Grow Strawberries

Homegrown strawberries are full of flavor and freshness. As both a food and a decorative plant, strawberries are perfect for growing in the garden or in containers, and if you've got children, they'll find that strawberries are one of the easiest and most rewarding plants to grow. There are various choices to make when growing strawberries––choose according to what works best for you and the space you have available.

Steps

Choosing a strawberry variety

  1. Determine what variety of strawberry plant fits best with your needs. There are two basic types of strawberry plants, namely summer producing strawberries and perpetual (ever-bearing) strawberries. Summer producing strawberries can be broken down into early, mid and late summer plants. There are many varieties within each grouping of strawberries and some are likely to be very localized, so ask your local garden center for more specific advice. Very generally, some of the varieties are as follows:
    • Ever-bearing or perpetual strawberry plant: This is the most popular of the strawberries because it keeps on growing for a good five or so years. It produces a fair amount fruit throughout the year (outdoors in temperate climates, in an indoor container for colder areas). Both of these features make it a good choice if you are looking for a continuous supply.
    • June fruiting bearing variety: This plant will provide you with one large supply of strawberries in early to mid summer, depending on planting time (summer crops will produce fruit about two months after planting). Purchase this variety if you're looking to cook with and/or freeze your harvest.
    • Day neutral strawberry plants: These are similar to ever-bearing but will produce much smaller numbers of strawberries throughout the year. This is an ideal variety if you're looking to eat strawberries fresh out of the ground.
    • Alpine strawberries: This strawberry plant is a very small types of strawberry. The fruit may be small but it's packed with flavor, making these strawberries ideal for jam makers.
  2. Find the plants. Most garden centers will stock strawberry plants but if you want a specific variety, you might need to check online or ask for specific stock to be ordered in. It is always helpful to get the advice of the local garden center as to what type of strawberry grows best in your local conditions.
    • It is best to buy strawberry plants at the exact time you intend to plant them into the ground or container. Leaving them for too long in their store-bought pots can cause them to become root-bound, unhealthy and lacking in enough vigor to grow well when replanted.
  3. Always inspect your potential plants for disease or signs of poor health. Your strawberry plants should have vibrant green leaves and are free from spots, brown edges, or wilted ends. The roots should be plentiful and very light in color.
    • Consider purchasing disease-resistant strawberry plants. Though this option is generally more expensive, these plants are well-known for withstanding the numerous types of fungal diseases that strawberry plants are susceptible to.
  4. Decide where to grow your strawberries. Strawberries are happy in both garden beds or containers, provided you give them what they need by way of soil and fertilizer. It's up to you, take into consideration the space you have available and the temperatures in your location. For example, if you want to grow strawberries all year round in a cold climate, consider growing them in a container that can be easily moved indoors and outdoors during the different seasons.
    • Strawberries grow well in all but the most tropical of climates.

Anatomy of a strawberry

  1. Understand that strawberries grow from the crown. This is what looks like the base of the plant before the roots start. This crown cannot be covered when planting the strawberry plant, either in garden beds or containers. However, it should not be left too exposed either––always check to ensure that the crown is sitting just above the soil.
  2. Note that you'll find strawberry seeds on the outside of the fruit. This is a fairly unusual placement for seeds in fruit but it is part of what makes the strawberry such an interesting fruit. If you do intend to grow from seed, a section has been provided below to help you do this.
    • Be aware that growing from seed can be tricky and it'll be a year before the plant bears fruit.

