Growing Day-Neutral Strawberries in Western Washington
By Wendy Hoashi-Erhardt and Thomas Walters
Day-neutral strawberries with repeat flowering have long production seasons highly suitable to fresh market sales, allowing harvest of high-quality berries over a period spanning four to five months. These strawberries are often grown as an annual, and can be a profitable crop for specialty crop producers who are seeking to diversify further, as well as for dedicated strawberry growers. The value of fresh-market strawberries in Washington and Oregon increased 144% between 2000 and 2012, and producers and commodity groups are preparing for further growth, which is favored by strong consumer interest in local foods and health benefits of berry fruits. This publication introduces day-neutral strawberry production to commercial growers who are interested in exploiting the long season and fresh market capability of day-neutral strawberries.
You can download a full copy for free here.
Beneficial Insects, Spiders, and Other Mini-Creatures in Your Garden
Who They Are and How to Get Them to Stay
By David James
An ecologically-healthy garden or landscape has a diverse fauna of insects, spiders, mites, centipedes, and harvestmen—each with a unique, and usually beneficial, role in keeping your backyard habitat healthy and functioning efficiently. This colorful publication provides photographs and describes the life-cycle and beneficial activities of the “good guys” and “natural enemies” that inhabit garden landscapes in the PNW.