil & Fruit

Apply a 1- to 2-inch layer of straw mulch (wheat, oat, rye, or pine).

Use one bale per 100 square feet of bed area.

Do not use grass clippings, as they can smother plants and promote disease.

In early spring, when new growth appears:

• Rake most of the mulch off the plant tops, leaving a thin layer.
• Allow plants to grow through the remaining mulch.
• This helps keep berries clean, conserve moisture, and slow the spread of anthracnose.

Renovating and Renewing Strawberry Plantings in South Carolina

Renovation or Renewing the Planting

Matted row strawberry beds may produce fruit for more than one season when properly renovated.

Plantings can often be kept for two or possibly three to four fruiting seasons if they remain free of weeds, diseases, and insect pests.

If the bed becomes heavily infested, it is best to start over with a new planting.

Steps for Renewing a Strawberry Planting

• Take a soil test and apply any lime or fertilizer recommended by the report.
• Mow over the top of the plants to remove old leaves, using a rotary mower with the blade set to 4 inches. Avoid damaging the plant crowns.
• Rake the clippings away from the plants and dispose of them without injuring the crowns.
• Cut back rows to a 12- to 18-inch-wide strip using a cultivator, rototiller, or hoe.
• Thin the plants, leaving only the most healthy and vigorous ones. Space them about 6 inches apart in all directions.

Care After Renovation

Keep the beds weed-free and irrigate if rainfall is insufficient. Strawberries need 1 to 1½ inches of water per week.

Between mid-August and mid-September, apply 3 to 4 pounds of calcium nitrate (15.5-0-0) per 100 feet of row.
Apply fertilizer when foliage is dry, then gently sweep or rinse the leaves to remove any residue.

By late September, matted rows should have regrown to be about 2 feet wide.
Remove any runners that extend into the aisles.

Harvesting Strawberries in South Carolina

Harvest Strawberries in South Carolina

Strawberry harvest time varies by region in South Carolina.

• Midlands and Coastal Plain: Late March
• Piedmont: Early April
• Mountains: Late April

Harvest strawberries every other day or three times per week for best quality.

The ideal time to harvest is early in the morning while berries are still cool.

Not all berries ripen at the same time; pick only those that are totally red.

Bird Control for Strawberry Plantings

The most effective method to reduce berry loss to birds is to cover the planting with bird netting. Anchor the net around the entire planting; otherwise, birds will walk under it.

Place 6- to 8-inch stakes every 2 feet around the planting to anchor the net. Angle the stakes away from the rows so the net can be hooked over the stakes. Angling the stakes keeps the edge of the net close to the ground, thus preventing birds from getting under it.

It only takes a few minutes to remove the net for picking and replace it immediately after.

Alternative Bird Repellents

In addition to physical coverings, some chemical repellents can help reduce feeding.

Cornell University research has shown reduced bird feeding activity by spraying a sucrose (table sugar) solution, as birds lack the enzymes to digest sucrose and find it distasteful.

• Mix 5 pounds of table sugar in 2 quarts of water.
• Apply the solution to the plants as berries begin to color.

Another option is grape-flavored Kool-Aid, which contains methyl anthranilate, a compound that discourages birds from feeding.

• Mix 4 packets of grape Kool-Aid in 1 gallon of water.
• Apply to plants as berries begin to change color.
• Methyl anthranilate is also available commercially as Re-Jex-It.

Other chemical bird repellents are also readily available.

Note: Repellents require reapplication after rainfall. In areas with heavy bird pressure, repellents alone are unlikely to provide complete control and should be combined with physical barriers such as netting.

Sanitation & Disease Management in South Carolina Strawberries

Effective disease management is essential for growing healthy strawberries in South Carolina’s humid climate.

Sanitation Practices

Sanitation is crucial to successful strawberry production.
Removal of over-ripe fruit can reduce both insect pest pressure and disease pressure.
Removing infected leaves from plants also helps lower the sources of disease inoculum.

Common Strawberry Diseases in South Carolina

Most South Carolina home gardeners produce strawberries as a perennial crop.
The following diseases commonly threaten home garden plantings.

Strawberry Fungal Diseases & Their Management

Anthracnose Crown Rot

Pathogens: Colletotrichum, including C. acutatum, C. gloeosporioides, and C. fragariae

Symptoms include stunting and wilting of plants during the middle of the day, which may be mistaken for drought stress.
Cutting the crowns open lengthwise reveals white and reddish-brown streaks, creating a marbled effect.
Typically, plants die the year after infection.

The disease may be introduced with plants obtained from friends or nurseries.
Always purchase certified disease-free plants from a reputable source.

Anthracnose Fruit and Leaf Rot:

Pathogen: Colletotrichum acutatum

Small dark lesions appear on stolons and petioles in the summer and girdle them, killing the leaves and unrooted daughter plants.

