'Quatre Saisons' Everbearing Strawberry - Fragaria x ananassa

Grow your own garden treasures with the 'Quatre Saisons' Strawberry, a must-have variety for those who want to extend their harvest season. Unlike June-bearing types, this everbearing strawberry produces flavourful fruit continuously from June until the first autumn frosts. Its bright red, firm, and intensely fragrant berries are a true delight for fresh snacking, desserts, or homemade preserves. Robust and generous, it thrives in both garden beds and containers.

Characteristics

• Foliage: Features trifoliate, forest green lustrous leaves that form a low, spreading rosette. The foliage is vigorous and remains attractive even during periods of heavy fruit production, creating a dense and healthy groundcover.
• Flowering / Fruit: Produces charming small white flowers with yellow centres that reappear throughout the season. The fruits are medium-sized, uniform red berries with juicy flesh and a sweet aroma reminiscent of wild strawberries.
• Pollination: This variety is self-fertile. While a single plant will produce fruit, planting multiple subjects nearby will increase harvest frequency and the total quantity of berries available for picking.
• Light: Requires full sun (minimum 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day). Abundant light is essential to ensure continuous production and high sugar levels in the fruit.
• Habit: A perennial herbaceous plant with a creeping and compact habit. It produces runners (stolons) that allow it to spread naturally, creating a productive green carpet over the years.
• Growth: Boasts fast and vigorous growth. Its everbearing nature allows it to produce fruit in its very first year of planting.
• Soil: Thrives in rich, loose, and well-drained soil high in organic matter. It prefers a slightly acidic pH. Using straw mulch is ideal for keeping the berries clean and retaining consistent moisture.
• Temperature: Benefits from excellent Canadian hardiness (Zone 3). It withstands Quebec winters easily, provided there is good snow cover or adequate protective mulch.
• Resistances: Shows good general resistance to common foliage diseases and leaf spots, making it much easier to manage in organic or eco-friendly gardens.

Usage

• Types of utilization: Perfect for kitchen gardens, border edges, raised beds, or even hanging baskets. It is a top choice for family gardens where fresh berries can be picked and enjoyed daily.
• Decorative benefits: Offers constant visual appeal through the simultaneous presence of delicate white blossoms and bright red fruit throughout the entire summer season.

Maintenance

• Watering: Consistent and uniform watering is essential, especially during heatwaves. Strawberries have shallow root systems that dry out quickly, requiring careful monitoring.
• Fertilization: Amend the soil with mature compost in spring. Apply a fertilizer high in phosphorus and potassium every two to three weeks during the production period to support continuous blooming.
• Pruning: Remove the first blossoms in spring during the first year of planting to allow the plant to establish a strong root system. Clear away dry or diseased leaves in the fall for better garden hygiene.
• Planting: Plant so that the crown (the base of the stems) is exactly level with the soil surface, without burying it. Space plants about 30 to 40 cm apart to allow for natural spreading.
• Preventive Treatments: Use clean straw mulch to keep berries from touching the ground, which significantly reduces the risk of grey mould (botrytis) during wet weather.
• Winter Protection: Once the ground has frozen, cover the plants with 5 to 10 cm of straw. This protects the roots and buds from spring freeze-thaw cycles.

Companion Planting

Maximize your strawberry's health by surrounding them with beneficial companions. Garlic (Allium sativum) and Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) help prevent fungal diseases, while Nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus) repel certain pests. To attract essential pollinators, plant Catmint (Nepeta x faassenii) nearby.