Everbearing vs June Bearing Strawberry Types

Written By Lara Wadsworth

Strawberries are one of America’s favorite fruits from adult to child. With the average American consuming 8 pounds of strawberries annually, it is hard to ignore these sweet little fruits. Growing strawberries at home is not only feasible for many Americans but is also a fantastic way to reduce your carbon emissions, waste, cost, and exposure to pesticides. If you’ve clicked on this article, you are probably considering trying to grow them yourself. Congratulations! You can do this! This post aims to help you and anyone else decide which category of strawberries will best fit you and your garden.

Unlike many other fruits that take multiple years after planting to produce a harvest, some strawberries will be produced within the first year of planting! This fact makes them accessible and not intimidating to most home gardeners. The problem is picking the right one for you. Strawberry plants can be broken into three main categories: Everbearing, Day-Neutral (a prominent sub-category of Everbearing), and June Bearing. Each has its pros and cons to consider.

Everbearing Strawberries: 2-3 Consistent Harvests

The main thing you need to know about Everbearing strawberries is that they typically produce two or three main crops, one in early summer and one in early fall. Some varieties might lightly produce between those two times, but most of the fruits will be ready to pick in those windows. This type is ideal for gardeners who want a steady supply of strawberries throughout the summer. However, the multiple harvests are slightly smaller than June Bearers (see below); this makes them perfect for those who mainly want to eat fresh strawberries and maybe do some small-batch preserving.

Everbearing Varieties to Consider:

True to its name, Eversweet is one of the most popular Everbearing varieties due to its sweet, delicious fruits that mature steadily throughout the summer. It’s a dependable performer, providing multiple harvests and maintaining great flavor throughout the season.

Day-Neutral Strawberries: Continuous Production

Day-neutral strawberries have no specific harvest window; instead, they are controlled by a temperature range. As long as temperatures remain between 35 F and 85 F, they will attempt to put out flowers and fruit. Unlike June Bearers, day-neutral varieties are not dependent on day length to trigger flowering, making them an excellent option for consistent harvesting. If you are not so concerned about having a huge harvest at once for preserving and would rather be able to go out every few days and pick a handful of delicious berries to eat fresh, day-neutral berries are for you! You can obviously still preserve them, but they produce slower with little spurts that are spread out. So be sure to plan for small batches every now and then.

Day-Neutral Varieties to Consider:

Technically, Day-Neutral Strawberries are a subcategory of Everbearing. So, sometimes strawberries will be listed as everbearing but might also be day-neutrals—for example, Albion and Seascape. Albion is a popular variety known for its firm, conical, and uniform berries with delightful flavors. They are also quite disease-resistant. Seascape is another great option, especially for gardeners in warmer areas, due to its heat tolerance and wonderfully delicious fruits. Both of these varieties are produced continuously from spring to fall (depending on temperatures experienced)!

June Bearing Strawberries: One Big Harvest

If you are a serial preserver, you definitely want a June Bearer. These delicious strawberries put all their effort into one quite large harvest of berries in early summer, usually landing around June, hence the name. This crop typically lasts about 2-3 weeks, and then they focus on foliage and root development for the rest of the growing season. June Bearers are also best for colder climates because they need a shorter growing season and benefit from a nice winter chill to stimulate their production. So, if you like to batch-make lots of jam or other types of strawberry preserves at once, or you live in a colder climate, consider choosing June-bearing strawberries for your garden.

June Bearing Varieties to Consider:

If you are going for cold tolerance, Honeoye is a great choice. It perfectly balances heavy yields with tolerance of cold winters and cool springs. The fruits are sweet yet tart, making them ideal for jams and pies. If you’re not so concerned about cold tolerance but want to have a huge crop to preserve, choose Allstar. This disease-resistant, low-maintenance variety is reliable and bears large, classically sweet fruits. If you live in a warm climate but still want the benefits of a June-bearer, choose Chandler! Chandler strawberry plants produce large, luscious berries, which are especially popular for growing in California and the southern United States.

Whether you are trying to reduce your grocery store trips, want to grow more delicious strawberries than you can buy at the store, or are an avid food preserver, you can find something to gain from growing strawberries at home! It starts with choosing the right variety for your region, garden, and lifestyle. If you have any other questions about the differences between the various varieties or types and want an in-depth look at how to grow strawberries with different methods, my favorite resource book is called Growing Fruit by the Royal Horticultural Society. It has reliable information about growing all sorts of berries, including strawberries, that is easy to understand. Feel free to comment below on any of your experiences with these varieties!

Lara Wadsworth, True Leaf Market Writer

I am a native of Southwestern Michigan, where I also reside, and I love all things plants! I got a Bachelor's Degree in Horticulture and found the first work-from-home job I could get. Now, I spend my days writing for TLM, playing with my dog, eating delicious food with my husband, and plotting my next landscape or gardening move. I believe everyone should get down and dirty in the soil now and then. Happy Gardening!