BLACKVILLE - When you sink your teeth into a perfectly delicious, juicy, ripe strawberry, you don't give much thought to why it's so good. It just is.

Local pick-your-own strawberry fields are now open for business and brimming with top quality local berries. We all know you can't get much better than "farm fresh," but growing strawberries is not as easy as it may seem.

At Edisto Research and Education Center in Blackville, Dr. Powell Smith, extension entomologist, is doing his part to help growers find the best way to produce top quality strawberries using the least amount of pesticides. His findings will benefit growers and, in turn, people who simply love to eat strawberries.

"Strawberries are one on the most labor-intensive crops in the United States," Smith said. "The nature of the fruit itself makes it have a tendency to decay, and it's a crop that requires a lot of management."

Smith explained that his current research focuses on two areas - use of a new miticide to control the two spotted spider mite and the control of botrytis, or gray mold. With the help of technician Raul Garcia, Smith is doing a controlled study on nine rows of strawberries planted on black plastic which he sprays weekly and harvests twice a week. Plants are checked for the presence of mites, and harvested berries are observed for the growth of gray mold.

"There are few organic ways to control pests in strawberries," Smith said, "but Clemson is looking at ways for growers to use the least amount of chemicals possible to produce a top quality crop. By adding surfactant, the spray products can be made more effective."

Smith estimated that there are about 600 acres of strawberries being grown in South Carolina on black plastic with drip irrigation. Most are pick-your-own operations where berries are not shipped but consumed locally. In Bamberg, Barnwell, Orangeburg, Lexington and Aiken counties alone, there are about 100 acres of strawberries being grown.

Locally grown, pick-your-own strawberries have more flavor, are riper, have less pesticide residue and can be selected individually by the consumer, Smith said.

"It's hard for local growers to compete in stores with berries shipped from California," Smith said. "They get a better price at the farm and can offer a fresher product."

For the consumer, it's a win-win situation when they take advantage of in-season, PYO strawberries. Strawberries do not continue to ripen once they are picked. Berries shipped in from out-of-state may look ripe and appear sweet, but they are not.

Now that most South Carolina farmers are growing their strawberries as an annual crop on black plastic, they are turning out bigger and better berries for consumers. Ongoing research by Smith and others will continue to produce more economical ways for growers to provide consumers the best berry for the buck.

New recommendations resulting from Smith's study will be shared with growers through extension publications and oral presentations. The May 6 Spring Field Day at Edisto REC in Blackville will include a tour of Smith's strawberry plot and a presentation at the field between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Registration for the field day is between 9 a.m. and 9:30 a.m.

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