How to Grow Bountiful Strawberry Plants
Bright & Beautiful Strawberries
All it takes is one sweet home-grown strawberry to understand - the fresher the produce, the better the flavor! Home-grown strawberries can taste much sweeter than those you buy in the store since you’re able to wait until they are ripe and juicy before picking them. Conventionally grown strawberries are often picked under ripe, then forced to redden by being blanketed with nitrogen gas. This results in a perfect looking yet watery, bland tasting strawberry. Growing at home also means that you can select varieties which prioritize taste over commercially desirable traits like size and durability.
Strawberries are super easy to grow, which means that even the most green of gardeners can experience the joy of picking their summer haul directly from their own backyard. Just follow our handy tips and soon you’ll be devouring shortcake.
Strawberry Varieties
There are three types of strawberries available to home gardeners:
June-bearing strawberries: These can be harvested all at one time, and you’ll be able to tell them from some of the other varieties due to their larger sized fruits.
Everbearing strawberries: You can expect a couple of harvests throughout the season, and this type produces berries that are on the smaller side.
Day-neutral strawberries: These are similar to everbearing strawberries without the daylight requirements.
You don’t need to own a big farm to have a bumper strawberry crop. Don't let limited space deter you from growing strawberries; they're perfectly suited for container gardening, making them an excellent choice for urban growers. Simply employ some vertical gardening techniques and a little creativity, and you’ll be able to enjoy a bountiful harvest even in small spaces.
Depending on your location and USDA hardiness zone, strawberries can be a perennial part of your garden. Make sure to check which zone you are in, and if your zone requires it, you may need to lift and store your strawberry crowns during the harsh winter months. This extra step will ensure that you can sustainably produce a strawberry harvest annually without having to buy new plants.
The Best Time to Plant Strawberries
June-bearing strawberries can be planted in the fall and harvested the following spring. It is recommended that first-year plants have the flower buds removed and additional runners cut so that the plant can establish itself within the soil for a more fruitful harvest in the second season. Everbearing and day-neutral varieties can be planted as early as December for a spring harvest, depending on your hardiness zone.
When the time comes to put your strawberry plants in the ground, the rows should be about 24 inches wide and mounded up six inches high. Additionally, the rows should be three to four feet apart, to give ample room for walking and for the plants to spread.
How to Care for Strawberries
Consider the following tips for growing healthy, delicious strawberries right at home in your garden.
Soil
In order to provide your strawberries with the best possible growing conditions, the soil should be tested and amended so that the pH falls between 5.5 and 6.5. Mature compost should be worked into the top six inches of soil before planting; this will encourage vigorous growth and well-developed fruitset. Continue to add compost throughout the season, in to support microbial life of the soil, which in turn supports the life of your plants.
Water
Thorough watering is essential—strawberries need at least an inch of water a week to produce juicy, full-developed berries.
Light
Situate your strawberry plants so they'll receive at least eight hours of full, direct sunlight each day.
Fertilizer
Strawberries aren’t super heavy feeders, so you can use a balanced NPK fertilizer (10-10-10 and 20-20-20 are both good options), remembering to feed in early spring and then again when their fruits start to appear.
Mulch
To maintain healthy strawberries, use straw around the plants to protect the plants, keep berries off the soil, and suppress weeds. When planting strawberries in cold weather, a covering will be needed, such as mulch, temporary cold frames, or tunnel row coverings.
Companion Plants
Giving your strawberries the right plant neighbors can also help to encourage a bountiful crop. Due to strawberries’ shallow root system and compact size, they can be strategically placed throughout your garden, acting as beneficial companions to a variety of plants. Consider planting them near herbs like basil or thyme to deter pests and attract beneficial insects. Placing strawberries near onions or garlic can help repel pests while enriching the soil.
How to Propagate Strawberries From Runners
One of the benefits of cultivating strawberries at home is the opportunity to propagate them through their runners. The runners are specialized stems that grow outward from the main strawberry plant, developing small plantlets or 'pups’ at their tips. You can manage this process by directing the runners to open ground, where contact with the soil will encourage a new root system to develop. Alternatively, you can place a small nursery pot next to your running plants and pin the runner tip to the soil in the pot. In just a few weeks, you’ll have brand new plants which you can cut from the mother and transplant to your desired location.
To propagate strawberries using runners, follow these steps:
Identify healthy runners by looking for long, slender stems extending from the main strawberry plant that have healthy-looking pups developing at their tips.
Prepare the pup for propagation by gently separating the pup from the mother plant while keeping its roots intact using scissors or a small gardening knife.
Plant the pup in well-draining soil enriched with organic matter. Dig a small hole for the pup, ensuring the roots are well-covered, keeping the crown (where the plant meets the roots) slightly above the soil level. Firmly press the soil around the pup to secure it in place.
After planting, water the newly propagated strawberry pup thoroughly to help it establish its roots. Continue to water regularly, keeping the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Mulching around the plant can help retain moisture and suppress weeds.
Monitor growth by keeping an eye on the propagated pup as it establishes itself in its new location. With proper care and maintenance, it will grow into a mature strawberry plant capable of producing fruit.
How to Harvest and Store Strawberries
Once you've got the hang of growing your strawberries, you will want to know the best way to harvest and store them so your hard work will not go to waste.
How to Determine Ripeness
Determining the ripeness of your berries is a skill developed through experience – you need to look at a lot of berries, and taste a lot of them too, before you develop ‘an eye’ for that perfect range of colors that indicate peak ripeness. You can tell strawberries are ripe when they are completely red, and there is no sign of white or green on the berry. Typically, when the fruit first appears, they are very small and green; as they grow bigger, they start to turn white, then into red, indicating it's ready to harvest. Expect to harvest some berries from your patch every one to two days during the growing season.
Early morning harvests are best before the sun becomes too hot. All berries are very sensitive to high temperatures after they’ve been picked. That being said, there’s nothing that compare to the flavor complexity of a perfectly ripe strawberry that is warm and tender from the sun!
How to Harvest Strawberries
The best way to pick strawberries is by taking the stem between two fingers and pinching until the stem breaks. You can also use hand shears to make this easier.
Storing Fresh Strawberries
To keep your berries fresh after you’ve picked them, you’ll need to ensure they’re completely dry before storing them; otherwise, you run the risk of mold. The shelf life of strawberries can be extended by soaking them in white distilled vinegar for two minutes. Rinse and dry the berries completely, then place a paper towel underneath them in the storage container to help absorb any excess moisture.
Common Problems When Growing Strawberries
One of the most common issues with strawberries is seeing flowers but no fruit. This can be caused by a lack of pollination, poor soil, nutrient deficiency, or pests. Inspect your plants at least once a week for pests to get ahead of the problem. If you do find insects, make sure you properly ID the specimen before resorting to insecticides – some insects are beneficial!
If a lack of pollination is causing your berry problems, this can be easily fixed by planting flower varieties alongside strawberries that pollinators love, like bee balm or borage. Poor soil and nutrient deficiencies can be uncovered by taking a soil test and sending it to a local company for thorough testing. Testing your soil will tell you what nutrients are lacking and how you can amend it.
Lastly, your strawberries just may not be ready to bloom yet. Depending on where you live and what variety you plant, strawberries will bloom at different times of the year. Be patient, and soon you’ll be devouring healthy home-grown treats!