Season outlook promising for Texas strawberries

Despite some challenges, conditions appear to be aligning well for Texas strawberries as spring harvests continue, said a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert.

Larry Stein, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension horticulture specialist and professor in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Horticultural Sciences, Uvalde, said strawberry harvest ramped up over the past two weeks. Despite some post-planting hiccups, growers are optimistic about the 2025 season.

There were chill-hour requirement issues with plants that resulted in complete replants for some producers, Stein said. Strawberry growers receive and plant mostly bare-root plants from nurseries between September and November, but this season, some varieties lacked adequate chill hours before they were shipped.

“There was a challenge getting strawberry plants replanted and concern a few weeks ago about plants being small,” he said. “But soil temperature in February was fairly cool, so they have really taken off and producers are excited about this season’s prospects.”

Conditions favorable for Texas strawberries

The extended drought’s impact on strawberry production has also been limited because Texas strawberries receive irrigation via drip tape, Stein said. The dry weather has benefited crop progress because it has limited insect pests and diseases in fields.

Stein said freezes in January and February had little impact on plants. The Feb. 17 freeze may have knocked back early blooms and fruit, but plants fared well. Some producers used protective covers to minimize the freezing temperature’s impact.

At this point in the season, Stein said most producers are hoping to avoid rainfall and hail. Hail can impact blooms and fruit, while rainfall can impact harvest and/or create an environment for fungal diseases to impact fruit.

Some growers in the Winter Garden and Hill Country regions received rainfall recently, but Stein said it should not interfere with harvest. The moisture will likely mean monitoring for disease issues. Most growers avoided recent hailstorms.

“The good news is we’re two weeks from Poteet’s strawberry festival, so plants will have time to recover from any setbacks associated with recent weather,” he said.

Market remains strong for Texas strawberries

Stein said Texas strawberry producers serve wholesale buyers and direct sales markets like local fruit stands or farmers markets as well as “pick-your-own” options for consumers.

Texas’ largest concentration of strawberry producers is around Poteet, south of San Antonio, which is considered the “strawberry capital” of Texas. But other producers can be found around the Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, Lubbock, Tyler and Fredericksburg areas.

If there are no local growers nearby, look for berries grown in Texas at local supermarkets. Stein said prices will vary based on the farm and location, but he expects prices to be similar to last year — $3.50-$8 per pound.

“They’ve been selling everything they’re picking and getting the price they are asking for their strawberries,” Stein said. “Strawberries are a premium crop. They can be a risky crop. They require a lot of investment and are a labor of love, but there is no shortage of demand.”

Ripe, red, fresh local strawberries

Stein said established growers added acres and new growers around Fort Worth/Tarrant County have expanded Texas strawberry production to feed demand.

The updated growing recommendations based on statewide research trials in AgriLife Extension’s “Commercial Strawberry Field Production in Texas” guide lays the foundation for future expansion and grower success, he added.

About 90% of U.S. strawberries are grown in California and Florida, Stein said. But locally grown strawberries are a premium specialty crop because they aren’t shipped across the country.

Unlike some fruit, strawberries do not ripen any further once picked. Texas strawberries are picked when fully ripe, which translates into better taste.

Berries should be at least 80% red before they are picked, Stein said, but 100% fully red is ideal for the best flavor.

“Texas growers pick their strawberries ripe, and they’re proud of that,” he said.

AgriLife Extension district reporters compiled the following summaries:

Central

Dry, windy conditions persisted and continued to reduce soil moisture. Widespread showers occurred at the end of the week. In the counties that received more rain, topsoil moisture greatly improved and should help grain and forage sorghum plantings. Some pastures with winter annuals and warm-season grasses made good growth. Local creeks were dry or running low. Irrigated corn looked fair, while dryland stands were uneven or had not progressed. Most dryland grain fields were expected to produce very little. Some rust was observed in wheat, and growers continued to scout and apply treatments. Livestock were in good to fair condition with some supplemental feeding.

