What to do with strawberry plants after fruiting in June? Well, there’s one easy and obvious answer: eat them! But along with indulging, there are a few other things you need to do this month. Because what you do right now, in the immediate wake of your strawberry harvest in June, directly dictates whether you will be enjoying that same juicy abundance next June.

When you make the commitment to grow your own strawberries, you have to be prepared to roll up your sleeves and tend to your plants in summer, even after the yummy berries have been enjoyed. Indeed, the things you do now are critical to plant health and vigor and the future quality of your strawbs. Good strawberry care extends well past picking day, and this post-harvest period is a vital transition phase for June-bearing strawberries. Eating a few of those ripe, luscious fruits should be plenty of motivation for taking the best possible care of your plants.

June-bearing strawberry plants shift into a phase of structural repair and energy storage during midsummer. Take care of a few easy steps this month, and you’ll be helping your plants cultivate the rooting networks and dense foliage needed to generate a jackpot of free, luscious, and high-yielding strawberries next year.

5 Things to Do for Strawbs in June

Before you dive into these strawberry care steps for June, confirm that your berries are June-bearing. There are several types of strawberries commonly planted in home gardens. One type is June-bearing, and if you plant these in your berry patch, you get one big harvest of strawberries in late spring or early summer, often in the month of June. After that, the plants stop producing until the following year. The advice given in this article applies to June-bearing strawberry plants such as 'Jewel', 'Chandler', 'Cabot', and 'Allstar' strawbs.

These plants enter a semi-dormant phase for 4-6 weeks after harvesting strawberries, making June the ideal window for these quick steps across USDA hardiness zones 3-9. Before starting, just check soil moisture levels in the ground around your plants before making significant additions. You can buy the highly rated Yamron 4-in-1 Meter from Amazon to ensure the ground is well draining.

Everbearing or day-neutral strawberry varieties behave differently, producing a big crop in early summer, followed by lighter flushes through summer and fall. If you clean up the patch and cut back the everbearing foliage in June, you will forego all the rest of the berries, which would be a shame. For June-bearers, however, these steps are both vital and very straightforward. Once you have checked the soil, grab your trusty trimming tools and don’t forget some sterilizing fluid. You can buy Vi-Jon Swan Isoprophyl Alcohol from Amazon to sterilize cutting tools.

If you’re growing June-bearers in towers, hanging baskets, or terracotta planters, these rules still apply after strawberry harvest time. Container-grown strawberries experience quicker nutrient depletion and moisture loss than in-ground beds, making immediate post-harvest feeding and plant care even more critical. Just use handheld shears for container-grown strawbs so you don't accidentally nick favorite planters.

1. Renovate Strawberry Foliage

Just like you take dead branches off shrubs and trees when pruning, you need to take off dead or dying foliage after strawberry harvest. This tidies the plant and makes more room for healthy foliage to grow. Known as strawberry renovation, this process helps to give plants a new lease of life when they need it most. Wait roughly 7-10 days after harvest time for strawberries so the plants get a brief rest first.

For small beds, use hand pruners to clip away the old leaves. If you’re looking for a reliable bypass pruner, Corona’s ComfortGEL Bypass Pruner from Lowe’s is perfectly sized for making clean, precise cuts through dense strawberry leaf stems without crushing live tissue. If you manage a large, expansive patch, you can drive your lawnmower over the bed, making sure the deck is adjusted to a high setting.

The goal is to get rid of the old, worn-out leaves, while not touching the crowns and roots. This encourages the plant to put its energy toward new growth. It also eliminates the risk of common fungal diseases like leaf spot and powdery mildew. Just don’t renovate a newly planted strawberry patch during its first summer in the ground, and avoid mowing if your region is suffering a blistering heatwave.

2. Propagate or Prune Runners

Runners are shoots that I think of as babies to the mother strawberry plant. These runners (often referred to as stolons) are long, horizontal stems that extend outward from the mother plant. At the end of each long shoot, a small new plant begins to grow. If this baby touches the soil, it will grow roots and propagate a new plant.

In June: you can either let these babies grow into new plants to replace aging crowns or expand your patch size, or clip them off and toss them in the compost bin to preserve the mother plant’s strength. Generally, it’s not a good idea to let many of the runners develop any one year since it weakens the mother plant.

To maintain peak vigor, prune away excess runners so daughter plants are 7-11 inches (17-28cm) apart within a structured matted row. This intentional spacing allows sunlight to penetrate into the crowns, which improves fruit size and sweetness next year. You can buy team favourite Fiskars Micro-Tip Pruning Snips from Amazon to make light work of snipping wiry strawberry runners. Everbearing types rarely produce excessive runners, so this task is just for June-bearing varieties.

3. Feed Your Plants

Once your June-bearers are neatly trimmed and narrowed, it’s time to feed them. June-bearing strawberries require a targeted application of nitrogen after renovation to help regrow and repair leaves and roots. Apply a balanced feed or nitrogen-rich amendment directly to the soil surrounding the plants. Spread one-half teaspoon of a balanced 10-10-10 fertilizer around the base of each individual crown.

Avoid going overboard, though. Excessive nitrogen triggers a massive explosion of lush, green leaves and wild runners at the direct expense of next year's flower buds. You can buy balanced, gentle feeds like Espoma Berry-tone Fertilizer from Walmart, which stimulate fresh summer leaf canopy growth. Gently work your granular feed into the top inch of soil and follow up with a deep watering.

Strawberries possess shallow root systems and need an inch of water per week, from rain or irrigation. Consistent moisture through July and August ensures the roots can easily access those soil nutrients, setting the stage for a spectacular spring showing.

4. Tackle Weeds & Check for Pests

Weeds like the same nutrients and water that strawberry plants need for growth. Strawberry plants have shallow roots that are easily overwhelmed by aggressive weeds chasing the same moisture and nutrients. Water deeply the evening before you plan to weed. Moist soil loosens its grip on invasive roots, allowing you to pull out stubborn weeds cleanly without dislodging nearby strawberry crowns.

Maintaining weed-free alleys between your fruit rows improves air circulation, which helps dry out morning dew and keeps devastating fruit rots at bay. The Fiskars Ergo Scratch Weeder from Walmart is a lovely ergonomic option to dig deep and pop out stubborn weeds by the roots without disturbing neighboring strawberry crowns.

Keep an eye out for common pests. June is prime time for strawberry root weevils, spittlebugs, and tarnished plant bugs, which manifest as chewed leaf margins or distorted, stunted foliage. Also check the undersides of leaves for powdery mildew or the speckling of spider mites. If you spot signs of mildew or mites, worry not. You can buy Bonide Captain Jack’s Neem Oil Ready-To-Use Spray from Home Depot to clear out summer spider mites, aphids, and preventative powdery mildew.

5. Lay Down Some Mulch

The final step in your June strawberry routine is to pick a snuggly mulch to spread around your June-bearing strawberry plants. Excellent organic options include clean straw, pine needles (which maintain the slightly acidic soil pH that strawberries love), or dry, shredded leaves. Mulching adds a natural barrier that locks in vital moisture, regulates soil temperatures during baking heat waves, and prevents fresh weed seeds from germinating in your clear rows. It also helps prevent soil-borne diseases.

Spread a two-inch (5cm) layer of mulch across the open spaces of your rows. Just don’t let it touch the crowns of the plants. This light summer mulching keeps the environment clean and structured. In fall, add an extra four inches (10cm) of straw over the tops of plants to insulate the crowns against freezing winter temperatures. You can buy HealthiStraw Garden Straw All-Natural Mulch from Amazon.

Shop Strawberry Care Essentials

Taking proper care of your strawberry patch corner is really easy with the right care kit. Make room in your garden shed for these high-quality, task-specific tools so your fruity perennials can keep coming back stronger (and fruitier) than ever – for many seasons to come. Treat your berry patch to these curated berry treats to make your summer renovation work a breeze.

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April is a “make or break” time for your strawberry plants. This is when the plants are waking up from winter dormancy and starting to grow and bloom. After a long, cold winter, new growth is ready to peak out from under the old mulch. Now is the time to treat your plants right, so they’ll reward you later.

Growing strawberries can be as simple as mostly leaving the plants alone, but if you want strong, healthy plants and to maximize your summer harvest, now is the time to get your hands dirty. Dust off your gardening tools, maybe wear a light sweater, and get into the strawberry patch to do these five crucial tasks.

1. Tidy Your Patch

Winter tends to leave the garden a little messy. It’s worth taking some time to tidy up your strawberry patch, and the plants will thank you for doing so. First, remove any unnecessary debris, like dead leaves and twigs. Clear out old mulch that’s decaying and remove any leaves still on the plants from last year. This lets the crowns breathe a little to prevent rotting.

Your tidying task should also include pulling out any early weeds. Weeds compete with berry plants for nutrients and water. Start to remove them now to get ahead of growth, but return to the patch throughout the growing season to keep pulling any weeds that pop up.

Finally, consider removing some of the runners. Snip off old runners that will divert energy away from the main plants. If you’re trying to control the growth of your patch, this is a good time to cut off new runners heading in directions you don’t want the plants to spread. Fiskars' Micro-Tip snips are perfect for this task. Press the runners you keep into the soil to encourage new plants to grow and fill in any empty spaces.

Strawberry Plant Picks

If you have lost some of your strawberry plants over winter, then April is your last chance to plant new bare-root plants for fruit this year, but you can plant nursery plug plants into May.

2. Add Fresh Mulch

Once you’ve given the crowns of your berry plants a little breathing time, it’s a good idea to add fresh mulch. Mulch is important for strawberries because it holds moisture in the soil and minimizes weeds. Mulch also provides a clean surface for berries to ripen.

Straw is a great choice for mulching strawberry plants as it's good at both holding moisture in the soil and allowing for airflow to prevent rotting. Try this HealthiStraw GardenStraw. Straw is also very clean, providing the ideal surface for ripening berries. Just be sure you get straw, not hay, and that it is clean and free of weed seeds.

Bark mulch is too heavy for strawberries and doesn’t let enough air through.

3. Feed Your Berry Plants, Maybe

Believe it or not, fertilizing the plants in spring may or may not improve the harvest later. Strawberries are heavy feeders, but April is not the time to fertilize June-bearing plants. Extra nutrients now lead to excessive foliage growth and softer berries that rot more easily. Late summer or fall is a better time to feed this type of strawberry plant.

However, if you have everbearing or day-neutral strawberry plants, now is the time to fertilize strawberries to support continuous fruit production. Use a balanced product, like a 10-10-10, or a product designed for strawberries, like this TPS Plant Foods Strawberry Fertilizer. Apply the fertilizer now and again next month.

4. Protect Early Blooms from Late Frosts

Depending on where you live and garden, you’re likely to start seeing some strawberry flowers as early as April. This is an exciting preview of the summer harvest to come, but it’s also a potentially dangerous time. A frost now could damage or totally kill those delicate blooms, preventing them from becoming berries later.

Keep an eye on the weather forecast and protect any April flowers if necessary. Use row covers – like these AGfabrics floating row covers – if you have a lot of blooms to protect. If you only have a few, you can use towels, blankets, buckets, or even extra straw mulch.

Remove any flowers that get damaged by frost, so the plant can put more energy into the others. Frost damage is easy to spot. You’ll see a black or dark brown spot right in the center within a day of the cold snap. If the damage is severe, the entire flower may darken and even fall off on its own.

5. Pinch Flowers (First Year Only)

This April strawberry task has a caveat: only do it if you have just put new plants in the ground this spring. For mature plants, you want to keep all flowers in place to maximize your harvest. For new plants, pinching some of the flowers will help the summer berries develop more fully.

