Strawberry Plants: Plugs vs Bare Root
What's best for your program?
For over 50 years, bare root strawberry plants have been the cornerstone of our business. In response to growing customer interest, we’ve added strawberry plugs to our offerings. How do you determine which option best suits your program?
Bare root plants are versatile, suitable for both matted row systems in early spring and plasticulture systems from mid-June to early July, depending on your location.
On the other hand, plugs are designed exclusively for planting in the standard, staggered, double-row plasticulture system and should be set in the fall, roughly 30 days after bare root plants. While bare root plants necessitate hand planting into plastic, plugs offer the convenience of mechanical planting.
Due to their earlier planting time, bare root plants require more meticulous irrigation management. Plugs must still be carefully managed after planting, but with their later planting window, demand less time and management for a full crop the following June. Runner removal is critical for developing good branch crown growth in both bare root and plug plantings.
Our catalog boasts approximately 30 varieties of bare root plants. For 2024, we are offering plugs of Galletta, Darselect, Cabot, Yambu, Flavorfest, Jewel, Albion, and Malwina.
Bare root plants have no order minimum, while plugs require a minimum order of 7,500 plants. Shipping options vary for bare root depending on the order size and plug orders must be shipped via Freight Carrier. Freight costs tend to be higher for plugs due to case size.
In summary,
Bare root plants offer a more cost-effective solution, especially for large-scale planting where budget considerations are paramount. And for those prioritizing variety availability, bare roots may be favored due to their broader selection.
However, if mechanical planting or efficiency is a priority, plugs may be the preferred choice despite their higher cost. Plugs, planted later, require less management and field time, making them appealing to growers seeking reduced crop management intensity or needing to work around other seasonal crop and farm demands.