The fungus can spread into the plant’s crown.

It causes round, brown, firm, sunken spots on fruit.

Once present, the disease can be managed through:

• Strict sanitation (removing diseased plant material)
• Mulching to reduce soil splash
• Fungicide applications every five to seven days as needed

Rhizoctonia Root & Crown Rot

Pathogens: Rhizoctonia spp.

This disease has two phases:

• Root rot occurs in cool weather.
• Crown rot becomes severe during hot weather.

Plants typically collapse as fruiting starts. Bottoms of leaves may turn purple and curl upward. The original crown dies, and multiple side crowns can develop.
Prevent disease by rotating with grass crops and planting only certified disease-free plants.

Red Stele Root Rot (Phytophthora Root Rot)

Pathogens: Phytophthora fragariae and P. cactorum

Infected plants appear stunted, may wilt in hot weather, and produce little or no fruit before dying.
A reddish discoloration develops in the core (stele) of affected roots.

To minimize risk:

• Plant certified disease-free stock
• Avoid low, wet sites where standing water persists

Phomopsis Leaf Blight

Pathogen: Phomopsis obscurans

This disease develops in the fall or early spring, killing large portions of foliage.
It remains active as long as green leaves are present, resuming growth in spring if plants go dormant in winter.
Early symptoms are circular red to purple spots on leaflets that enlarge and develop gray centers.
Lesions along veins form large V-shaped areas of dead tissue.
The fungus also infects fruit and calyx, surviving in dead leaves attached to plants.

Leaf Spot & Leaf Scorch

Pathogens: Mycosphaerella fragariae (leaf spot) and Diplocarpon earliana (leaf scorch)

Both fungi spread through insects, birds, or equipment, surviving over winter on infected plants.

Leaf Spot: Small, round purple spots that later develop gray to white centers with purple margins.
Leaf Scorch: Dark purple spots that remain solid and irregular, giving leaves a scorched appearance when severe.

Heavy infection reduces foliage, stunts growth, and may cause plant death.
Spores spread quickly in early spring rains, infecting nearby plants.

Botrytis Fruit Rot (Gray Mold)

Pathogen: Botrytis cinerea

Botrytis fruit rot is the most common and significant fruit disease in South Carolina.
Decay can start anywhere on the fruit, often near the calyx, where moisture collects.|
As the disease progresses, gray spore masses develop on infected berries.

The fungus can infect all other plant parts, including leaves, flowers, and crowns.
It survives in infected tissue and small, oval, black sclerotia on the ground or plants.

These sclerotia germinate in the spring when flowering begins and infect floral parts.
From there, the pathogen moves into the fruit and may cause immediate fruit rot or remain dormant until conditions favor disease development.
The disease is most severe in cool, wet weather.

Sanitize plants by removing dead leaves and flowers in late winter.
Protecting the flowers and developing fruit with fungicide applications is key to control.
However, with strict sanitation, organic growers have successfully produced berries without fungicides.

Botrytis (gray mold) can also be managed by reducing leaf and flower wetness periods.
Overhead irrigation can keep plants wet for extended periods, creating ideal conditions for botrytis and other fungal diseases.

If overhead watering is used, irrigate early in the day so plants dry before nightfall.
Drip irrigation delivers water directly to the soil and is the preferred watering method for strawberries.

Strawberry Bacterial Diseases

Angular Leaf Spot

Pathogen: Xanthomonas fragariae

A bacterial disease that survives in dead plant tissue.
Initial symptoms appear as small, angular, water-soaked spots on leaf undersides.
Lesions expand but are confined by veins, forming irregular reddish-brown areas on the upper surfaces.|
Infected leaves often die.

Wet weather with daytime temperatures near 70 °F and cold nights favors development.
The disease stops as temperatures rise in spring.

There is no chemical control.
Crop rotation can reduce bacterial populations and limit reinfection.

Nematode Issues in Strawberries

Sting nematodes are the most common nematode pest of strawberries in South Carolina.
Affected plants appear stunted, may show nutrient deficiency-like symptoms, and produce little fruit.

No chemical control is available to homeowners.
Proper crop rotation is the best way to prevent nematode buildup.

Table 1: Fungicides for Managing Strawberry Diseases

Active Ingredient	Diseases Managed	Product Names
Captan (0-day PHI1)	fruit rots	Captan 50 Wettable Powder Southern Ag Captan Fungicide
Myclobutanil (0-day PHI1)	powdery mildew	Ferti-lome F Stop Lawn and Garden Fungicide Ike’s Total Disease Control Monterey Fungi-Max Spectracide Immunox Multi-Purpose Fungicide
1PHI = Preharvest Interval Note: Always follow label directions and use pesticides responsibly.

Pesticides are updated annually. Last updated 7/25 by Justin Ballew.

Document last updated on 10/25 by N. Jordan Franklin.

Originally published 06/99