Watch your plants and pick off any new flower buds that appear for the first two to three weeks. After that, let them grow. This allows the plant to develop healthy, numerous leaves during the early growth period. Having enough big, healthy leaves is crucial for ensuring the plant has enough energy later to develop large and juicy berries.

April is a critical time for summer strawberries, so don’t skimp on these tasks. Give your plants time and attention now to enjoy the best possible harvest later.

A hanging planter is an excellent way to grow strawberries as the plants appreciate the sunshine and sharp drainage. Growing so high from the ground, the fruit stays clean and slug-free and, because strawberries are perennial plants, if you store the basket in a garage over winter, you’ll enjoy years of sweet berries. It's an excellent way to grow fruit in a small space.

The trick to a productive hanging basket is to choose an everbearing strawberry variety. These have been bred to produce berries all through the summer, some into fall, so you can be picking juicy strawbs as you head out onto your patio for months on end. Everbearing strawberries tend to crop most heavily in May or June with a second big flush in late summer, and a steadier rate of growth in between.

Abundant flowers make this a pretty hanging planter, too. A few new strawberry varieties have pink blooms instead of white, and some cultivars are prostrate. This means stems tend to spread along the ground rather than growing very tall, so look fabulous in a hanging basket as the berries cascade over the edges. Early spring is an excellent time to plant strawberries and the bonus of planting them in a hanging basket is that you can pop the planter into a greenhouse or sheltered frost-free spot in your garden if a harsh frost is forecast.

Here’s exactly what to do for a basket full of scrumptious strawberries.

1. Prepare Your Hanging Planter

You'll need a large hanging basket that’s 13–14 inches in diameter. Strawberries like good drainage but consistent moisture. So, if you’re using a frame basket with a coco coir liner such as this metal design from Amazon, it’s best to add a second liner to hold more moisture in the soil for juicier berries. Any strong plastic will do, and an old compost bag is perfect. Cut a circle bigger than the basket diameter, snip five or six straight lines from the perimeter towards the centre (like the spokes of a wheel) and fit this into the basket on top of the coco liner. There will be areas of overlapping plastic so it fits snugly and, though it will hold moisture in the soil, excess water will still be easily able to find its way out of the basket.

If you’re using a solid hanging basket, such as these recycled plastic planters from Amazon, you can skip this step. Do check a solid basket has got at least one drainage hole and drill some holes if not.

2. Half-Fill With Potting Soil

You can use any all-purpose potting soil but one that’s been especially formulated for container use such as this Miracle-Gro Potting Mix from Amazon will help get moisture levels right. Fill the basket half-full, being careful not to let any compost get beneath the plastic liner if you’re using one.

3. Add Your Strawberry Plants

Now add your strawberry plants. How many plants you fit in will depend on the size of the strawberry variety you choose but, for a basket of 13–14 inches, expect to use between one and four plants. Top up with more compost and firm it around the plants. Choose a sunny position to hang up your basket – your plants ideally need to have 6–8 hours of sun a day – and water well to settle the soil around the plants’ roots.

Best Strawberry Varieties For a Hanging Planter

4. Water Consistently

Keep your hanging basket watered so the compost doesn’t dry out. A hosepipe wand such as this 3-foot-long design from Amazon makes watering up high much easier. Pay attention to how much you water as the plants’ need for moisture will alter not just according to the weather but also the stage of berry production. This may mean you need to water every day during peak berry production if the weather is hot and dry.

Keeping the compost just moist but not saturated will bring the biggest berry harvest: if you see yellowing leaves, you’re likely overwatering; if you spot any crispy leaves, you’re probably under-watering.

5. Start Feeding As Soon As You See Flowers

Because you’re growing your strawberries in limited soil, it’s wise to feed your plants to fuel lots more flowers and so plenty of berries. Use a liquid tomato feed such as this Espoma Tomato Plant Food from Amazon – you can use purpose-made strawberry feed if you like, but it’s more expensive and a tomato food does the job just fine. Start feeding as soon as you spot the first flowers appearing, fertilising your basket once a fortnight until you stop picking berries.

Snip off any long, leafy ‘runner’ stems to keep the plant focused on using its energy to make fruit rather than new plants.

6. Save Your Basket For More Berries Next Year

Once your plants have finished fruiting, leave the basket hanging in place until the leaves have browned. A light frost will help the plant go into dormancy – but as the plants are very exposed in a hanging basket, bring them indoors before any really harsh weather arrives. Store your basket in a non-heated place where temperatures won’t dip much below freezing, such as a garage. The plants will be dormant (asleep) over winter so they don’t need light but check the soil once a month and water sparingly if necessary so it doesn’t dry out completely.

Most strawberry varieties live for around six years but start to become less productive after 3 years.

Happy harvesting!

Strawberries are the ultimate summer fruit to grow in the home garden. Just seeing those pretty, juicy berries nestling in raised beds and garden borders seems to signal one of the genuine pleasures of the season. It can be hard seeing the plant once you have picked the first strawberry fruits, especially if you’ve waited a while for that juicy payload. But that doesn’t mean the harvest has to end once August draws to a close.

Many strawberry plants are capable of producing fruit well into the fall, and if you are willing to think creatively, it is possible to eke a little more fruiting potential out of your homegrown strawberry plants so you can harvest fruits for longer. Here’s how to extend the strawberry harvest season so you can enjoy them well into fall – and possibly even winter.

5 Ways to Extend the Strawberry Harvest Season

There are a few approaches to enjoying sweet berries longer, although there are a few aspects to this that will vary in accordance with your growing region, hardiness zone, growing method and strawberry varieties. The good news is that if you are willing to keep a close eye on both the means and the quality of your strawberry growing, you can make the strawberry harvest season last longer.

You can also store your harvest in a way that allows you to enjoy garden berries even after the growing season is winding down. Here’s how to get more strawberries to grow for an extended harvest.

1. Choose a Mix of Berry Varieties

First, consider the variety of strawberries you’re growing and how long they will take to grow. You’ll get the most out of varieties suited to your growing area. You can also choose types developed to produce a larger or more extended harvest. However, the one thing guaranteed to extend yield over a longer period is to grow a mix of different strawberry varieties – this will generate overlapping harvest times for more continuous berries. Grow a mix of these types to make a strawberry harvest last longer.

• June-bearing strawberries: These produce a June-early July harvest, but the yields are higher than those of the other two types. Options include ‘Earliglow’, ‘Honeoye’ and ‘Surecrop’ strawberries.
• Day-neutral strawberries: These are a must if you want to harvest more berries. These varieties can potentially produce throughout the entire season, although they don’t have the biggest harvest. Excellent options for fall potential include ‘Evie 2’, ‘Toscana’ and ‘Portola’ strawberry varieties.
• Everbearing varieties: These give you two harvests, one in early summer and another in early fall. Reliable everbearing options for fall fruiting include ‘Malling Opal’,’Albion’, ‘Ozark Beauty’, ‘Eversweet’ and ‘Seascape’ varieties.

2. Optimize the Growing Space

Proper planting and care for strawberries ensures healthy growth and a good harvest, so take the time to do it right. The best site for strawberries is one in full sun and with soil that is neutral or slightly acidic, and which drains well. Prepare the soil in advance, adjusting the soil pH or adding compost if needed. If you’re ever in doubt, it’s wise to test the soil using a soil meter like the Raintrip 4-in-1 Meter from Amazon, which also tests for nutrient and moisture levels.

Another good way to optimise the growing space and ensure the longest possible growing period (and therefore the most chance to extend the strawberry harvest) is to grow your strawbs in a polytunnel, greenhouse, or cold frame. Low tunnels keep strawberries warm for longer, protect from rain and, as an added bonus, they help you protect plants from disease. This keeps plants healthier and encourages a good long harvest.

Try the Tierra Garden Haxnicks Easy Poly Tunnel Garden Cloche from the Haxnicks Store, available from Amazon, in standard and giant sizes. This is good for regulating warmth, while allowing you to tweak ventilation.

3. Pinch Off Early Flowers

Although it seems counterintuitive, you’ll be increasing your future strawberry yield if you are willing to pinch off the first flowers that appear on your strawberry plants. This is admittedly a tough thing to do – especially if you’ve been patiently waiting for signs of activity and got excited by the appearance of the blooms.

However, a little fortitude now is really important to the overall health of your strawberry plants. Pinching off is a clever practice, irrespective of variety. Doing this encourages the plant to put energy into developing its roots and leaves. Although it may not feel like it straight away, it will boost the resultant berry yield later.

The advice for June-bearing varieties is particularly tough – if you’re serious about wanting to grow more strawberries later, the advice now is to remove all flowers in the first flowering season. For everbearing and day-neutral varieties, you just need to remove the first flush of flowers, then you can let the rest develop into fruit.

4. Water & Weed Constantly

Because they have shallow roots, your strawberries will need to be watered regularly. Keep in mind that containers and hanging strawberry baskets will dry out more quickly. Container-grown strawberries should be watered daily. For bed-based growing, you can use mulch to keep more moisture in the soil. The Gardening Know How Team loves Back to the Roots’ Organic Mulch, available from Amazon, which gives excellent moisture control and also helps keep weeds to a minimum.

Speaking of weeds, these can be an issue over summer, and if you are not careful they will compete with plants for nutrients and water. Strawberries are particularly poor competitors and can let several common garden weeds run rampant if left unchecked. Get a handle on weeds early in the season and keep pulling them out as necessary. As another option, lay down a weed suppressing fabric like ExtraEasy’s Weed Barrier, also available at Amazon. Don’t forget to keep strawberries producing with a careful application of nitrogen-rich fertilizer every few weeks.

5. Harvest & Store Properly

Critters in the garden will want to eat your strawberries, reducing your harvest. If you want to keep harvesting strawberry plants for longer, keep an eye on them as the berries begin to ripen and harvest them in a timely manner. Strawberries are ripe when they are uniformly red, shiny and firm (but not hard). Harvest times vary by type of strawberry, but also by region. Check plants regularly for ripe berries as soon as they begin to appear.

Finally, you can make a strawberry harvest last longer by storing them for fall and winter. Fresh berries should be stored in the refrigerator and not washed until just before you eat them. Store your harvests wisely. Freezing is an easy option for long-term storage. Wash and dry your berries, remove stems and leaves, and spread the berries out on a parchment-lined baking tray, then place them in the freezer. Once they’re solidly frozen, store the berries in zip-top freezer bags. They should be good for up to a year. The Hefty Store’s Hefty Slider Freezer Bags, available from Amazon, are great for bulk-freezing fruits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Growing strawberries in the home garden is widely acknowledged as the best way to enjoy this sweet, luscious fruit. Store-bought strawbs just can’t compare to the juicy nibbles produced at home. But there will come a time when you need to replace some of your old plants, or maybe you just want to increase your home production. Knowing how to propagate strawberries gives you a chance to multiply your harvests and create even more exciting fruiting opportunities without having to break the bank.

The best bit is that propagating strawberries is easy to do. If your strawberry plants produce runners, that may be the easiest way to get more plants. However, if you pick the right varieties, you can also grow from seed. And if your plants have multiple crowns, you can separate those to increase the number of strawberry plants you cultivate. Read on to find out how to boost your berry harvests the easy way.

Best Ways To Propagate Strawberries

Whether you’ve had a tasty harvest and you are looking for ways to repeat your success, or you are looking for a way to start fruity crops from scratch, this is your chance to explore the different ways of propagating strawberries so you have something yummy to look forward to!

Strawberry propagation can be carried out in three ways, depending on your particular variety, planting preference, region, and time of year. Here we consider the different methods in turn, so you can look forward to a sweet supply of big and beautiful berry harvests.

