What Is an Everbearing Plant? Two Crops in One Season
An everbearing plant produces more than one crop in a season. Oregon State University Extension notes everbearing strawberries fruit twice a year, once during the June bearing season and again in late summer. Retailers often group day neutral cultivars with everbearing types, which creates confusion.
The short answer
An everbearing plant fruits twice in a season. Oregon State University Extension notes everbearing strawberries bear in early summer plus again in late summer. Iowa State University Extension notes yields are smaller than June bearers but spread over two harvests. Day neutral types fruit through the whole season.
What does everbearing mean?
Oregon State University Extension groups strawberries into June bearing, everbearing plus day neutral types.
| Type | Fruiting | Runners |
|---|---|---|
| June bearing | One crop in late spring or early summer | Many |
| Everbearing | Two crops, early summer plus late summer | Few |
| Day neutral | Through the season when temperatures are moderate | Few |
Source: Oregon State University Extension plus Iowa State University Extension.
How do everbearing and day neutral strawberries differ?
Oregon State University Extension notes day neutral plants fruit through the season except below 40 degrees F or at 90 degrees F or higher. Everbearers fruit twice. It notes everbearers are less productive than day neutral types in most regions.
Which type suits a small garden?
Iowa State University Extension advises day neutral types for small spaces or containers. Oregon State University Extension notes day neutrals are well suited to containers. Everbearers make few runners plus more crowns, so they also fit as single plants.
How to: step by step
- Decide if you want one big crop or a longer season.
- Check the label for everbearing or day neutral.
- Plant in spring.
- Remove runners to direct growth into fruit.
- Pick the early summer crop.
- Pick the second crop in late summer.
Troubleshooting
Plants spreading too much: runners were left on. Iowa State University Extension notes runners are usually removed on everbearers.
Small harvests: everbearers yield less per crop than June bearers. Expect two modest pickings.
No fruit in midsummer heat: temperatures went too high. Oregon State University Extension notes fruiting pauses at 90 degrees F or higher.
For related reading see life cycle of a marijuana plant, garden microclimates for cannabis plus raised beds for cannabis. Kind Seed Co also stocks cannabis seeds.
Sources
- Growing strawberries in your home garden (EC 1307), Oregon State University Extension
- Understanding strawberry types for the home garden, Iowa State University Extension
- Growing strawberries in the home garden, University of Minnesota Extension
- When does days to maturity start for plants?, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
FAQ
Is everbearing the same as day neutral?
No. Oregon State University Extension notes everbearers fruit twice a year while day neutral strawberries fruit through the season when temperatures are moderate. It notes retailers often group day neutral cultivars with everbearing types, which creates confusion. Check the cultivar name to know which one you have.
Do everbearing plants fruit the first year?
Yes. Oregon State University Extension notes everbearing strawberries produce a late summer crop in the planting year. Day neutral plants also fruit in the same year they are planted. June bearing strawberries are often held back a year so the plants can establish runners first.
Should runners be removed from everbearers?
Iowa State University Extension notes everbearers produce fewer runners plus more crowns. They are often grown as single plants with runners removed to encourage fruiting. Oregon State University Extension advises removing runners from any potted strawberry before the daughter plants flower.
Do everbearing plants yield more?
No. Iowa State University Extension notes everbearer yields are smaller than June bearers but spread over two harvests. June bearers give the largest single crop. Oregon State University Extension notes everbearers are less productive than day neutral types in most regions, so choose them for a longer picking window.
Which strawberry type should a beginner choose?
Iowa State University Extension notes June bearing strawberries are often the easiest to manage for beginners. Choose everbearers for a longer season with moderate yields. Choose day neutral types for small spaces plus containers. Day neutrals need more frequent watering, feeding plus runner removal.