Growing strawberries in the garden

  1. Plant at the right time. This will be determined by the strawberry variety you've chosen, so read the label or consult the retailer from whom you're purchasing the plants.[1]
    • Large fruiting varieties of strawberries are best planted in summer, usually in the second month of summer and at the latest, by the first half of the last month of summer.
    • Alpine strawberries are best planted during the second and third months of spring.
    • Perpetual strawberries can actually benefit from an autumn/fall planting rather than a winter planting, as this gives them more time to grow accustomed to the new plot and establish a healthy root system. (This planting time is appropriate for gardens in temperate climate zones.)
  2. Choose a warm and sunny spot. Strawberries love areas that get a lot of direct sunlight without shade. They also appreciate minimal wind. A strawberry plant will produce strawberries in partial shade if need be but the crop will never be as prolific as a plant kept in full sun.
  3. Dig the soil over well. Add lots of compost to enrich the soil and remove any weeds, including the roots of weeds.
    • Strawberries like rich soil the most. If the soil is heavy clay or poor sand, add well-decomposed organic material. Mulch after planting, to protect the surface soil and to keep the strawberries clean.
    • If the soil is very acidic, add three quarters of a cup of dolomite per square meter of complete plant food before planting.
  4. Remove the strawberry plant from the store container. Place the root ball into a bucket of water to soak for an hour or so. This helps to ease the shock of the transition from pot to ground, and ensures that the roots stay moist enough.
  5. Dig a hole in the soil. Place the strawberry plant in the hole, keeping the crown above the soil line.
  6. Press the soil firmly and gently around the base of the strawberry plant.
  7. Continue planting in the same way if you have other strawberry plants. Keep each plant about {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} apart. It making rows, keep the strawberries about {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} apart.
  8. Water regularly. However, don't overdo the water––the shallow roots need water in hot weather but don't like being soggy. Avoid letting the soil dry out and avoid making it into a mud bath! The time for a decent soaking is when the soil appears dry at the surface to about 1cm/ 1/2 an inch down (stick your finger in to check).
    • Water the crown of the plant. Avoid watering fruit––this can cause fruit to rot.
  9. Use a liquid fertilizer to provide nourishment. Choose a fertilizer suited to strawberries.
    • Strawberry plants that are given water-soluble fertilizers that are high in nitrogen will perform poorly, producing lots of leaf growth rather than focusing on bearing fruits. If you wish to use this type of fertilizer, minimize its application.
  10. Pluck off the first flowers. By removing the first flowers that appear, you will give the strawberry plant a chance to grow more vigorously and produce a stronger root system. Allow subsequent flowers to keep growing.
    • Runners are also best removed. If the strawberry plant is going to produce these, you'll see them about a month into growing. Runners deplete the energy of the strawberry plant, so keep them under control until the plant is well established. Later on, you can leave one runner to grow to establish new plants if you're growing the strawberries in the garden but never let a plant have more than one runner at a time or it will be weakened and the energy will go into growing plant rather than strawberries.
  11. Check regularly. The first signs that the strawberry flowers have turned into fruit will be small green strawberries. These will continue to grow and then turn red when they're ripe.
    • You may need to deal with the birds. Birds love strawberries too, and if you discover that they're pinching the strawberries, you will need to create a barrier. You can use fine garden mesh/strawberry net to throw over the plants; this will stop most birds from getting in to take the strawberries. Another option is one for the birds and one for you. If the birds aren't too greedy, you can leave some for them and take some for you; this tends to work best where the birds are often scared off by something like a cat, the flash of something bright like hanging CDs or noise.
  12. Harvest the strawberries. When the whole strawberry is red, it's ready to pick. Take a bowl or basket to your plant or strawberry patch and pick straight from the bush. Always pick so that the stem is left intact; hulling should occur only when eating or preparing for a dish.
    • Give freshly picked strawberries a quick, gentle wash in cold water before eating fresh.
  13. Continue to tend the plants. Strawberry plants are fairly hardy and they'll continue to produce fruit year after year, for at least five years before they need to be replaced. For overwintering in temperate climate zones, clear away weeds, straw, mulch, etc. and leave to grow untended. If it snows where you live, use container strawberries and bring them indoors.
    • Consider replacing strawberry stock every two years if you experience problems with viruses destroying the plants. Discard the old stock completely and bring in new stock that is virus free.

Growing strawberries in a container

Strawberries have very shallow roots, so it is easy to grow them in pots, both indoors and out. You can place your strawberry plants on a balcony, patio or indoors in front of a sunny window. While potted strawberries can be planted any time of the year, it is best to plant them in spring if they're going to be outdoors as well as indoors.