1. Propagating Strawberries by Seed

Growing strawberries by seed is possible, but not from the strawberries you buy at the store, and it isn’t really that easy from the berries you might produce at home, either. Those strawberries are hybrid cultivars and will not come true from seed. However, wild strawberries or heirloom varieties can be grown from seed.

If you want to know how to propagate strawberry plants from seed, you can purchase the seeds from reputable online seed companies. You’ll tend to find names describing wild strawberries, woodland breeds, or alpine strawberry plant types. Look for heirloom seeds, too. Avoid buying from individuals selling from online auction websites.

For mouthwatering berries you can grow from scratch, try ‘Alexandria Seeds’ from Hirt’s Gardens or ‘Fresca’ from Cemeha, both available at Walmart. For something different, try ‘Yellow Wonder Alpine’ from Hirt’s Seeds or ‘White Soul’ seeds from Seedville USA, both from Walmart.

Once you have your seed, follow the package instructions. It may say they need a cold treatment or stratification. If so, wrap the seeds in an airtight container, then store them in the freezer for two to four weeks to simulate winter. Then remove them from the freezer and set the container on the countertop to warm to room temperature. Then you are ready to plant!

Prepare a seed tray with a mix of three parts peat with one part organic soil. Fill to about 0.5 inches (1.3cm) deep. Moisten the growing media and sprinkle the seeds across the top. Lightly dust with peat, allowing the seeds to show through. Set in a warm place such as on a heat mat in direct sunlight, if possible. Keep well watered and add supplemental light if needed. The seeds should germinate in a couple of weeks.

Keep the light 2-3 inches (5-8cm) above the seedlings and raise it as they grow. When the seedlings have three sets of true leaves, move them to individual containers. If the temperature outside is above 50 degrees F (10°C), you can move them outside to plant after hardening them off.

2. Propagating Strawberries by Runners

If the variety of strawberry you are growing is producing runners, such as June bearing or summer-bearing strawberries, then propagating by runners is the best method for you. Generally, most types of strawberries, including day-neutral and everbearing, will produce a few runners, whether you grow them in a raised bed or a container like a hanging basket.

When learning how to propagate strawberry runners, identify the runners (stolons) first. They are the long, wiry stems that are growing from the main plant, and they have one or more daughter plants growing out of them.

Choose daughter plants that have at least two trifoliate leaves and visible root bumps. Use clean scissors to cut plants that are 2.5-4 inches (6-10cm) long from base to end. Include about 0.5 inch (1.3cm) of the runner stem. If you aren’t planting the runner tips right away, preserve them in water or set them in a cooler. Plant within 24 hours.

Plant the tips in cell trays or individual pots filled with moist, soil-free potting mix. Plant the root bumps and bit of runner into the cell, keeping the crown above the media. Cover the cells with a plastic dome and mist often. The runners should root within 5-10 days. After rooting, you can fertilize with a 10-10-10 fertilizer every other week. Try a slow-release all-purpose fertilizer like Garden Wise 10-10-10, available at Walmart.

An alternate way to propagate strawberry runners is to place a daughter plant on top of a small pot filled with sandy loam soil, without severing the runner. Secure the daughter plant with U clips or bent wire to the soil, so it won’t slip out of the container. Trim off any stem portions. Then keep the soil moist. When roots are sufficient, snip off the runner.

3. Propagating Strawberries by Division

So how do you propagate strawberries from existing plants if you don’t see any runners? There is another option if you want to cultivate sweet strawberries from propagation: division. Choosing to divide a strawberry plant depends on whether the main crown of the plant bears additional lateral crowns. You can usually tell if you see new growth emerging from the base of the plant, with distinct clusters of leaves. If so, those crowns can be divided to become new plants.

The only time to divide strawberry crowns is in early spring. The night before dividing, water the plant well to hydrate its roots. Draw a circle 2-3 inches (5-8cm) away from the crown to use as a digging guide.

Dig down 6 inches (15cm) deep with a trowel and lift the crown and rootball from the soil. Cut through the rootball to create two equal sections. Brush off the excess soil and if there are sufficient roots, you can subdivide those two divisions. Each plant should have its own small crown and 6-12 roots.

Replant the divisions into holes where the plants’ crowns are 0.5 inch (1.3cm) below the soil level. Fill in with soil and cover the crowns loosely with soil. The leaves and stems should be above the soil. Cover the crowns with 2-inches (5cm) of mulch to shield them from temperature changes.

Keep the plants watered well while they grow new roots. Add a good slow-release strawberry fertilizer at the start of the new flowering season. They should flower and fruit during the next year.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Strawberries are one of the most popular fruits grown in the home garden but how long do strawberries take to grow? Don’t worry, strawberries are fairly rapid producers.

Strawberries take longer to come to fruition when planted from seed, but most people plant bare roots, plugs or established plants which hasten the time from planting to berry production.

Growing strawberries can be a fun and productive endeavor no matter the size of your garden. Depending on the type of strawberries you plant, you could be snacking on juicy berries within a month or two!

Strawberry Growth

It takes an entire year of growth to produce berries with strawberries grown from seed. Strawberry seeds contain all the genetic material it takes to produce a strawberry plant. They must go through a cold stratification in the late winter or early spring to jump start the process of germination.

The seeds of a strawberry are readily evident when you eat the fruit. They come from the flowers of the plant. Seeds of strawberries take 1-6 weeks to germinate and then another year before they produce fruit which is why more people don’t propagate this berry from seed but rather from runners.

Another way that strawberry plants are propagated is by growing strawberry runners. Runners or stolons are formed off of existing mother plants. They grow from between 8-18 inches (20-46 cm) in length depending upon the variety of strawberry. They are essentially offshoots, carbon copies, of the mother plants. They can be allowed to root, then be cut from the mother and planted as separate strawberry plants.

Both runners and seed propagated strawberry seedlings are generally established by early fall.

How Long Do Strawberries Take To Grow?

How long does it take strawberries to grow? It takes 60-90 days for the plant to grow from seed to a berry, the good news is that most people plant strawberry crowns which take a scant month or two to produce delectable berries.

Factors That Affect Growth Time

There is some variation in the length of time it takes to grow strawberries. Obviously the length of time it takes the plant to grow depends on the propagation method. If using seed to propagate, the plant takes longer than if taking runners.

Other factors that affect growth time are the variety of strawberry, weather conditions and planting time. Early spring is the best time to plant strawberries for the earliest harvest.

As for varieties, June-bearing strawberries take an entire year before they produce berries, while day-neutral strawberry cultivars produce within the first year.

Tips For Faster Growth

If you're impatient for your first harvest of strawberries, plant day-neutral or everbearing strawberry cultivars. Plant early in the spring using established plants or crowns and keep an eye on the weather. If the weather is unseasonably cold, delay planting until temperatures warm and all threat of frost has passed in the early spring.

You can also hasten the plants growth by fertilizing strawberry plants and incorporating a good compost into the soil at planting to act as a slow release fertilizer. Use a high potash liquid feed every 2 weeks during the growing season to accelerate growth.

Keep the soil damp, not sodden.

If you have young plants, remove the runners. If the runners are connected to the mother plant, energy is diverted to maintain them, rather than to produce fruit.

Frequently Asked Questions

A signature of the summer garden, nothing beats the taste of fresh, juicy strawberries. While growing the plant is relatively simple, care is needed to keep beds and containers looking their best. When growing your own strawberries, routine monitoring can help you pick up on sudden changes in appearance – which can often be a sign of strawberry diseases.

Here, we round up the most common strawberry plant diseases, enabling you to correctly identify a potential problem quickly and effectively. If you’re worried about strange leaf colors, changes in fruit, or no strawberry fruit at all, be sure you read this. The sooner you can step in, the more chance you have of ensuring your precious harvests don’t take a hit. If you suspect strawberry disease, take action fast – this guide can help you do it right.

Identifying Key Strawberry Diseases

Learning to properly identify disease on strawberry plants can be difficult. Unlike strawberry pests, there is a little bit of overlap in the way certain diseases present – so an assessment of multiple symptoms is important.

With careful inspection, most issues can be identified quickly. Keen observation skills are of the utmost importance. This includes monitoring both fruit and foliage, looking for sudden or unusual changes in color, texture and overall health.

It also helps to get familiar with the strawberry plant cultivar being grown, taking tolerance and resistance of each type into account. Follow this guide, and you’ll be well on your way to growing healthier, bigger strawberries – and more of them!

1. Anthracnose

Anthracnose, caused by various Colletotrichum fungi, affects almost every part of the strawberry plant. Though anthracnose disease is most common throughout warmer regions, it may also occur where conditions are both cool and wet. Symptoms which result in rot are most conspicuous, occurring on the plant's fruit as well as the crown.

Infection can be severe, nearly always leading to a reduction in crops and loss of plants. As the disease is known to overwinter within beds, control of infections can be difficult. Still, with very early detection, you could salvage some plants with the use of fungicide and the routine removal of infected matter.

2. Black Root Rot

Some strawberry diseases, like black root rot, have a variety of causes. These often include the presence of pathogens or nematodes within the soil, or other environmental factors that make the plant ill-suited to growth.

Strawberries affected by root rot are most easily identified by an obvious lack of vigor, accompanied by black or shriveled roots. Though little can be done in terms of treatment, prevention is possible if you maintain healthy, well-draining soil. Ensuring adequate spacing between plants can also safeguard against this disease.

3. Leaf Spot

Yet another common problem, strawberry leaf spot disease is most readily identified by the presence of gray-white lesions across the surface of plant foliage. Over time, these margins continue to grow and deepen in color, causing leaves to dry and drop from plants prematurely.

Fungal spores further spread the infection, moving from plant to plant with the aid of wind or water. Little can be done to treat afflicted plants. Fungicide may help to slow the spread of leaf spot disease. Sadly, their complete removal from the garden is the most effective measure.

4. Leaf Scorch

A strawberry leaf disease like scorch can drastically reduce plant productivity. Symptoms closely mimic those of leaf spot, but the appearance will vary in terms of pattern. Growers can expect infected leaves to go brown and die quickly, resulting in the rapid decline of plants.

Prevention of leaf scorch disease is the best course of action. Implement good watering and garden sanitation practices, whether growing in beds, containers or hanging baskets. This includes direct irrigation, avoiding contact with foliage, and the prompt removal of infected plant matter.

5. Mold

Gray mold of strawberry plants is the result of a fungus called Botrytis cinerea. Infection is most likely to occur in spring, when conditions are cool and wet. Plants affected by the disease will take-on a gray, hairy appearance, usually covering fruit and developing flowers. Rot occurs rapidly, resulting in complete hardening of the infected matter.

As the botrytis fungus is known to overwinter within beds, good sanitation is key in the prevention of the disease. Improved air circulation and the routine use of fungicide can also be helpful in the treatment of affected sites.

6. Powdery Mildew

Powdery mildew can be especially problematic in strawberry beds (where multiple plants are bunched together). The disease may first become apparent with the appearance of a white, powder-like substance across the surface of the plant's leaves. Foliage then begins to curl and brown, eventually dropping to the ground.

Flowers may also be affected, preventing fruit set and reducing yield. If treating this disease on strawberry plants, the prompt removal of infected matter is vital, followed by preventative fungicide sprays.

7. Verticillium Wilt

Verticillium wilt remains amongst the most common pathogens to affect edible plants. Strawberries often contract the disease when planted where the pathogen has already built up within the soil. Sudden wilt or drooping foliage are the first signs of infection. Leaves may change from green to varying shades of red or brown.

Eventually, each leaf will dry completely. Those hoping to prevent the disease should arrange new beds carefully. If growing strawberries in raised beds, be sure to select varieties which demonstrate good resistance to the pathogen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Strawberries are a favorite fruit of many. They’re small and portable, relatively easy to grow and, of course, juicy and delicious. If you enjoy strawberries, you might have wondered, can you grow strawberries from a strawberry?

