Imagine the joy of stepping into your strawberry garden to pick juicy, red strawberries that have freshly ripened under the warm sunshine. Having your home strawberry patch can bring that vision to life. Sweet and delicious, strawberries like Fragaria × ananassa are easy and incredibly rewarding to grow. Whether you have room for a large patch or just a few plants in the front of a border, strawberries thrive in containers and even hanging baskets. In this guide, you will learn how to plant a strawberry patch in the easiest way.
There are many options when it comes to strawberry plants. You can choose from summer-fruiting, perpetual, or alpine types. With so many delicious varieties available, planting several types can lead to home-grown harvests that start in early summer and last until autumn. Plus, some plants send out new plantlets or runners after fruiting, allowing you to increase or replace older plants easily.
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The experience of growing your fruit is unmatched and truly rewarding. Not only are strawberries versatile, but they are also packed with nutrients and beneficial antioxidants. In this step-by-step guide, we will walk you through everything you need to know about how to plant a strawberry patch, and care for, and harvest your strawberry plants.
Making the dream of enjoying homegrown strawberries a reality starts with the basics. This guide will teach you how to grow strawberries from seed and cultivate thriving plants. Join us on this journey to success in growing strawberries right in your strawberry garden!
Selecting the Perfect Strawberry Plants
When selecting strawberry plants, it’s essential to consider the varieties that match your needs. Strawberries have various flavours, sweetness levels, fruit sizes, and colours. Some varieties also have better disease resistance and different flower colours.
Harvest time and cropping periods are important factors to consider, especially if you want a steady supply of berries from early summer until the first frost.
If you prefer a large harvest, summer-fruiting strawberries might be best. These produce a concentrated harvest from late spring to early summer, giving you many delicious berries. For a more consistent yield, ever bearing plants are ideal as they make fruit twice a year — once in spring and again in late summer or fall.
Day-neutral plants are a great option for gardeners looking for strawberries that grow throughout the season. They produce strawberries during the growing season, though the fruits may be smaller than other types. You can pick the perfect strawberry variety for your strawberry garden by understanding your preferences and growing conditions.
Summer-fruiting strawberries
Summer-fruiting strawberries are known for producing the largest fruit and having a short cropping period. These strawberries are heavy cropping, usually yielding many berries within two to three weeks. There are early-fruiting, mid-fruiting, and late-fruiting cultivars, which means you can enjoy strawberries from early summer through mid-summer. If you want to extend the season, using cloches or growing in a greenhouse from late winter can help achieve earlier harvests.
One popular type of summer-fruiting strawberry is June-bearing strawberries, which typically produce their harvest in June or late spring, depending on your climate. These plants are famous for their large sweet berries and heavy crops, delivering a concentrated crop over two to three weeks. For a continuous supply of fruit, you can choose early-season, mid-season, and late-season varieties to stagger planting and enjoy an extended harvest.
For example, Earliglow is an excellent choice for an early harvest. At the same time, Honeoye is great for the mid-season, and Allstar is perfect for a later yield.
Everbearing Strawberries
Everbearing strawberries, also known as perpetual strawberries, produce small flushes of fruit over a long period from early summer until the autumn frosts. While the crops are smaller than summer-fruiting varieties, you can enjoy a steady supply of fresh strawberries throughout the growing season. These plants generally produce smaller fruits and have fewer runners than June-bearing strawberries.
Typically, everbearing strawberries provide two to three harvests during spring, summer, and early fall. Although the individual harvests are not as abundant as June-bearing varieties, they ensure a continual supply of fresh berries over several months. For gardeners who enjoy having fresh strawberries for a longer season, everbearing varieties are an excellent choice.
Two of the best everbearing varieties are Ozark Beauty and Quinault. Both are known for producing flavorful berries across multiple harvests, making it easy to enjoy delicious strawberries from your garden well into the fall.
Day-Neutral Strawberries
Day-neutral strawberries are a newer class of strawberries that are not affected by the length of daylight hours. These plants will produce fruit from late spring until the first frost if temperatures remain between 35°F and 85°F. While the berries are usually smaller than June-bearing varieties, they are highly productive, and their yield can even rival the total output of June-bearing plants when well-managed.
Popular day-neutral varieties include Albion and Seascape, considered some of the best day-neutral strawberries to grow. Additionally, there are wild strawberries, also known as alpine strawberries, which belong to a different species than the common garden strawberry. These plants produce small, intensely flavoured berries throughout the growing season. They are perennial, making them hardy and easy to grow. They are ideal for border plantings or as edging in your garden.
