Russ Wallace, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension horticulturist, Lubbock, said weather was an issue early, but strawberry producers are now harvesting average to above-average yields and quality.
Much of the state’s strawberry crop were hit with freezing temperatures in January and February, Wallace said. Damage from temperatures around 18 degrees meant surviving plants were very small and needed time to recover. Some producers covered plants to protect them from freezing temperatures, but the cloth typically protects flowers only against lows around 27 degrees.
Strawberry plant recovery meant a delayed harvest, but Wallace said plants are making up for lost time. “Overall, harvest is looking much better than the previous two years, and yields should be average to good,” he said. “They may have been slow to harvest, but plants are pushing hard now and looking better.” Texas strawberry producers overcome challenges Wallace said recent rains have improved growing conditions, though nearly all strawberry fields are planted into black or white plastic with drip irrigation systems.