Well, yes and no. You certainly use part of the strawberry – but not just any part. Here, we break down what is possible, and also what is most efficient, to help you grow strawberry plants that are healthy and productive. Once you know how to grow a strawberry from a strawberry, you can enjoy this tasty fruit year after year.

Which Parts of a Strawberry are Best

There are quite straightforward ways to grow strawberries from a strawberry plant. If a friend has a strawberry plant and it has done well, simply ask them to give you a strawberry runner. Press it into the soil and keep it well watered to enjoy your own strawberry plant.

But if the question is, can you grow a strawberry plant from a strawberry itself, you’ll need to know which part to use. It’s not just as simple as sticking the whole fruit (or a certain part of the fruit) in some compost. Can you grow strawberries from a strawberry top? The answer is no, and it would be a mistake to try growing strawberries this way. What you need is the seed, which grows on the outside of the fruit.

Unlike some fruits, strawberries will grow true from their seeds. This means that if you do it right, you can grow a plant from the seeds of your favorite berry and get the exact same plant (and hence fruits) from it.

When to Propagate from a Strawberry

The best time to propagate a strawberry from its seeds is in early spring. You can start seeds indoors before the last frost. If you want to start seeds directly outdoors, make sure you wait until the danger of frost has passed. The timing will, of course, depend on your growing zone. The variety of strawberry matters less for timing.

How to Propagate from a Strawberry

When growing strawberries from a strawberry, your ideal fruit for propagation should be fresh and healthy with no bruises or rotting. You’ll probably need a few berries to get enough seeds. Slice the berries in half and leave them out to dry. Once dry, it’s easier to remove the small seeds. Collect the dried seeds and store them in the refrigerator for about three weeks. A ‘winter period’ is needed so you can germinate the seeds effectively.

Sow the cold stratified seeds in pots or directly outdoors in a bed. The soil should be loose, high-quality and mixed with compost. Because strawberry seeds are so small, you just need to barely cover them with a light dusting of soil. Keep the soil and seeds moist and warm as they germinate.

Because they can be a little picky and require constant warmth and moisture, you will get the best results by starting strawberry seeds indoors. This gives you more control over conditions. Once you have healthy seedlings, you can thin them and, if growing outdoors, transplant to beds.

Best Strawberry Plant Care

Once you have small plants, make sure you provide perfect strawberry care to get healthy, thriving and productive plants:

• Grow your plants in full sun and water strawberries regularly. Strawberries need about an inch (2.5cm) of water per week. Keep in mind that soil in pots dries out more quickly.
• Use compost in the soil or use a balanced fertilizer to feed your strawberry plants and keep them growing at their best.
• Pinch off the first flowers that grow early in the year. This will help the plants grow more leaves and roots, and will improve the harvest later.
• Remove and train strawberry runners as they grow to keep your plants contained. Otherwise, they will spread readily.

You can grow potted strawberries indoors, but you will grow stronger plants (and ultimately grow bigger strawberry fruits) if you put them outside in a warm, sunny spot for summer.

Harvesting the Best Strawberries

You can pick your strawberry fruits as soon as they change color and look ripe. Depending on the variety, conventional ripe strawberries are completely red or mostly red with a little white on the shoulders (obviously, white strawberries are a different matter, so judge accordingly).

Keep an eye on your strawberry plants to time the harvest correctly. The biggest risk in not timing it right is that birds or other wildlife will eat the fruit first. After picking the first ripe berries, check the plants every day for more to avoid losing them to wildlife. You may prefer to cover the plants with safe netting to prevent intervention.

Frequently Asked Questions

Fill Your Garden With Berry Goodness

• You may know how to grow strawberries in containers, but if you fancy expanding your harvests, we show you how to grow strawberries in raised beds for the most rewarding results.
• Want to grow strawberries without the mess? Find out how to grow hydroponic strawberries for a cleaner way to cultivate berry harvests that are just as tasty.
• Running out of places to grow all your ground-based and container strawbs? Find out how to grow a strawberry hanging basket to take your fruit to the next level.

When it comes to fresh-picked fruit, few plants rival the taste of strawberries. Ripening through summer, gardeners can expect harvests in abundance – unless you suddenly find your plants have fallen foul of strawberry pests. Though most established beds remain relatively carefree, certain pests may take a keen interest in your fruiting plants and burgeoning harvests.

Pests on strawberry plants can result in damage to individual crops and reduced yields overall – so if you’re growing strawberry plants and keen to cultivate the best fruits, it’s vital to take action fast. Here are a few of the more common strawberry plant pests, with tips on how to detect nuisance insects and curb their spread.

Identifying Key Strawberry Pests

Early detection of pests on strawberries will be essential to both plant and fruit health. Quick intervention allows you to maintain plant health and ultimately grow bigger strawberries. Like many garden insects, small numbers of unwanted species are likely to go unnoticed. It is for this reason that regular observation proves so vital as a means to protect strawberries from pests.

This includes keeping a keen eye for sudden changes in color or appearance of plants, as well as their overall growth and vigor. Careful note of such symptoms can further help gardeners to quickly and accurately identify the potential cause and therefore treat in the best way, fast. Find out about key culprits and how to protect strawberries from pests.

1. Aphids

Though difficult to see, aphids can be a source of major damage to strawberry plants. Small insects feed on sap in large numbers, leaving behind a sticky residue. Foliage often begins to yellow, as a result of nutrients drawn from the plant. The insects are also responsible for the spread of disease, transmitting viruses throughout the garden.

Though problematic, aphid infestation will only seldom lead to the loss of plants. Still, relatively swift treatment is needed to keep plants growing at their best. Combat this pest with homemade aphid controls like diluted soaps, water sprays, neem oil solutions and other food-safe applications.

2. Cutworms

The term ‘cutworm’ is most commonly used to refer to a variety of larvae that feed on plants. In the case of strawberries, noctuid moth caterpillars are of special interest. Though damage can be found throughout the plant, ripening fruit is most sensitive. Fortunately, control of cutworms is relatively simple. Manual controls such as frequent hand-picking have proven especially effective in removing cutworms and preventing significant damage.

3. Slugs

Where conditions are moist, the presence of slugs in the garden can be a major point of frustration. Damage done to emerging plants in spring can stunt or delay growth. Injury to fruit before harvest can result in further losses related to the pest. Rough, jagged holes eaten through plant matter, as well as slime trails, are amongst the best indicators that slugs may be active.

You can help to deter these pests through a routine cleanup across the growing space. It’s also possible to deploy simple slug traps and other organic management techniques to keep numbers down.

4. Spittlebugs

Spittlebugs are considered most troublesome throughout newly established beds and those positioned near lawns. The bugs, which feed on the sap of strawberry plants, are likely to appear when conditions are dry.

Their presence will be evident with a spittle-like foam that surrounds the nymphs. Though disconcerting, small numbers of the pests are unlikely to cause any notable damage to plants. Only infrequently will you require spittlebug controls to keep numbers from getting out of hand.

5. Strawberry Root Weevils

Strawberry root weevils (Otiorhynchus ovatus) are of great concern to home and commercial growers alike. Insect larvae can be found feeding on the roots of both wild and cultivated species. Adults will also feed on the plant, chewing its leaves.

As most will overwinter in garden soil, control of established populations can be tricky. The removal of grubs at planting time, and continued hand-picking through summer, will help to control root weevil damage and reduce numbers.

6. Thrips

Damage to strawberry plants caused by thrips can be immense. Large numbers of the pest, feeding on plant sap, can reduce plant health quickly. Signs of thrip infestation include sudden changes in foliage, with leaves taking on a rusted, speckled appearance. Plants may also demonstrate stunted growth, producing blooms that are malformed or fail to open completely.

Immediate treatment is needed to prevent further injury. Common methods of thrip control include the use of diatomaceous earth, insecticidal soap and horticultural oils.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who doesn’t love strawberries fresh from the garden, warm from the summer sun? All home-grown strawberries are delicious, but growing strawberries in raised beds can make the gardening work easier. Planting strawberries in raised beds does involve a little more work upfront in preparing the raised beds. However, the happy tradeoff is that you’ll have to put in lots less effort later on.

So if you want to grow strawberry plants in a healthy and productive way, here are the most effective planting and cultivation practices for the ultimate June bearing, everbearing and day-neutral fruits.

Benefits of Growing Strawberries in Raised Beds

The boogie man for home-grown strawberries is poor drainage. Strawberries require excellent drainage and will not tolerate wet soil. Poor drainage leads to waterlogged soil, which can mean roots face a swift and ugly death. Growing strawberry containers or strawberry hanging baskets is one way round the problem – but there is another way. Growing strawberries in a raised bed filled with well-draining soil guarantees improved drainage. By raising the height of the soil, you increase the distance between the soil surface and the soil water table.

In addition, when growing strawberries in a raised bed garden, the height of the soil makes it easier to work the soil and take care of the plants. A gardener doesn’t have to bend all the way down to pull weeds when the soil is mounded in a raised bed. If you do a good job constructing the raised beds, you will be able to sit on a short garden stool to weed, rather than squatting down.

Best Raised Beds for Strawberries

The best raised beds for strawberries are built with wooden frames and filled with organically rich, well-draining soil with any needed amendments added. Adding organic matter improves drainage, allows air into the soil and assists the soil to retain nutrients. You can fill a raised bed using a mix of wood chips, chopped tree bark, sawdust, composted manures or plant-based composts. The mixing should be done before planting.

If constructing frames for the raised strawberry beds seems out of reach in terms of effort, it is also possible to make raised beds without frames. You can do this by building mounds of soil and organic compost material. While the soil works just as well as soil in frames, rain and wind can cause the hill of soil to deteriorate. This makes frames the best raised bed option for strawberries.

Planting Strawberries in Raised Beds

When you are growing strawberries in a raised bed garden, start as early as possible in springtime. If you can work the soil, it’s time to plant. One of the keys to growing bigger strawberries is to make sure you allow as much time as possible for the plant networks to develop and the fruits to ripen.

How deep to plant starts depends on which kind you buy. If you get bare-root plants, the hole should be sufficiently large that the roots can fit in without bending. Plant so the crown midpoint is at the level of the soil surface. Make sure the uppermost root is covered with soil so that even a hard rain will not expose it to the open air.

If you purchase container plants, they must be planted at the same depth in the raised bed soil that they were in the container medium. When the strawberry plants are inserted too deep, the tip from which the plant grows may rot. Tuck the soil around the medium of the container plant to avoid pockets of air in the soil.

In either case, water well after initial planting. Check the plant to see if the depth is still correct when the soil is settled.

Best Systems of Planting Strawberries

The two commonly used systems of planting strawberries are called the matted row system and the annual system. The former is a perennial system in which plants are allowed to send out strawberry runners and create a dense, wide row of plants. After the spring harvest period, narrow the row and allow new runners to continue the cycle. This requires year round watering, weeding and keeping out pests.

The annual system is best for warmer climates. Set plants about a foot (30cm) apart in the fall, staggering the plants in two or three rows. Take the harvest in February through May, then shovel under the entire crop and plant something else in summer.

Caring for Strawberries in Raised Beds

The maintenance raised bed strawberries require depends on the type of strawberries you select. There are three primary types of strawberries: June-bearers, everbearing, day neutral.

• June-Bearing Strawberries: With June-bearing strawberries, you get one crop annually in or near June, with a month of fruiting. Plants produce runners, traveling stems that root and create new plants. Because of this, they need more room to roam, so space them well apart. Alternatively, snip off runners as they appear.
• Everbearing Strawberries: Everbearing berries (also known as remontant or perpetual strawberries) also give a decent crop in June, but tend to produce smaller fruits in flushes from late spring to early fall.
• Day-Neutral Strawberries: Day-neutrals produce fruit throughout the season. Both everbearers and day-neutrals fruit the planting year. But when they first produce a flower stem, remove it to encourage the plants to establish a root system and grow a crown and leaves before blossoming.