  1. Choose a potting container with drainage holes. Although you can buy special strawberry pots that have multiple openings, it isn’t absolutely necessary; strawberries can grow and produce fruit in any container that has good soil and gets enough sunlight.
    • Place broken terracotta or ceramics at the base of the container, or large pebbles/small rocks. These will help ensure good drainage.
  2. Fill the pot two-thirds full with potting mix. The strawberry pot should have at least an 18” diameter. Even though strawberries have shallow roots, they do produce runners that need some space to extend.
    • Strawberries thrive in soil that has a pH between 5.3 and 6.5, so select a potting soil with that ratio. It’s a good idea to keep your soil rich by adding a handful of compost to the container once a month.
    • If growing in a tall and narrow unglazed strawberry jar, add a quarter peat moss before adding the soil, to increase the moisture-retaining ability of the jar.
    • If growing in a hanging basket, line the basket with sphagnum moss and use peaty soil. Again, this is to retain moisture for the plants. Sphagnum moss will also allow for the plant to grow out the sides of the pot, which looks nice.
  3. Water the soil until the water starts to drain from the bottom of the pot. Then make 5 or 6 mounds of soil about 1” (25.4 mm) tall. Space the mounds at least 6” (152.4 mm) apart so that the runners will have room to roam. The mounds themselves shouldn’t be more than 3” (76.2 mm) wide.
  4. Gently lift your strawberry plants from their nursery pots. If necessary, cut the pot with scissors if the plant is wedged in too tightly. Carefully shake off the extra soil while separating the delicate roots with your fingers.
  5. Fill a bucket or other container with water. Soak the strawberry roots for an hour, so they can absorb enough to keep them hydrated.
  6. Remove the plants from the soaking water and set a plant on top of each soil mound. Arrange the roots so that they extend down the sides of the mounds.
  7. Fill the pot with more soil, bringing the soil to the level of the plant’s crown. The stems emerge from the crown, so don’t bury it under the soil.
  8. Water the plants thoroughly. Continue to gently water until the pot begins to drain. (Add more soil if necessary—the thorough watering will often collapse air pockets and reduce the soil level.)
    • Use a watering can with a sprinkler attachment to avoid eroding the soil.
  9. Done. The container can now be placed outside (hanging or sitting on the ground), or in a warm and sunny spot inside.
  10. Harvest when ready. Wait for a few to accumulate or simply eat them as they ripen. How many you'll get per harvest will depend on the amount you've grown and the container's size.

Starting strawberry plants from seed

While strawberry plants are usually grown from the young plant, it is also possible to grow strawberry plants from seed.

  1. Purchase seeds at your local nursery or from an online source.
  2. Fill a container with soil and water it thoroughly.
  3. Use your finger to make 1/4" (6 mm) depressions in the soil, spacing the holes 6” (152.4 mm) apart.
  4. Place 3 seeds in each hole. The seeds are small; some people use tweezers to transfer the seeds from the package to the soil.
  5. Cover the seeds. Tamp down the soil over each seed hole. You can simply press your finger over the soil. Don't push too hard because that can cause the soil to compact and the seeds will have to struggle to emerge.
  6. Use plastic wrap to cover the top of the planter. This will keep the soil moist while the seeds germinate.
  7. Place the planter in a sunny location. The strawberries will benefit from a warm spot with plenty of light. Put your planter near a radiator or other heat source during the winter.
  8. Water the seeds. Keep the soil moist, but not soggy. Check the soil daily to make sure it doesn't dry out.
  9. Remove the plastic wrap from the planter when the seeds have sprouted. Once the seedlings reach the top of the plastic, they will need room to keep growing, so don't leave the plastic on. The soil will dry out more quickly when it is uncovered, so check for dryness every day.
  10. Thin the strawberry plants after the seeds have sprouted. Do this by pinching or snipping off the smallest plants. Leave about 6” (152.4 mm) between the remaining plants.

Growing strawberry plants from runners (propagating)

Runners are the shoots that come from the main plant––their whole purpose is to produce new plants where possible. They can be used to grow new strawberry plants for next year's planting season.

  1. Fill a container with soil. Place it next to the strawberry plant that is sending forth runners.
  2. Pick up the runner and push it into the pot of soil. Leave attached to the main plant and cover only a portion of the runner––the other side will need to stick out over the pot to keep its balance.
  3. Let the runner sit attached like this for at least one month. During this time, water regularly, at the same time as the mother plant; this is to keep the soil moist and encourage root growth.
  4. Separate the runner from the mother plant. After a month, cut the runner from the mother plant––use clean or sterilized garden snips to do this, so as to avoid introducing a disease at the cut site.

