Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Quinault Strawberry: An Everbearer for the Kitchen Garden
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Quinault strawberry is an everbearing variety, introduced in 1967 and still grown because it simply produces. You get a crop of large, very sweet berries in late spring, then more flowers and fruit through summer and into fall.
It also has a reputation as one of the most disease-free everbearers, which is welcome news for anyone who has watched a bed of berries turn gray in a wet June.
Quinault at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Fragaria x ananassa 'Quinault' |
| Type | Everbearing |
| Fruit | Large, soft, bright red, very sweet |
| Flowers | White with golden yellow centers |
| Size | 6 to 8 inches tall, spreading by runners to about 3 feet |
| Bloom | Starts mid-May, peaks late May, repeats through the season |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 4 to 8 |
| Light | Full sun |
How it pairs with lavender
Strawberries and lavender share a love of full sun, but that is where the agreement ends. Berries want richer soil and steady water; lavender wants lean soil and dry roots. Put them side by side and one of them will be unhappy. The better plan is a raised strawberry bed a few steps from the lavender, where both get the sun and each gets its own soil.
The payoff comes in the kitchen. Fresh berries and culinary lavender are a classic summer combination in shortcakes, jams and lemonade. Our Companion Plant Planner can help you lay out a sunny kitchen garden around the lavender.
Planting bare root plants
Quinault ships as a dormant bare root plant. Soak the roots briefly, then set each crown so it sits exactly level with the soil surface. Too deep and the crown rots; too high and the roots dry out. Water well after planting and keep the soil evenly moist while new leaves appear.
Care through the season
- Water: regularly, especially while fruit is forming and during hot spells, when flowering slows.
- Mulch: a layer of straw keeps berries clean, holds moisture and limits gray mold.
- Spacing: give plants room and water at the base to keep leaves dry in humid weather.
- Runners: let some root to fill the bed, and use young runner plants to renew it every few years.
- Winter: after the ground begins to freeze, cover plants with 2 to 4 inches of straw. Pull it back in spring once growth starts.
- Critters: deer like strawberries as much as you do, so fence or net if they visit your yard.
Using the harvest
Quinault berries are excellent fresh, in jams, preserves, tarts and pies, and they freeze well. Pick in the cool of the morning when they are fully red, and refrigerate them unwashed until you use them.
Frequently asked questions
What does everbearing mean?
It means the plant fruits more than once a season: a main crop in late spring, then smaller flushes through summer into fall, rather than one big June harvest.
Can I grow Quinault in a container?
Yes. It does well in containers and raised beds. Pots dry out faster, so check them often in summer.
Do the flowers smell like anything?
The flowers have a faint, sweet scent, and ripe berries are wonderfully aromatic.
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