You’ll need to water the new transplants frequently, twice a day initially, then tapering off to twice a week. The idea is to keep the soil moist but never wet. Every few weeks, offer small doses of a liquid fertilizer.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Tasty Berry Projects to Try

• Want to grow strawberries in a mess-free zone? Find out how to grow hydroponic strawberries for a cleaner way to cultivate juicy berry harvests.
• Would you like to grow sustainable fruiting shrubs? These native berry bushes are lovely, low maintenance and full of tasty fruit potential.

Growing hydroponic strawberries is increasing in popularity for many gardeners. It uses less space and 90 percent less water than strawberries grown in soil. Plus, soil-borne diseases are eliminated, as well as many pests. If all that wasn’t enticing enough, there are no weeds to pull!

So if you fancy growing strawberry plants in a cleaner and potentially faster way, try something new and learn this simple deep-water-culture system. Hydroponically grown strawberries are easy to grow, especially in the summer. They do, however, require detailed maintenance. Follow this guide on effective and rewarding hydroponic strawberry cultivation to enjoy some fascinating fruits of the future.

What are Hydroponic Strawberries?

Hydroponic strawberries are simply strawberry plants that have been grown in water without using soil. A porous substrate like perlite, LECA pebbles, gravel or Rockwool is often used to support the roots. For successful strawberry hydroponics, nutrients are also added to the water to sustain the plants as they grow.

You can buy container structures such as a vertical strawberry tower or a stack system. However, it is also possible to make a design yourself. Instructions are available from your local Cooperative Extension office, and online. For home gardeners, an effective indoor hydroponic gardening system in the form of a simple deep-water-culture setup involves a plastic container and lid or a five-gallon (19L) bucket with a lid.

Getting Started with Hydroponics

The key thing to consider when sourcing basic hydroponic equipment is light. You will need full sun outside or, if you are growing strawberry plants indoors, you will need lighting such as LED or fluorescent bulbs. A pH test tape or test strips can come in handy to test the water. Then check off the following items:

• Strawberry plants (seedlings or plugs)
• Plastic, food-grade container to hold water
• Lid to secure plants, like styrofoam with holes cut out for the plants
• Fertilizer for feeding your hydroponic strawberries
• Net pots: these come in a range of sizes, and have slits or holes on the sides which allow the roots to absorb the nutrients and water
• Substrate to support the roots.

Make sure everything is kept clean to prevent bacteria contamination, and clean again between crops or when reusing materials. Before using the container, wash and sanitize it thoroughly. For example, use a bleach solution such as one tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water.

Growing Strawbs with Net Pots

For your plants, you can purchase plugs or grow your own the conventional way in soil trays, but rinse off all the soil when the seedlings are ready to go into the net pot. Soak your net pot materials for 24 hours before using them, and rinse before transplanting your seedlings into the medium. Your net pots can be secured in the lid by drilling a hole large enough to hold the net pot just above the opening. You can use the lid that came with the container, or styrofoam or XPS insulation.

Air is accessible to the growing plants in the gap between the water line and the lid. To avoid a key mistake growing strawberries hydroponically, make sure the net pots are never completely submerged in the water and check the roots are only one-third to one-half submerged after they grow beyond the net pot. This enables the tops of the roots to absorb the air, and the lower parts of the roots to absorb nutrients from the water.

Perfecting the Water System

When preparing the water, check the pH. A high or low pH can affect the plants’ ability to use nutrients. The optimal pH for strawberries is between 6-7. To increase the pH, you can add baking soda to the water in small increments till the correct pH is reached. To decrease the number, add sulfuric acid, citric acid or phosphoric acid. Check the water pH before and after adding fertilizer, because it may change.

Water quality is also affected by the alkalinity of the water, which is the presence of bicarbonate. If it is high, the pH of your water system will rise. If you suspect your water has high alkalinity, check the pH value more often and adjust as needed. Using an acid-plant fertilizer will help.

To fertilize plants in water, use a commercially available fertilizer for hydroponic strawberries. The nutrients needed in a water system are vastly different from those needed when feeding strawberries in soil. Follow the instructions on the label, which will indicate how much fertilizer to use per gallon of water.

Caring for Your Strawberries

As your plants grow, the water in the container decreases and needs to be refilled. For strawberries that will grow all season, you can do a couple of complete water changes to assure plant health. Clean the container with soap and water before refilling. Be sure to add the right amount of nutrients for the amount of water you are adding. When you’ve finished, check the pH and make any necessary adjustments.

Hydroponic gardening results in faster-growing plants, so prune your plants as needed to keep them a manageable size. Use sanitized pruners and clip off old leaves, runners and excess growth. A lot of small flowers will produce a lot of small fruits so thin some strawberry flowers to increase the size of the fruits. Happy hydroponic strawberry growing!

Frequently Asked Questions

More Delectable Berry Projects to Try

• Want to boost your chances of growing a bumper crop of the juiciest strawbs? We round up five tips on how to grow bigger strawberries to help max out your harvests.
• If we have whetted your appetite for cultivating strawberries in unusual and inventive ways, read our guide on how to grow hanging strawberry plants that are both gorgeous to look at and exquisite to harvest.
• Looking for sustainable fruiting shrubs you can grow easily on your patch? These native berry bushes are lovely, low maintenance and full of tasty fruit potential.

Strawberry shortcake, strawberry jam, strawberry ice cream, strawberry cheesecake. The list goes on. People around the globe are enamored with the fruit's juicy, sweet-tart flavor, jewel-like color, and intoxicating perfume. Why wouldn't you want to know how to grow bigger strawberries?

Learning how to grow strawberries is actually quite easy. You can plant them in a tiered strawberry pot with side pockets, or grow them in amended garden soil. Strawberries are very accessible plants with ease of care and bountiful harvests.

Tips For Growing Bigger Strawberries

These delightful fruits may find you wanting to grow bigger berries for maximum yields. Larger fruits result from certain cultivars bred for such a result but can also occur with superior care.

A note of caution, bigger doesn’t always mean better. Very often the smaller fruits, with their concentrated flavor, have the better taste. This is because bigger berries hold more water, essentially diluting the taste.

However, if you want to maximize the size of your crop, then these tips will help you along.

1. Choose Large Strawberry Varieties

The first option for growing bigger strawberries is to select a cultivar that is bred for larger fruit. Commercial berry growers spend considerable time and expense with breeding programs designed to create big fruit, with excellent transportability, and the best flavor.

There are many different types of strawberry plants to choose from. The berries may be everbearing strawberries that produce more than one crop, or they might be June-bearing strawberries, which come to fruition all at once with a vigorous, tasty harvest.

June-bearing fruits typically produce the largest berries and are classed as early, mid-season, and late-blooming varieties.

Everbearing strawberries need at least 12 hours of sun per day and do not start producing until the days are long. Many of these varieties produce successive crops until a frost.

Day-neutral strawberries produce large, firm fruits from summer into fall. These plants are considered hardy and will also produce until a first occurs.

Selecting a cultivar with disease resistance will avoid a lot of headaches and help to promote more vigorous growth.

Here's our pick of the bigger strawberry varieties to grow:

• Allstar: Perfectly formed berries with glossy skin in mid-season.
• Chandler: Large, firm fruits with glossy, red skin.
• Diamante: Big, deeply red classic fruits with shiny skin. These are often used for the treat-chocolate covered strawberries.
• Jewel: Huge berries with high, long season yield.
• Juliette: Large fruits with cone shaped berries.
• Ozark Beauty: Very sweet for an everbearing variety.
• Sundrench: Early fruits with pointed ends and classic berry flavor.
• Surecrop: Irregular shaped berries but with superior flavor.

2. Cultivate The Right Growing Conditions

Plant strawberries in the ground in early spring or fall. Good, well-draining, loamy soil with a soil pH between 5.5 and 6.8 is the best situation. Work in well-rotted manure or compost into the top few inches of the bed.

These fruits produce runners and expand as they mature, so leave plenty of space between plants.

Early-season berries need 6-8 hours of sunlight, while everbearing varieties need a full day of sun for optimum production.

When watering strawberries, set up a drip irrigation system to keep the plants moist while avoiding wet leaves, which can lead to fungal disease.

Mulching strawberries will help to deter weeds, keep soil cool, and retain moisture.

3. Boost Growth Through Fertilizing

Typically, fertilizing strawberries should be done in spring, and again as the berries begin to appear.

A balanced 10-10-10 granular fertilizer that is time release will feed the plant all season if applied in spring. This option is excellent for container-grown fruits.

Some gardeners claim using a potassium-rich fertilizer during flowering and fruiting will boost the size and number of the berries.

Organic options for feeding strawberries are bone meal, rock phosphate, kelp meal, soybean meal, and blood meal. Work these into the soil gently to avoid disturbing the roots and runners. The first two items are high in phosphorus and calcium and help promote flowering and fruiting.

4. Remove The Runners

Culture and cultivar selection can help get bigger fruits, but there is one tip that is even more important: remove the runners.

After the plants have established for a year, remove runners during flowering. This is because the plant is trying to establish more plants, but it is expending energy in doing so.

Snip or pinch off the runners to keep all the energy in the mother plant for fruit production. This simple practice will result in not only more yield, but bigger berries.

5. Nurture Plants To Maturity

Young plants will only produce small berries, while mature plants will provide larger fruit.

In the first year, many gardeners opt to pinch off the strawberry flowers, rather than allow them to fruit. This allows plants to put their energy into producing a better crop the following year.

With a little patience, it won't be long before you are feasting on the biggest, juiciest crop of strawberries imaginable.

Did you ever wonder where the strawberries on your grocery store shelves come from? In areas of California, strawberries can be harvested year-round. While in-season strawberries might come from local farms, 90% of US strawberries are grown in California. This may change in the future as commercial growers embrace hydroponically grown strawberries.

Can Strawberries Be Grown Hydroponically?

Not all crops can be grown hydroponically, but as it turns out strawberries can be cultivated in a greenhouse setting. These operations have gained popularity in countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. Yet, strawberries are grown mainly outdoors in the US.

Although estimates vary, somewhere between 20,000 and 38,000 acres of land in California are dedicated to strawberry production. With so much available land for year-round strawberry production, it's no wonder the technology for indoor strawberry farming in the US lags behind that of European and Asian countries.

Why Grow Strawberries Hydroponically?

An indoor hydroponic strawberry farm can exist anywhere. Imagine having locally grown strawberries available year round in places like New York city or Chicago. When hydroponic farming brings agriculture to urban areas, the planet benefits.

Hydroponics uses less water and pesticides than traditional farming methods. Plus, it allows produce to be grown near its point of sale. It's estimated that transporting products to market accounts for 8% of greenhouse gas emissions. This number is expected to increase substantially and possibly double by 2050.

Currently, high start-up costs and inadequate research on US strawberry cultivars are the primary drawbacks to using a hydroponic system to grow strawberries in the US. Without fully understanding the cultivation requirements of different strawberry varieties, hydroponic growers face challenges for maximizing plant growth and fruit production.

Strawberry Greenhouse Cultivation Requirements

While the specific requirement for optimal strawberry production varies depending upon the cultivar, growing strawberries in a hydroponic system requires attention to these general cultivation requirements:

Temperature: Plant growth, flower production and fruit size are influenced by temperature. Regulating root-zone temperature as well as ambient temperature in a hydroponic setup can improve plant growth with higher fruit yields.