Strawberry calendar around the year

The following provides some basic advice on caring for strawberries through the year. You'll need to make adjustments according to the variety, and if you live in the Southern Hemisphere, you'll need to swap the months around:

  • Early winter (Dec-Jan): Weed around the strawberry plants, remove anything that might encourage mold of fungal growth. Check to see if there is any need to cover them.
  • Late winter (Jan-Feb): Seeds need to be sown at this time, in tubs, indoors.
  • Early spring (Mar-April): Prepare the plot for planting new strawberry plants. Fertilize existing strawberry plants.
  • Late spring (April-May): Plant the early-bearing strawberry plants; they may need to be covered if it's still frosty but this needs to be balanced with removing covers for pollination on warmer days. About end of April, plant mid- and late-bearing strawberry plants. Remove runners and first flowers. Add anti-bird measures.
  • Early summer (June-July): Mulch around the strawberries. Keep well watered and bird-free. Check for diseases and discard any unhealthy looking plants. Harvest early bearing strawberries. Propagate new plants.
  • Late summer (July-Aug): Continue watering and propagating. Harvest mid- to -late season and perpetual varieties. Make jam.
  • Early autumn/fall (Sept-Oct): Cut back old or straggly bits of the plants. Fertilize for winter. Harvest any strawberries continuing to produce (usually perpetual).
  • Late autumn/fall (Oct-Nov): Tidy up perpetual varieties in readiness for over-wintering.



Tips

  • While growing strawberries from seeds your own fruit has produced may seem like a great idea, the chances are high that this will produce a small, sour fruit that isn't as delectable as the original. Your best option is to purchase seeds from the store if you're looking to grow from seed. If you don't mind trying though, give it a go to see how it turns out.
  • Adding a few pinches of coffee grounds to the soil will boost the nitrogen level; add coffee grounds if the leaves of plant are pale green.
  • Strawberry plants can self-pollinate if needed. However, bees ensure more pollination occurs and the strawberries are more likely to form fully when bee pollinated.
  • Most strawberry plants benefit from a time-release fertilizer; you can buy potting soil with the fertilizer already mixed in, or you can buy the fertilizer separately and add it to the soil.
  • Birds love strawberries as much as you do. If your fruits are getting eaten by our feathered friends, drape netting over the plants or carefully arrange a large piece of chicken wire over the pot, in a dome or bell shape, without constricting the plant.
  • Harvest your fruit as soon as it is ripe; strawberries that sit on top of the soil too long will rot.
  • Make sure the pot is big enough for the plant. If you can see roots poking out the drainage hole at the bottom of the pot, it is time to move your plant to a bigger home.
  • If you plant your strawberries in a hanging basket or strawberry pot, remember to rotate the container often so that the plants on the backside get enough sunlight.
  • Most strawberry plants will stop producing fruit after 4 to 6 years. The time it peters out will depend on the variety grown. Remove when they seem to be doing poorly and have stopped producing the amount expected from them.
  • If you'd like to grow strawberries in water, see How to Grow Hydroponic Strawberries for more details.
  • Your strawberries don’t necessarily have to be fully red to be ripe. The best indicator of ripeness is taste. If they are firm and sweet, they are ready to pick.

Warnings

  • Strawberries suffer from numerous diseases, including viruses and rot. They are sometimes able to be saved with fast and accurate treatment, but in many cases, it's simply best to discard them and start over with fresh plants. Typical fungal diseases include botrytis and leaf spot, while powdery mildew can be another problem for strawberries. Ask your local nursery center for remedies, or do a search for natural solutions.
  • It's easy to overwater a strawberry plant in a pot. Don't feel defeated if your plant doesn't survive. Just get a new one and try again next year!

Things You’ll Need

  • Planting pot or hanging basket
  • Starter plants or strawberry seeds
  • Potting soil
  • Time-release fertilizer
  • Plastic wrap (if starting from seed)
  • Strawberry mesh/nets

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ Christine Recht, Success with Soft Fruits, p. 42, (2000), ISBN 0-86411-962-3
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