Rolling Plains

Dry conditions continued to impact agriculture across the district. Wheat was starting to show drought stress, and many producers with wheat pastures providing stocker cattle grazing have shipped calves earlier than would be ideal. Drying vegetation represented fuel for potential wildfires, and days of sustained high winds increased that threat. Rain chances were in the forecast.

Coastal Bend

Widespread rain over three days delivered 1.5-7 inches across the district. Standing water was common in low-lying areas, particularly in southeast parts of the district. Cotton planting was delayed until the fields dry. Rice planting slowed due to rainfall but should pick up next week. Herbicide applications were made to corn fields, and fertilizer was applied to hay fields before the rain. Corn and sorghum crops should benefit from the rain, and some dry-planted fields were expected to emerge. Pasture conditions were poor but should improve with warmer temperatures and available moisture. Livestock diet supplementation continued but may slow as pastures improve. Most ponds caught water, and many were now full.

East

Rainfall was received by most of the district. High winds in some areas dried out the soil very quickly. Pasture and rangeland conditions were good overall. Subsoil and topsoil conditions were adequate. Marion County received enough rain to lift a burn ban. Anderson County reported croplands were too saturated to plant row crops and vegetables. Warm season forages were growing well. Cattle market prices were mostly steady to higher on lighter weight classes. Livestock were in fair to good condition with some diet supplementation taking place. There were problems with weeds, gnats and biting flies. Fertilizer prices started to worry producers. Wild pig activity increased and was becoming very destructive.

Southeast

Rainfall was received and should benefit pastures and crops. Spring green-up was showing improvement in pasture conditions. San Jacinto County experienced a wildfire and high winds late last week, followed by rain. The rain helped ease drought conditions and should improve livestock health. However, the rain interrupted plantings, including rice and corn, and limited fieldwork. Rice plantings in areas with less rainfall made significant progress.
Pasture and rangeland ratings were very poor to excellent, with most areas reporting fair conditions. Soil moisture levels were very short to adequate. Livestock conditions were poor to excellent. Oat fields progressed and were in fair to good condition with most stands headed. Corn was 50% to 100% planted, and fields were emerging. In Walker County, sorghum was 30% to 75% planted, while in Lee County, 20% was planted, and in Waller, 75% planted. Rice was up to 20% planted in some counties. Upland cotton was 10% planted in Burleson County.

South Plains

Conditions remained extremely dry, and the district missed rain in the forecast again. High winds and lack of moisture created blowing dust and increased soil drying. Soil sampling was wrapping up as producers were beginning to make management decisions on their fields for the growing season. Deep soil moisture was verified by samples down to 20 inches. Preirrigation started in some fields to prepare for corn grain and silage plantings. Spray equipment was moving as producers prepared to apply preplant herbicides. Producer crop outlooks were not very positive with current markets. Cotton acres were expected to be down. Fertilizer top-dressing of winter wheat fields continued and could help achieve yield goals. Pasture conditions continued to deteriorate without moisture. Cattle were relying heavily on supplemental feeding.

Panhandle

Conditions in the district remained extremely dry. Overall, soil moisture levels ranged from very short to adequate. Daily high winds had depleted all available moisture, and rain was desperately needed. Corn planting season should begin within the next couple of weeks, and prewatering was underway as field conditions remained extremely dry. Wheat was developing rapidly due to warmer soil temperatures, but moisture was needed to complete the crop and build soil moisture for cotton and corn plantings to follow. Supplemental feeding of cattle continued. Pasture and range conditions were very poor to fair, and overall, crop conditions were poor to fair.

North

Counties reported subsoil and topsoil moisture levels as mostly adequate. Pasture and rangeland conditions were fair and good. Some counties experienced thunderstorms that delivered around 2-3 inches of rain; one county reported hail. Overall, windy and dry conditions prevailed. Winter wheat conditions were fair to good. Corn and sorghum were planted and in fair to good condition. Fruit trees were blooming. Planted tomatoes, squash, melons and potatoes were thriving. Most vegetable planting was nearing completion. Pastures were progressing slowly, and many were overgrazed. Livestock’s conditions were fair to good. Cattle grazed on volunteer forage in the pastures. Insect populations were increasing.

