Ohio Strawberry Plasticulture Row Cover Management

Strawberry plasticulture production has been researched under southern Ohio conditions since 2001. It has been identified that strawberry plasticulture is a viable season extension technique for Ohio farmers, however growing plasticulture strawberry under harsh Ohio winters requires the use and proper management of frost and freeze protection techniques to prevent or replace radiant heat loss in the crop canopy and to minimize winter injury and maximize crop production. Row covers provide winter protection but when applied reduce light transmission into the plant canopy, thus reducing photosynthetic activity and reducing plant yield. To optimize production of plasticulture strawberry Ohio field research has been conducted to determine row cover management techniques which optimize winter protection and enhance yield and fruit quality. Trials have evaluated  the effect of row cover management treatments, such as applying lighter weight covers with great light transparency in the late fall and early winter then applying a second layer when winter temperatures and conditions traditionally are colder, which is typically in early January for our southern Ohio growing region.  Results from replicated trials conducted at the Ohio State University Piketon Research and Extension Center in Piketon Ohio indicate that a lighter weight row cover, 0.55 ounces per square yard applied in the fall when temperatures average 50 °F for one week then a second 0.90 ounce per square yard row cover applied the first week of January when temperatures historically are the coldest of the year. This paper will share the results and experiences of the past 4 years of replicated strawberry plasticulture row cover management research and the lessons we have learned.