Light: Naturally strawberry plants require adequate light for growth, but flowering and dormancy are triggered by day length. These factors can vary depending upon whether June-bearing, everbearing or day neutral berries are being cultivated. Additionally, supplying adequate light to the top, middle and bottom of the canopy in strawberry vertical hydroponics is a challenge facing commercial growers.

Nutrition: In soilless operations, water is used as a nutrient delivery system. Not only must the concentration and ratio of macro- and micronutrients be specific for strawberries, but irrigation frequency, pH levels and electrical conductivity must be targeted to the specific needs of strawberries.

Humidity: Greenhouse humidity affects the strawberry plant's ability to supply calcium to its leaves. When nighttime humidity is too low, the edges of the leaves and the calyx turn brown. (The calyx are the leaves on top of the berry.) This reduces surface area for photosynthesis and the marketability of the strawberries.

Pollination: Although strawberries are self-fertile and can pollinate themselves, pollination by bees results in higher yields with bigger, better-shaped fruit. The ratio of bees to flowers and the variety of the bees are factors which affect the percentage of flowers which produce fruit.

Strawberry vertical farming using hydroponics in a controlled environment is a cutting-edge industry in the US. And while more research for optimizing strawberry production is needed, lighting and HVAC technological advances are making locally grown strawberries a year-round possibility in the near future.

It is common in some regions to stumble upon wild strawberries. Can you eat a wild strawberry? There are a couple of plants considered to be wild strawberries, one of which is in the true family, while the other is a false berry in another genus. Wild strawberries that are safe to eat depends on where they grow, as some may be in areas contaminated by chemicals, animals, or other influences. 

Strawberries are a signature of summer, featuring prominently in fruit salads and fresh desserts. You may find the berries while out on a hike, tiny little red fruits, much smaller than the supermarket variety. These are wild strawberries and have a powerful, sweet flavor which belies their small size. Many even think these are preferable to store bought. But are wild strawberries safe to eat? Wild edible strawberries are safe provided they have not been in contact with chemicals or other contaminants. 

Are Wild Strawberries Edible? 

Strawberries are in the genus Fragaria. The cultivated varieties we enjoy today are bred for pest and disease resistance, as well as size, color, flavor, and other factors. Wild strawberries are just as Nature intended them to grow. The leaves of the plants are similar to the cultivated varieties, but tend to be smaller. The plants are herbaceous perennials which spread from stolons. Large carpets of the notched leaves may develop over time. White flowers are produced from April to May, with fruits ripening weeks later. The berries look just like any strawberry but are half the size. Wild strawberries are sweet-tart, juicy, and delicious. 

Mock Strawberry

One plant that was considered to be in the Fragaria genus has moved to another genus. This is Potentilla indica, or mock strawberry. The leaves resemble mint leaves, but are notched like true strawberry foliage. The flowers are yellow rather than white and develop into fruits similar to strawberries. But these fruit are a cluster of fleshy seeds, bright red, with a flavor that is innocuous and vague. Also known as snake berry, the fruits are edible but flavorless, however, in a pinch, they will provide nutrition. This is not a native plant. It is native to China and Japan, but was introduced as an ornamental. It has escaped captivity and may be found in a variety of sites. 

Edibility of Wild Strawberries

These small, wild fruits are delicious but care should be taken when harvesting them. Fruits harvested downstream from cattle or other livestock husbandry occurs could be contaminated by fecal run-off. Areas along roadsides may be sprayed with herbicides or contaminated by road water. Wash fruit thoroughly even in undisturbed areas that are not polluted by any impurities. The little fruits are excellent eaten fresh but you can also create a delicious jam or jelly, or even fruit wine.

For some strawberry lovers, there may be no such a thing as too many strawberries. For others there really may be too much of a good thing, and figuring out how to use strawberries before they go bad is a real problem. The good news is there are numerous uses of strawberry fruit as well as ways to preserve it. Keep reading to learn what to do with strawberries. 

How to Use Strawberries

If you’ve been eating fresh berries until you feel like Veruca Salt in Willy Wonka and both friends and family are refusing to take any more, what can you do with strawberries before they go bad? 

Strawberries lend themselves well to preserving, so there’s always the option of making jam. They also freeze quite well so you can make freezer jam or just freeze the berries for later. 

To freeze the berries, wash them, dry them gently and then lay them out on a cookie sheet. Freeze them and then bag them; this way they will remain single berries and not a giant hard-to-use lump. Strawberries can also be sliced or pureed and then frozen unsweetened, or sweetened with sugar or sugar substitute.

Speaking of freezing, how about some homemade strawberry ice cream, gelato or sorbet? With today’s new ice cream makers, making homemade icy treats is a snap and a crowd pleaser on a hot day. 

Strawberries are fabulous in smoothies. You can puree a bunch up with a banana, yogurt and any other flavors you desire or even puree the banana and berries and freeze into ice cube trays for a shortcut to future smoothies. 

What Else to Do With Strawberries 

Of course, strawberry shortcake makes quick work out of a batch of berries as does strawberry pie, cake or muffins. Breakfast lovers will swoon over berry-doused pancakes or waffles with whipped cream. Want to eat a bit healthier for breakfast? No problem, slice strawberries into high fiber cereal or low fat yogurt.

Whip up a batch of strawberry lemonade and for the adults, how about strawberry margaritas? Use the aforementioned ice cream and make a very-berry, strawberry milk shake. And for the adults again: Prosecco or champagne with strawberries is absolutely divine. 

Make a fresh fruit tart or fruit skewers with strawberries and other fruit. Grill the strawberries on skewers and serve drizzled with a balsamic reduction. Trifle anyone? Layer sliced strawberries with luscious pound cake in a pretty glass container. 

For the love in your life, dip the strawberries in chocolate, either white, dark or milk. 

What’s for dinner? How about a salad of spinach and strawberries with a balsamic/cider vinaigrette or chicken with strawberry balsamic glaze or strawberry mole or strawberry-chili jam on a perfectly cooked steak. 

There are so many strawberry uses limited only by your imagination. Strawberries can swing both ways, either sweet or savory thus making them eminently useful in the kitchen. 

If all else fails and you still haven’t been able to preserve or use a glut of strawberries, there’s always a strawberry facial scrub…

Strawberries require at least eight hours of sun but what if you have a shadier landscape? Can strawberries grow in shade? Strawberry lovers with shaded yards rejoice because, yes, you can grow strawberries in shade, provided you select shady strawberry varieties.

Interested in growing strawberries in shade? Read on to learn about shade tolerant strawberry varieties.

Can Strawberries Grow in Shade?

It is true that strawberries need at least eight hours of sunlight to produce, so what a shaded yard needs aren’t the cultivated strawberry we’ve become accustomed to. Instead, you are looking for a shade tolerant strawberry which will be a variety of wild strawberry.

Cultivated strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa) are hybrid species of the genus Fragaria created by the fusion of Chilean Fragaria chiloensis and the North American Fragaria virginiana. Wild strawberries are the type of strawberries for shade.

Growing Wild Strawberries in Shade

When we are talking wild strawberry for shade, we are speaking of alpine strawberries. Alpine strawberries grow wild along the perimeters of forests in Europe, North and South America, northern Asia, and Africa.

Alpine strawberries (Fragaria vesca) for shade do not send out runners. They fruit continuously throughout the growing season, which is a good thing since alpine berries tend to be smaller and less prolific than hybrid varieties.

Alpine strawberries are less fussy than the hybrids as well. Provided they get at least four hours of sun per day and their soil is aerated, rich in organic matter, and moisture retentive these little beauties will thrive.

Shade tolerant strawberries are suited to USDA zones 3 through 10 and require minimal maintenance. There are several alpine strawberry varieties, each with its own special characteristic but the one that is most recommended for an area primarily of shade is ‘Alexandria.’

‘Yellow Wonder,’ a yellow alpine strawberry, is also said to do fairly well in shade. In either case, just be aware that alpine strawberries do not fruit as prolifically as the larger hybrid varieties. When they do fruit, however, they are absolutely sublime and the perfect type of strawberries to grow in shade.

Almost everyone loves strawberries that come straight from the garden. Most are red and sweet. Gardeners growing Honeoye strawberries feel that this variety is among the very best. If you haven’t heard about Honeoye strawberries, it’s time to get some information. It has been a favorite midseason berry for over 30 years. For more information about Honeoye strawberries, including tips on Honeoye strawberry care, read on.

Information About Honeoye Strawberries

Honeoye strawberry plants were developed by the Cornell Research Station, Geneva, N.Y. over three decades ago. This variety has unusual winter hardiness and can thrive even in very low-temperature areas.

In addition to the fact that they can grow in chilly climates, Honeoye strawberry plants are extremely productive. They yield a generous harvest over a long season and are classified as June-bearing type plants.

Honeoye berries are very large and very delicious. If you want to start growing Honeoye strawberries, you’ll do best if you live in U.S. plant hardiness zones 3 through 8.

This strawberry is an excellent choice for the northeast and upper Midwest, since the berries taste best when they ripen in moderate conditions. The large berries harvest easily and many claim it is the most consistent berry producer.

How to Plant Honeoye Strawberries

If you are wondering how to plant Honeoye strawberries, be sure the berry patch includes well-drained soil. You’ll get the best flavor if you use light soil. Honeoye strawberry care is also easiest with light soil since these berries have little soil-disease resistance.

You will also want to find a spot that gets some sun. A spot with full sun or partial sun will do just fine.

If you are thinking about Honeoye strawberry planting, get the berry beds prepared early, either first thing in spring or even the previous fall, to take control of the weeds. Keeping weeds down is an important part of Honeoye strawberry care.

Plant the berries at least 12 inches (31 cm.) apart in rows that are 4 feet (1 m.) apart. The middle of the crown of the plant should be even with the soil.

The first year you start growing Honeoye strawberries, you can’t expect a harvest. The big red berries will start appearing the following spring and continue producing for the next four or five years.

Strawberries provide some of the earliest fruit of the season in the garden. To get an even earlier crop, try a few Camarosa strawberry plants. These early season berries are large, and the plants give a heavy yield. Camarosa can be grown outdoors in zones 5 through 8, so throughout most of the U.S. Read on for more information and tips on Camarosa strawberry care.

What is a Camarosa Strawberry?

Camarosa is one of the most common varieties of strawberry grown in southern California and shipped to grocery stores around the country. It produces a big yield of berries, and the berries are large with good form and stand up well to storage and shipping. They have a nice flavor too.

These strawberry plants grow between 6 and 12 inches (15-31 cm.) tall and wide. Depending on where you live, they will ripen and be ready to harvest between February and June. Expect to be able to harvest Camarosa berries a little earlier than other varieties you have tried.

Camarosa Strawberry Care

These strawberries grow well in beds and patches in the garden, but they also make good container plants. If your space is limited, grow one or two in pots on a patio or porch. Just be sure to pick a spot that is in full sun for the best results when growing Camarosa strawberries.

Put your strawberry plants outside once the soil has reached at least 60 degrees F. (16 C.). Strawberries of all types gobble up nutrients, so enrich the soil first with organic matter like compost. You can also use fertilizer before the flowers appear in the spring and again in the fall. Phosphorus and potassium are particularly important for berry production.

Water the Camarosa strawberry plants regularly, especially once they have started producing flowers and fruit. Continue watering in the fall, or your next year’s growth can be negatively impacted. Mulch is useful in keeping moisture in and suppressing weeds around strawberries. If you have cold winters, cover the plants with mulch after the growing season for protection until the spring.

Nothing quite beats the taste of fresh picked strawberries from your own garden. With so many strawberry varieties to choose from these days, it’s easy to find one that grows perfect in your region. Aromas strawberry plants are a patented day-neutral type and great for growing nearly anywhere. Interested in growing Aromas strawberries? Read on to learn more.