Far West

Wind intensity and temperatures continued to be above average for this time of year. Warmer temperatures reached the mid- to upper-80s. Producers continued to clean up after heavy winds. The district had a chance of rain this week, and while the upper elevations in the Big Bend Region benefited, it missed the lower elevations. Corn planting began and should be complete soon. Many producers were waiting on irrigation water to wet the surface enough to allow corn to germinate and emerge. Only a small percentage of planted fields have emerged to this point. Sorghum planting will begin soon if moisture allows, and melon planting should begin next week. Fieldwork halted in many areas as the ground was too powdery to plow without making it blow more. Without significant rain, irrigated cotton acres could be reduced again this season. Pastures were bare except for filaree in low-lying areas. Producers were facing significant challenges due to limited grazing and high feed costs. Cattle conditions were holding due to supplemental feed. Some cattle were grazing irrigated fields. Marketing of sheep was complete, and producers will begin to market goats and late lambs in the upcoming weeks. Preirrigation was occurring for Pima and upland cotton. Alfalfa and pecans were watered. The El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1 was not expected to release water until the end of May, making it difficult to irrigate unless producers have wells. Producers in the Lower Rio Grande Valley may use effluent water from the city of El Paso.

West Central

All areas needed rain. Some areas received decent rainfall toward the end of the week. Temperatures cooled but were still unseasonably warm and beyond 80 degrees most days. High winds and heat were reducing soil moisture levels. Soil samples in a few areas showed subsoil moisture was very short. Pastures were dry and offering little grazing. Producers were controlling weeds in warm-season pastures. Rangelands and pastures needed rainfall to produce. Cattle were in fair to good shape, and cows were calving. Most herds were receiving supplemental feed. Producers continued to make deeper culls and were selling lighter calves. Dust pneumonia was reported in some cattle. Some fields were being prepared for forage plantings. Some producers hoped to plant haygrazer if fields received rainfall. Some small grain fields were overgrazed and mostly droughted out. Most trees were blooming, and mesquite and oaks were leafing out. Pecan trees have broken bud. Irrigated wheat started to enter the boot stage for those planning to harvest, but most fields were being grazed out. Fieldwork continued in preparation of spring crops, especially cotton. Producers applied fertilizer, and some began planting irrigated sorghum, with a few of those fields emerging. Most corn was planted, and many fields had emerged, but acres were expected to be down this season.

Southwest

Rainfall was reported, with most areas receiving 0.5-3.5. inches, with some hail reported in isolated areas. Cooler temperatures were also reported, with cloudy skies most of the week and daytime highs in the low 70s on rainy days. Rains produced very little runoff in streams, creeks and rivers. The moisture did improve producer optimism. The rainfall helped both cool- and warm-season forages break dormancy and improved rangeland conditions. Honeybees were feeding on early-blooming trees and spring wildflowers. Mesquites began to leaf out. Row crops were planted, but no emergence was observed yet, but the recent rain should benefit corn and sorghum. Livestock diets were still being supplemented with feed and hay, but grazing was increasing. Livestock markets remained steady to strong. Much more rain was needed to sustain improvements.

South

Conditions improved as areas received 0.4-14 inches across the district. Soil moisture levels improved significantly. Rainfall also improved grass growth, and fieldwork resumed in many areas. Standing water was in some fields and pastures. Crop damage in low-lying areas may occur if waters do not recede soon. Temperatures were moderate with cooler mornings, and forecasts called for above-average chances of rain for April. Strawberry harvest was in full swing. Row crop farmers were expected to finish planting as soon as possible. Leafy greens were still being harvested. All corn and sorghum were planted, and most cotton acres had been planted. Citrus and vegetable harvests came to a halt due to rainfall. Sesame planting should resume late next week. Hay producers were cultivating their fields and were expected to plant haygrazer. Some hay producers should have their first cutting soon. Rangeland conditions should improve as well. Fewer cattle were expected to be sold at the auction barns because of the rains, but local beef cattle markets offered above-average volumes this week with strong prices for all classes. Cattle feed supplementation continued, and livestock were in good conditions. Feed prices remained high.