Orlando Berry Basket
Yard notes
Two beds, two pH numbers
Growing Strawberries in the Florida Home Garden (HS403) wants slightly acidic soil, pH 5.5 to 6.5. The Blueberry Gardener's Guide (CIR1192/MG359) wants 4.0 to 5.5. At higher blueberry pH, iron and zinc go deficient on new growth and the plant loses vigor. The overlap at 5.5 is a line, not a shared bed. Strawberries sit above it. Blueberries sit below it.
| Crop | Soil pH | Organic matter | Plant window |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strawberry (Hull) | 5.5–6.5 | Well-drained raised bed | Late September–early November (home). Central commercial: Sept 25–Oct 25 |
| Southern highbush blueberry | 4.0–5.5 | Not recommended under 3% without amendment | Mid-December–mid-February |
| Rabbiteye blueberry | 4.0–5.5 | Usually fine at 1%; better at 2%–3% | Same midwinter window. Winters as cold as Ocala or colder |
Hull's fall plant window
Florida grows strawberries as an annual winter crop. HS403: temperatures between 50°F and 80°F and day lengths of 14 hours or less are what most varieties need to flower and fruit. On the peninsula those conditions hold through much of fall, winter, and spring. Single-crown plants go in from late September to early November. Flowering and fruit start in November and run into April or May, in two or three cycles, interrupted by freezes. The commercial chapter Strawberry Production (CV134) lists Central Florida plant dates as September 25 to October 25. North Florida is September 20 to October 15. South Florida is October 1 to November 1.
UF/IFAS suggests Camarosa, Florida Brilliance, and Sweet Sensation Florida127 for the home garden. Florida Brilliance and Florida127 have been the most productive commercially in Central Florida. Expect 1 to 2 pints per plant. Pull the plants after fruiting. Best fruit comes from young plants with no more than four or five branch crowns.
Blueberry pH, pine bark, sulfur
Per the Blueberry Gardener's Guide: the best time to plant blueberries in Florida is mid-December to mid-February. Only low-chill cultivars work here. Southern highbush is the type for the peninsula, from Alachua and Putnam counties south to Hendry County. Rabbiteye wants winters as cold as or colder than Ocala's. Gardening Solutions says southern highbush is best suited to Central and South Central Florida. Emerald and Jewel are listed as adapted from Gainesville to Sebring. Star has a higher chilling requirement and has not performed well south of Ocala.
Milled pine bark is the usual organic-matter fix, as a soil amendment and as a 3-inch mulch. Granulated sulfur mixed in several months before planting acidifies soil that tests too high. Ammonium sulfate and azalea/camellia fertilizers are acid-forming and lower pH gradually. A soil test comes first. County Extension runs that test. Blueberries also need at least 18 inches of well-drained profile. More than a few days of saturated soil invites Phytophthora root rot.
Hypothesis: if an Orange County sand tests 6.0 or above, a pine-bark container is the practical out for one southern highbush plant. The Blueberry Gardener's Guide allows containers and prefers southern highbush for a pot because rabbiteye can reach 12 to 15 feet. The paper does not publish an Orange County mix recipe. Do not lime a blueberry bed to suit strawberries. Do not share the bed.
The 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is the ZIP lookup for average extreme minimums. Zone 10a is 30–35°F; 9b is 25–30°F. Southern highbush flowers early. Per blueberry guidance: that early bloom makes them susceptible to late-winter and early-spring freezes. A cover is the same practical answer strawberry home-garden guidance gives strawberries on a 32°F night. Get this.
Questions
When do you plant strawberries in Central Florida?
Growing Strawberries in the Florida Home Garden plants single-crown plants from late September to early November. UF/IFAS Strawberry Production lists Central Florida commercial dates as September 25 to October 25. Fruit starts in November.
What soil pH do blueberries need?
Blueberry guidance: 4.0 to 5.5. Strawberries want 5.5 to 6.5. Two beds. Granulated sulfur, pine bark, and a soil test are the blueberry tools.
Can Hull share a bed with blueberries?
No. Hull is a winter strawberry. Blueberries are a second plant, a lower pH, and a midwinter plant date. UF/IFAS writes them as separate crops.
Which blueberry for Orlando?
Southern highbush. Emerald and Jewel are listed from Gainesville to Sebring. Star is a north-Florida plant. Rabbiteye wants winters as cold as Ocala or colder. Source: MG359 and Gardening Solutions.
Sources
- Growing Strawberries in the Florida Home Garden (HS403), UF/IFAS
- Strawberry Production (CV134), UF/IFAS
- Blueberry Gardener's Guide (CIR1192/MG359), UF/IFAS
- Blueberries, UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
Cited grow notes · pH, plant dates, two beds · Huller vs knife