When choosing strawberry plants, consider factors like disease resistance and how well they adapt to your local climate and gardening conditions. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, so the best choice depends on your needs and preferences.
Getting Your Garden Soil Ready
When getting ready to plant strawberries, creating the right soil conditions is essential.
pH of soil
While strawberries are versatile, they grow best in soil with a slightly acidic pH between 5.5 and 6.5. To check this:
1. Use a soil pH tester.
2. If your soil is too alkaline, amend it with elemental sulfur or aluminum sulfate.
3. If it’s too acidic, add lime to raise the pH.
Improving Drainage and Soil Structure
Strawberries need well-draining soil to prevent root diseases caused by waterlogged conditions. If you have heavy clay soil, mix in compost, well-rotted manure, or other organic matter to break up compacted soil and improve drainage. In sandy soils, which drain too quickly, adding organic materials can help retain water and nutrients that strawberry plants need for growth and fruit production.
Clearing the Planting Area
Before you plant, thoroughly clear the area of weeds and their roots to prevent competition for nutrients and water. If you are transforming a lawn into a garden bed, remove the grass and root system to avoid regrowth. This ensures your strawberry plants get all the space and nutrients they need to thrive.
Choosing the Right Location
Place your strawberry patch in a spot that receives at least six hours of sunlight daily. A south-facing or west-facing area is ideal, as sunlight is crucial for growing strong strawberries that produce sweet, juicy fruit. Ensure the spot isn’t shaded by buildings or trees, as strawberries need full access to the sun to flourish.
By carefully preparing the garden soil, you prepare your strawberry plants for a successful and bountiful harvest. With proper soil conditions, sunlight, and care, your strawberry patch will thrive and reward you with abundant, delicious fruit.
How to Grow Strawberries From Seed
When sowing strawberries, there are several ways to start your plants. Summer-fruiting and perpetual strawberries are typically grown from runners or young plants. At the same time, alpine strawberries can also be grown from seed. However, germination of alpine strawberries can be slow and sometimes unreliable. To get the best results, it’s recommended to sow these seeds in autumn or spring.
Prepare trays with peat-free seed compost and scatter the seeds thinly across the surface. Lightly cover them with sharp sand to help with proper growth. For successful germination, maintain a temperature between 18°C and 21°C (65°F and 70°F) and ensure the environment stays warm and consistent. If done correctly, this can provide better results when starting your strawberry garden.
Following a sowing guide helps ensure that your strawberries get a strong start, whether you grow them from seeds or use runners and young plants.
Planting Strawberries
When to Plant
Knowing how to grow strawberries from seed is crucial for success. If you’re growing from seed, start indoors in early spring to ensure the plants establish well before being moved outdoors.
Proper spacing, depth, and soil preparation are essential steps when learning how to plant a strawberry patch. For instance, plant crowns at the soil level, and give each plant enough space for good air circulation to prevent fungal diseases.
Plant Spacing
Proper plant spacing is essential for air circulation and to help prevent fungal diseases. Create rows 3-4 feet apart, and space your strawberries about 12-24 inches apart, depending on the variety. June-bearing strawberries typically need more space due to their runners, while everbearing and day-neutral varieties require less room.
Plant Depth
Regarding planting depth, ensure the plant’s crown (where the stem meets the roots) is level with the soil surface. Burying the crown too deep can cause it to rot, while planting it too high may lead to dried-out roots.
Method of Planting
There are two common planting methods: the matted row system and the hill system.
In the matted row system, which is used for June-bearing varieties, runners (the baby plants attached by a stolon) are allowed to root and form a matted row about two feet wide, yielding a large harvest.
For everbearing and day-neutral varieties, use the hill system, where plants are grown in raised beds or mounds, and runners are removed to produce fewer but larger berries and extend the productive life of the planting.
After planting, it’s essential to thoroughly water your strawberries to help settle the soil around the roots and establish the plants. You can use rainwater collected in a water butt for an eco-friendly option. Check out watering tips like using watering globes for consistent moisture.
Caring for Your Strawberry Patch
Watering Your Strawberry Patch
Watering your strawberry patch is essential for healthy plants. During the first 4-6 weeks after planting, make sure your strawberries receive around 1-2 inches of water per week. If the weather is dry, more frequent watering may be necessary. Once the plants are established, water them deeply at least once weekly, especially during dry periods. As a general rule of thumb, ensure your plants get at least 1 inch of water per week from rain or watering. Keep the soil moist, but avoid waterlogging, which can lead to root rot.
