Production of early season strawberries event

The main strawberry fruit production period in Northern Ireland is from May to August. In response to an increasing interest from local growers in producing fresh strawberry fruit outside the main strawberry season, College of Agriculture Food & Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) will host a soft fruit technical training event on Wednesday 23 March at 2:00pm at the Horticulture Centre in Greenmount Campus, Antrim.

Kieran Lavelle, Senior horticulture Development Adviser, CAFRE looking at Elstanta fruit development with Kostas Xyntaris, Senior Horticulture Technologist, CAFRE.

At the event, growers will have an opportunity to see an early crop of three varieties (Malling Centenary, Elsanta and Limalexia) grown in a heated Venlo Glasshouse under flowering lamps with and without supplementary lighting.

Berta Cunha (CAFRE’s Soft Fruit Adviser) and Kostas Xyntaris (CAFRE’s Senior Horticulture Technologist) will be joined by Mark Horner from Engage Agro to discuss environmental control, nutrition, plant growth and bio-pesticide usage in strawberry production.

This workshop is open to all growers and soft fruit businesses. If you have any queries or require further information on the event, please contact Kieran Lavelle, Senior Horticulture Development Adviser, Horticulture Branch, CAFRE Mobile: 0799057589, email: kieran.lavelle@daera-ni.gov.uk

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