Weed control for commercial strawberry plantings in Virginia

Weeds compete with strawberry pl.ants for light, nutrients, and water. This competition reduces strawberry plant size, leaf numbers, branch crown development, fruit quality, and yield. It also shortens the profitable life of the planting, and makes harvesting more difficult, tedious, or more expensive. Luxuriant weed growth can create conditions which encourage fruit rotting and it interferes with effective application of pesticides. Weeds reduce the aesthetic value of a strawberry planting and make it less acceptable for harvesting by pick-your-own customers. Effective year-round weed control is therefore necessary for maximum production of strawberries and it is especially critical when fruit are intended for sale by the pick-your-own method.