Q. What is the difference between June-bearing and ever-bearing strawberries? 

A. Types of strawberries are named according to their harvest time. June-bearing strawberries are the most familiar type and produce the largest fruits as well as large yields. Ever-bearing plants produce two smaller crops, one in June and another in early fall. June-bearing varieties also produce larger numbers of runners than ever-bearing varieties.

A newer type of strawberry called day-neutral produces fruit throughout the growing season. Like ever-bearing strawberries, day-neutral varieties produce smaller fruits, lower yields, and fewer runners than June-bearing varieties. 

It is best to remove blooms from June-bearing varieties the first year to encourage healthy root systems and vigorous runners. Blooms from ever-bearing and day-neutral plants should be removed through June of the first year, but allow the plants to bloom and set fruit after June. If you want strawberries the first season, plant ever-bearing or day-neutral varieties or plant June-bearing in combination with one of the other types. Planting a combination of types will not change the flowering or yields of any type.

More varieties of June-bearing plants are available than ever-bearing or day-neutral. It is not possible to tell the difference between the types just by looking at them so be sure you know which type of strawberry you want before purchasing.