Feeding
In early spring, it’s important to feed your strawberry plants. If they grow in the ground, use a high-potassium fertilizer like Vitax Q4, blood, fish, or bonemeal, and scatter half a handful per square meter around the plants. For those in containers, opt for a high-potassium liquid feed, such as tomato feed, applied weekly or fortnightly throughout the growing season.
Mulching
Mulching your strawberry patch has several benefits. It helps to retain soil moisture, reduces weed growth, and keeps the fruit from touching the soil, which can cause rot. Use materials like straw, pine needles, wood chips, or black plastic mulch for mulching. For perpetual strawberry plants, remove the first flush of flowers planted in autumn or early spring so that they can become established. For summer-fruiting types, only remove flowers from weaker plants. With cold-stored runners planted in late spring or early summer, leave the flowers intact to produce strawberries about 60 days after planting.
Managing runners
Managing runners is essential for June-bearing strawberries, which produce runners (plant extensions) that take root and grow into new plants. If you use the matted row system, let the runners form a thick mat of plants. Removing the runners is best for day-neutral or everbearing strawberries, allowing the plants to focus their energy on fruit production.
Protecting Your Plants from Pests and Diseases
Another important aspect of care is protecting your strawberry plants from pests and diseases. Regularly check your plants for signs of damage and treat any issues quickly. Common strawberry pests include slugs, aphids, and birds, while diseases like powdery mildew and fruit rots can affect your patch. Using netting can help protect your strawberries from birds.
Overwintering
For winter care, strawberries need protection from freezing temperatures in colder regions. Once the plants have gone dormant in late fall, cover the patch with a thick layer of straw or pine needle mulch. This will insulate the plants from the cold and prevent them from escaping the ground during freeze-thaw cycles. In spring, remove the mulch as new growth begins, but leave a little around the plants to suppress weeds and keep the fruit clean. You can enjoy a bumper harvest of home-grown strawberries with the right care.
Planting in Containers
If you’re planting in containers, strawberries can thrive in pots, grow bags, or hanging baskets. Use peat-free, multi-purpose, or soil-based compost, and plant with the crown level with the surface. Space your plants 10–20 cm apart and place the container in a sunny, sheltered spot. Water regularly to keep the plants healthy.
Growing in a Greenhouse or Under Cloches
Those who prefer growing strawberries in a greenhouse or under cloches can expect fruit a couple of weeks earlier than outdoor plants. Varieties like ‘Cambridge Favourite’, ‘Honeoye’, and ‘Tamella’ are great choices. You can start by moving potted strawberry plants into an unheated greenhouse in February or cover rows outdoors with a plastic-free crop cover. Be sure to water regularly and even hand-pollinate the flowers using a paintbrush to ensure good fruit production.
Harvesting Your Homegrown Strawberries
When it’s time to harvest your homegrown strawberries, pick fully ripe berries because they won’t ripen any further once picked. Depending on the variety, strawberries typically ripen outdoors between early summer and early autumn. Protect the fruit from birds and squirrels to avoid losing your hard work. Look for bright red strawberries, and try to pick them during the warmest part of the day, as they are most tasty.
After harvesting, it’s best to eat the strawberries as soon as possible, but if you have too many, you can freeze them. Remember that frozen strawberries might lose shape once defrosted, but they’re still great for smoothies and desserts. To preserve their freshness, don’t wash them until you’re ready to use them, as the moisture can cause spoilage.
When your strawberry plants are thriving, harvesting becomes the most rewarding part of the process. Understanding the ripening stages and picking at the right time ensures you’ll enjoy the freshest, sweetest fruit. Whether you grow strawberries in containers or learn how to plant a strawberry patch in the ground, the taste of homegrown strawberries is always worth the effort.
By following these tips, you’ll master how to grow strawberries from seed, cultivate a flourishing strawberry garden, and enjoy the delicious rewards of your labour.
Final Observations
Creating a thriving strawberry patch in your garden is a fulfilling experience that brings both joy and fresh, delicious fruit. Whether you’re starting from seeds, runners, or young plants, following the right steps will lead to abundant harvests. With proper care, the right variety, and a little patience, your strawberry garden can provide sweet rewards season after season. So roll up your sleeves, plant your strawberries, and enjoy the fruits of your labour!
