Honeoye (MA)

Quick Facts

• Type: June-bearing strawberry
• Season: Early to early mid-season with a long fruiting window
• Flavor: Good classic strawberry flavor; best in medium to light soils and cooler conditions
• Berry: Large, firm, dark red berries that are easy to pick and freeze well
• Plant habit: Hardy, vigorous plants with high productivity and good disease resistance on leaves and fruit
• Best for: Beginners, home gardeners, and u-pick operations needing reliable yields and good freezing quality
• Hardiness & disease: Winter hardy with generally good disease resistance; flavor may drop off after long hot spells late in the season

Honeoye is a long-time favorite June-bearing strawberry for northern gardens and pick-your-own fields thanks to its combination of hardiness, vigor, and heavy production. Plants are robust and reliable, sending out strong runners and producing high yields of firm, dark red berries that hold up well during picking and transport. The fruit’s size, color, and firmness make it especially good for freezing and for customers who like a more traditional, deep-red strawberry.

Best flavor is usually achieved in medium to light soils and in conditions that avoid extended periods of high heat. Under very hot, late-season weather, Honeoye can sometimes throw an off flavor, so timely picking and good site selection are important. Overall, it remains a top recommendation for beginners and home gardeners who want a hardy, forgiving variety that produces a lot of fruit over a long season.

For row layout and plant counts suited to June-bearing strawberries, see our Strawberry Spacing & Planting Guide before planting.