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.