Late-season variety for extended harvest.Large-sized, moderately-firm berries ripen about a week later than Cabot. Flavor and yield are good, berry skins are relatively tender and best for fresh market sales. Vigorous, healthy plants. Summer fruiting or June-bearing type. Grows best in Zones 4-7. AC Valley Sunset was bred in Nova Scotia. U.S. Plant Patent #23,246. 1 Unit = 1 plant.
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Fragaria spp.
CULTURE: Strawberries prefer a sunny to partially shaded location and moist, well-drained soil, richly fertilized with compost or aged manure, and a pH between 6.5-6.8. Prepare beds the previous fall or in early spring to get good control over perennial weeds.
PLANTING: Space plants 12-18" apart in rows 3-4′ apart. Set plants with the roots straight down into the soil, making sure the middle of the crown is level with the top of the soil. Irrigate and keep free of weeds. Mulch with straw in late fall when plants have started to go dormant to moderate freeze/thaw cycles and heaving. Pull mulch aside in spring when plants start to grow. Leave the mulch in the footpaths to keep the fruit clean and help suppress weeds.
HARVEST: Begin the second spring and for 3-5 years thereafter. Renovate the beds immediately after the last harvest each year, starting in year 2. See our strawberry production guide #8862 for detailed instructions.
NOTES: Encourage the plant to put its energy into becoming established by removing all the flower buds during the first year of growth. As the plant becomes established, the runners will set small daughter plants. Press 2 or 3 daughter plants per main plant into the soil in mid- to late July to fill in your rows or beds. Allowing any more of the small plants to take root will cause the bed to become too crowded. To prevent this, cut off any additional runners that form during the season.
SPECS: 100 plants/100′ row, or 14,520 plants/acre at 12" spacing, rows 3′ apart.
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