Aromas Strawberry Facts

What are Aromas strawberries? Aromas strawberry plants produce large, moderately firm, bright red strawberries that are delicious eaten fresh, frozen, or incorporated into jams, jellies, or desserts.

Growing Aromas strawberries is easy if you live in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 9. This exceptional, heavy-producing plant tends to be resistant to spider mites, as well as mildew and other plant diseases.

Tips on Growing Aromas Strawberries

Place Aromas strawberries where the plants are exposed to sunlight for at least six hours per day. A sunny spot produces the best flavor.

Allow 18 to 24 inches (46-61 cm.) between plants, as crowding prevents air from circulating around the plants. If you plant strawberries in rows, allow 4 feet (1 m.) between each plant.

Aromas strawberries require fertile, well-drained soil and are likely to rot in soggy conditions. If drainage is a problem, dig in a generous amount of compost or other organic material before planting. Also, planting on small mounds may help promote drainage.

Don’t plant strawberries near spots where potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, or peppers have grown in the past, as the soil may harbor verticillium wilt, a serious disease that can devastate strawberries. 

Water Aromas strawberry plants regularly, but be careful not to overwater as the plants are likely to rot. Decrease irrigation and water very lightly when fruit appears. If possible, water at the base of the plants and keep the leaves as dry as possible.

Provide a general-purpose fertilizer when blooms appear.

Remove runners from young plants, as energy will be devoted to the runners instead of production of fruit. It’s fine to leave the runners on mature plants.

Apply a thin layer of scratchy mulch, such as straw or fine bark, to deter slugs and keep berries from touching the soil. However, don’t allow mulch to pile up on the plants.

Gray mold on strawberries, otherwise referred to as botrytis rot of strawberry, is one of the most widespread and serious diseases for commercial strawberry growers. Because the disease can develop both in the field and during storage and transit, it can decimate a strawberry harvest. Controlling strawberry botrytis rot then is of primary importance, but unfortunately, it is one of the most difficult pathogens to control.

About Gray Mold on Strawberries

Botrytis rot of strawberry is a fungal disease caused by Botrytis cinerea, a fungus that afflicts a number of other plants, and is most severe during bloom time and at harvest, in particularly rainy seasons accompanied by cool temps.

Infections begin as small brown lesions, usually under the calyx. Spores on the lesions begin to grow within a day and appear as a gray velvety mold. The lesions grow rapidly in size and afflict both green and ripe berries.

Infected berries remain firm and yet covered with gray spores. High humidity favors the growth of the mold, which is visible as a white to gray cottony mass. On green fruits, lesions develop more slowly and the fruit becomes malformed and completely rotten. Rotten fruit may become mummified.

Strawberry Botrytis Rot Treatment

Botrytis overwinters on plant debris. In early spring, the mycelium becomes active and produces lots of spores on the surface of the plant detritus which is then spread by wind. When moisture is present and a temperature between 70-80 F. (20-27 C.), an infection can occur within a few hours. Infections occur both at bloom and as the fruit ripens but are often not detected until the fruit is mature.

Upon picking strawberries, infected fruit can rapidly, especially when bruised, spread the disease to healthy fruit. Within 48 hours of picking, healthy berries may become an infected, rotting mass. Because the fungus overwinters and because it can cause infection at all stages of development, controlling strawberry botrytis rot is a difficult task.

Control weeds around the berry patch. Clean and destroy any detritus before the plants begin to grow in the spring. Select a site with good soil drainage and air circulation with plants in full sun.

Plant strawberry plants in rows with the prevailing winds to promote more rapid drying of both foliage and fruit. Allow for adequate space between plants. Put a good layer of straw mulch between the rows or around the plants to reduce the occurrence of fruit rots.

Fertilize at the proper time. Too much nitrogen in the spring prior to harvest can produce excess foliage which shade forming berries and, in turn, keeps the berries from drying rapidly.

Pick fruit early in the day as soon as plants are dry. Remove any diseased berries and destroy them. Handle berries gently to avoid bruising and refrigerate harvested berries immediately.

Lastly, fungicides may be used to aid in the management of botrytis. They must be timed properly to be effective and are most effective in conjunction with the above cultural practices. Consult your local extension office for recommendations on the use of fungicides and always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

How much water do strawberries need? How can you learn about watering strawberries? The key is to provide enough moisture, but never too much. Soggy soil is always worse than slightly dry conditions. Read on to learn more specific information about strawberry irrigation.

Strawberry Water Needs

Strawberries tend to dry out fairly quickly because they are shallow-rooted plants with roots that exist mostly in the top 3 inches (8 cm.) of soil.

Generally, there is no need to water strawberries if your climate receives around 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5-4 cm.) of rainfall per week. In drier climates, you’ll have to provide supplemental moisture, especially during hot, dry weather.

As a general rule, figure about an inch (2.5 cm.) of water per week, although you may need to increase that amount to as much as 2.5 inches (6 cm.) during hot, dry summer weather.

How do you know it’s time to water? It’s important to check the soil before you irrigate, which is easy to do by inserting a trowel or wooden stick into the soil. Wait a few days and check again if the top 2 inches (5 cm.) of soil is dry to the touch.

Keep in mind that heavy, clay-based soil may need a little less water, while sandy, fast-draining soil may need more frequent irrigation.

How to Water Strawberries

Avoid overhead sprinklers when watering strawberries. Instead, use a drip irrigation system or a soaker hose at least 2 inches (5 cm.) from the plants. It’s important to keep the leaves as dry as possible, as strawberries are susceptible to rot in soggy conditions. Alternatively, you can let a garden hose trickle near the base of the plants.

Early morning is the best time for effective strawberry irrigation. This way, the plants have all day to dry before evening.

If you’re growing strawberries in containers, check the moisture daily; the potting mix will dry out quickly, especially during warm weather.

It’s always better to water a little less than to overwater and create unhealthy, waterlogged soil.

A layer of about 2 inches (5 cm.) of mulch for strawberries, such as straw or chopped leaves, will control weeds, conserve moisture, and prevent water from splashing on the leaves. You may need to limit mulch, however, if slugs are a problem. Also, be careful not to let mulch pile up directly on the stems, as damp mulch may promote rot and other moisture-related plant diseases.

Many plants require a specific number of chilling hours to break dormancy and begin to grow and fruit again. Strawberries are no exception and chilling of strawberry plants is a common practice amongst commercial growers. The number of strawberry chill hours depends on whether the plants are being grown outside and then stored or are being forced in a greenhouse. The following article discusses the relationship between strawberries and cold, and the chilling requirements for strawberries.

About Strawberry Chill Hours

Strawberry chilling is important. If the plants don’t get enough chill hours, the flower buds may not open in the spring or they may open unevenly, resulting in a reduction in yield. The production of leaves may be delayed as well. The traditional definition of a chill hour is any hour under 45 degrees F. (7 C.). That said, academics quibble over the actual temperature. In the case of chilling requirements for strawberries, the period is defined as the number of accumulated hours between 28 and 45 degrees F. (-2 to 7 C.).

Strawberries and Cold

Strawberries planted and cultivated outside generally get enough chill hours naturally through the change of seasons. Commercial growers sometimes grow berries outside where they begin to accumulate chill hours and are then stored with supplemental chill. Too much or too little supplemental chill affects how the plants will produce. So chilling strawberry plants has been studied to see exactly how many hours are needed for a particular variety. For instance, the day neutral ‘Albion’ needs 10 to 18 days of supplemental chill while the short day cultivar ‘Chandler’ needs less than seven days of supplemental chill. Other growers cultivate strawberries in greenhouses. Fruit is forced by providing heat and long-day illumination. Before the berries can be forced though, the dormancy of the plants must be broken with adequate strawberry chilling. In lieu of enough chill hours, plant vigor, to a certain extent, can be controlled by early season flower management. That is, removing flowers early in the season allows the plants to develop vegetatively, making up for a lack in chill hours.

Anthracnose of strawberries is a destructive fungal disease that if left uncontrolled, can decimate entire crops. Treating strawberry anthracnose may not eliminate the disease entirely, but early attention can keep the problem in check.

Strawberry Anthracnose Information

Anthracnose of strawberries was once thought to be a disease of warm, humid climates, but the problem is becoming more widespread wherever strawberries are grown. The disease is usually introduced on infected strawberry plants. Once established, the fungus can live in the soil for several months. The fungus overwinters on dead leaves and other plant debris, and is harbored by several types of weeds. Although the spores aren’t airborne, they are distributed by splashing rain, irrigation, or by people and garden tools. Anthracnose of strawberries develops and spreads very quickly.

Signs of Strawberries with Anthracnose

Anthracnose of strawberries attacks nearly every part of the strawberry plant. If the crown of the plant is infected, usually showing rotted, cinnamon-red tissue, the entire strawberry plant may wilt and die. On fruit, signs of disease include pale brown, tan, or whitish lesions. The sunken lesions, eventually covered by pinkish orange spores, enlarge quickly to cover entire berries, which may gradually become black and mummified. Flowers, leaves, and stems may also display tiny masses of salmon-colored spores.

How to Treat Strawberry Anthracnose

Plant only disease-resistant cultivars. Be sure plants are healthy and disease-free when you bring them home from the nursery. Check your strawberry patch frequently, especially during warm, wet weather. Remove and destroy diseased plants as soon as they appear. Water at ground level whenever possible. If you must use sprinklers, water in the morning so the plants have time to dry before temperatures drop in evening. Don’t work in the strawberry patch when plants are wet. Mulch the planting area with straw to help minimize splashing water. Avoid overfeeding, as too much fertilizer can make strawberry plants more susceptible to disease. Remove old, infected plant debris, but be careful about working in the area when infections are present. Keep garden tools clean to prevent spread of disease to non-infected areas. Keep weeds in check, as certain weeds harbor the pathogen that causes strawberries with anthracnose. Practice crop rotation. Don’t plant strawberries or other susceptible plants in an infected area for at least two years. Fungicides may be useful if applied at the first sign of disease. Your local cooperative extension office can provide specifics about use of fungicides in your area.

If you are longing for fresh, garden grown strawberries well before the regular growing season, you might want to look into growing strawberries in a greenhouse. Can you grow strawberries in a greenhouse? Yes you can, and you may be able to enjoy fresh-picked greenhouse strawberries before and after the regular garden harvest. Read on for more information on strawberry greenhouse production. We’ll also give you tips on how to plant strawberries in a greenhouse.

Can You Grow Strawberries in a Greenhouse?

There’s a huge difference between the taste of grocery-store and homegrown strawberries. That’s why the strawberry is one of the most popular garden fruits in the country. What about strawberry greenhouse production? Can you grow strawberries in a greenhouse? You certainly can, although you’ll need to pay attention to the plants you select and be sure you understand the ins and outs of growing strawberries in a greenhouse before jumping in.

Planting Greenhouse Strawberries

If you want to try growing strawberries in a greenhouse, you’ll find that there are many advantages. All greenhouse strawberries are, by definition, protected from sudden and unexpected drops in temperature.

Before the plants flower, you’ll need to keep the temperature at about 60 degrees F. (15 C.). Obviously, it’s critical for your berry plants to get as much sunlight as possible while fruiting. For the best strawberry greenhouse production, situate the greenhouse where it gets direct sun and keep the windows clean.

Growing strawberries in a greenhouse also reduces pest damage. That’s because it will be difficult for insects and other pests to get to the protected fruit. However, you may want to bring bumble bees into the greenhouse to help with pollination.

How to Plant Strawberries in a Greenhouse

When you are growing strawberries in a greenhouse, you’ll want to take care to select healthy plants. Purchase disease-free seedlings from reputable nurseries.

Plant individual greenhouse strawberry plants in containers filled with soil high in organic matter. Strawberries require well-draining soil, so be sure your pots or grow bags have plenty of drainage holes. Mulch with straw to regulate the soil temperature.

Irrigation is essential for all strawberry production since the plants have shallow roots. Water is even more important, however, for strawberry greenhouse production, given the warm air inside the structure. Water your plants regularly, providing water from the bottom.

You’ll also want to feed your strawberry plants with fertilizer every few weeks until the flowers open.

Verticillium is a family of fungi that infects hundreds of different host plants, including fruits, flowers, and trees, causing verticillium wilt. Verticillium wilt on strawberries is particularly heartbreaking for a gardener, since it can mean no luscious berries. If you are growing strawberries, you need to know about strawberry verticillium wilt fungus. Read on for information about how to recognize strawberries with verticillium wilt, including tips on the possibility of treating this disease.

Strawberry Verticillium Wilt Fungus

Verticillium wilt on strawberries is caused by two fungi, Verticillium albo-atrum and Verticillium dahliae. Unfortunately, an infected strawberry plant will probably not live to produce the delicious red berries you are hoping for. The really bad news is that if you have strawberries with verticillium wilt, it’s hard to get rid of the fungus. Once it is established in your garden plot, it can remain viable for over two decades. You can also unwittingly spread the strawberry verticillium wilt fungus to other areas of the garden via seeds or tools.

Recognizing Verticillium Wilt on Strawberries

So what are the symptoms of verticillium wilt on strawberries? Strawberries with verticillium wilt develop dry, drooping leaves that are well described as “wilt.” The leaf margins turn dark or reddish yellow and new leaves are stunted. It looks as though the plants haven’t been watered, but the actual issue is more serious. In time, you may see bruise-colored blotches on the runners and within the crown and roots. In a serious outbreak of strawberry verticillium wilt fungus, many plants wilt and die at the same time. In less serious outbreaks, only scattered plants may be infected.

Strawberry Verticillium Wilt Control

Treating strawberry verticillium wilt is not easy. The preferred way of strawberry verticillium wilt control in the past has been soil fumigation. This involves using soil fungicides (usually a mix of methyl bromide and cholorpicrin) that smoke out the fungi. However, this is very expensive for home gardeners, and it is also difficult to achieve under new environmental regulation. Sometimes chloropicrin used alone can disinfect some soils, but it does not provide the same type of control as the use of the products together. Your best bet is to take cultural care steps toward strawberry verticillium wilt control. For example, never plant strawberries where other crops susceptible to the fungus have been planted within five years. This includes tomato, pepper, potato, and eggplant. You should also be sure your strawberry patch is well-drained. It should have fertile but light soil and get lots of air and sun. Finally, be sure to use certified, disease-free strawberry plants. Although no cultivars have been developed to date that are genetically resistant to this disease, you can find some tolerant or partially resistant cultivars. This is an important method of strawberry verticillium wilt control.

Strawberry rhizoctonia rot is a root rot disease that causes serious damage, including major yield reduction. There is no way to treat the disease once it has set in, but there are several cultural practices you can use to reduce the risk that your strawberry patch will succumb.

What is Rhizoctonia Rot of Strawberries?

Also known as black root rot, this disease is actually a disease complex. This means there may be multiple pathogens causing the disease. Several fungal species have been implicated, including rhizoctonia, pythium, and fusarium, as well as some types of nematode. Rhizoctonia is a major culprit and often dominates the disease complex. The most visible aboveground signs of strawberries with rhizoctonia fungi and black root rot are general lack of vigor, limited growth of runners, and smaller berries. These symptoms are not uncommon for other root diseases, so to determine the cause, it is important to look below the soil. Underground, at the roots, rhizoctonia on strawberries shows as rotting, black areas. It may just be the tips of the roots, or there can be black lesions all over the roots. Early in the progression of the disease the core of the roots remains white, but as it gets worse, the black rot goes all the way through the roots.

Preventing Strawberry Rhizoctonia Fungus Infection

Black root rot is complex and there is no treatment that will save afflicted strawberries. It is important to use cultural practices to prevent it instead. Use only healthy plants when starting a strawberry patch. Check the roots to be sure they are all white and there are no signs of rot. Excess moisture also favors this disease, so be sure that your soil drains well—alternatively you can use raised beds—and that your strawberries do not get over watered. The disease is more prevalent in soil that is moist and that is also low in organic matter, so add in compost before planting strawberries. Strawberry plants that are stressed, don’t get enough nutrients, or have been damaged by pests, including nematodes, are more susceptible to black root rot. Maintain good health of plants by avoiding frost or drought stress, and by managing nematodes in the soil. Commercial strawberry growers may fumigate the soil prior to planting to avoid root rot, but this is not recommended for home growers. Good cultural practices should be adequate for a good harvest and minimal disease.

It is easy to see why strawberries are one of the most popular fruit crops grown in today’s home gardens. These simple to grow berries are not only versatile in the kitchen, but insanely delicious when compared to their supermarket counterparts. Their small, compact size also lends their growth to those tending container gardens, as well as larger plantings. By recognizing the signs and symptoms of common strawberry issues, like scorched strawberry leaves, growers are able to harvest succulent berries for year to come.

What is Leaf Scorch on Strawberry?

Scorched strawberry leaves are caused by a fungal infection which affects the foliage of strawberry plantings. The fungus responsible is called Diplocarpon earliana. Strawberries with leaf scorch may first show signs of issue with the development of small purplish blemishes that occur on the topside of leaves. Over time, the spots will continue to grow larger and darken. In severe cases, dark spots may even cover entire portions of strawberry plant leaves and cause them to completely dry and fall from the plant. Though the foliage of the infected plants is not aesthetically pleasing, it is seldom that the presence of this fungus impacts the quality of the strawberry crop itself.

Treating Strawberry Leaf Scorch

While leaf scorch on strawberry plants can be frustrating, there are some strategies which home gardeners may employ to help prevent its spread in the garden. The primary means of strawberry leaf scorch control should always be prevention. Since this fungal pathogen overwinters on the fallen leaves of infected plants, proper garden sanitation is key. This includes the removal of infected garden debris from the strawberry patch, as well as the frequent establishment of new strawberry transplants. The creation of new plantings and strawberry patches is key to maintaining a consistent strawberry harvest, as older plants are more likely to show signs of severe infection. When making new plantings always ensure that good planting practices are implemented. These practices include the use of proper plant spacing to provide adequate air circulation and the use of drip irrigation. The avoidance of waterlogged soil and frequent garden cleanup will help to reduce the likelihood of spread of this fungus.

If plants in the strawberry patch are looking stunted and you live in an area with cool, moist soil conditions, you may be looking at strawberries with red stele. What’s red stele disease? Red stele root rot is a serious fungal disease that can cause death in strawberry plants. Learning to recognize the symptoms of red stele is an important step in managing red stele disease in strawberries.

What is Red Stele Disease?

Red stele root rot afflicts strawberry plants in the northern regions of the United States. It is caused by the fungus Phytophthora fragariae. The disease afflicts not only strawberries, but loganberries and potentilla as well, although to a lesser extent. As mentioned, the disease is most common when conditions are cool and wet. During such periods, the fungus begins to move through the soil, infesting the root system of the strawberries. Just a few days after infection, the roots begin to rot.

Red Stele Symptoms

Strawberries infected with red stele initially have no visible symptoms since the fungus is doing its dirty work under the soil. As the infection progresses and the roots become increasingly rotted, above ground symptoms begin to appear. Plants will become stunted and young leaves turn a blue/green while older leaves become red, yellow, or orange in color. As the number of roots becomes infected, the plant’s size, yield, and berry size all decrease. Red stele disease does not usually appear in a new planting until the following spring during the first bearing year. Symptoms appear from full bloom to harvest and damage increases exponentially year after year.

Managing Red Stele Disease

Red stele disease is most prevalent in heavy clay soils that are saturated with water combined with cool temperatures. Once the fungus has established in the soil, it may remain alive for up to 13 years or even longer even when crop rotation has been implemented. So how then can red stele be managed? Be sure to use only disease-free certified resistant cultivars. These include the following June bearers:

• Allstar
• Delite
• Earliglow
• Guardian
• Lester
• Midway
• Redchief
• Scott
• Sparkel
• Sunrise
• Surecrop

Everbearing varieties are also predominantly resistant to red stele. That said, however, resistant varieties are only resistant to common strains of the disease and can still become infected if they come into contact with other strains of the pathogen. The local nursery or extension office should be able to direct you to the most resistant cultivars for your area. Situate the berries in a well-draining area that does not tend to get saturated. Keep any tools used to tend the strawberries clean and sterile to avoid passing the infection. If the plants are suffering from an extreme infection, soil fumigation with soil sterilants and/or pesticide application may help. This is a last resort and a risky one, since a fumigated field may become re-infected through contaminated equipment or plants.

June-bearing strawberry plants produce lots of runners and secondary plants which can make the berry patch overcrowded. Overcrowding makes the plants compete for light, water, and nutrients which, in turn, reduces the amount and size of the fruit they produce. That’s where strawberry renovation comes into play. What is renovation of strawberries? Strawberry renovation is an important practice many folks neglect. Not sure how to renovate strawberry plants? Keep reading to find out how and when to rejuvenate a strawberry plant.

What is Renovation of Strawberries?

Simply put, strawberry renovation is the removal of a large number of old berry plants in an established planting to allow the more heavily fruiting secondary or daughter plants to take over. Basically, the practice aims to eliminate the competition between dense plantings and to maintain the strawberry patch for successive years of production. Renovation not only thins out old plants and jump starts new plant development, but it keeps plants in rows for easier picking, controls weeds, and allows a side-dressing of fertilizer to be worked down into the root zone. So, when should you rejuvenate a strawberry plant? Strawberries should be renovated as soon as possible at the end of harvest season each year. After harvest, strawberries go through a semi-dormant stage for about four to six weeks, which usually starts around the first of June and lasts through the middle of July. The earlier the process is done; the earlier runner plants develop which means a higher yield the following year.

How to Renovate Strawberry Plants

Clip or mow the foliage low enough to remove the leaves yet high enough not to damage the crown. Apply a complete fertilizer that contains nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. Broadcast at the rate of 10 to 20 pounds (4.5-9 kg.) per 1,000 square feet (93 sq. m.). Rake the leaves from the area and remove any weeds. Remove any plants outside of a row that is a foot (31 cm.) across using either a shovel or rototiller. If using a rototiller, the fertilizer will be worked in; otherwise, use a shovel to work the fertilizer in around the plants roots. Water the plants deeply and immediately to water the fertilizer in and give the roots a good dose. Side-dress the berries with a high nitrogen fertilizer in late August or September which will provide sufficient nutrients for newly developing fruit buds in the next year.

When you think of a classic strawberry—big, bright red, juicy—you could be picturing an Earliglow strawberry. Growing Earliglow berries are a great choice for the home gardener because of how easy and productive this variety is.

Earliglow Strawberry Facts

Earliglow is a popular strawberry variety, often used at U-Pick farms and commonly chosen in home gardens. The berry you get from this variety is large, red, juicy, and tasty. While these would be reasons enough to grow Earliglow, there are other reasons too, including high yield and ease of care and maintenance. The extensive runners that these plants produce will give you an even larger harvest next year. With Earliglow, as the name suggests, you get an earlier harvest. Your plants will start producing berries in June in zones 4 through 8. Expect to get a big yield over the course of about three weeks. You can get a later season harvest if you plant in early fall. Earliglow is resistant to several diseases, including root rot, verticulum wilt, and red stele.

How to Grow Earliglow Strawberries

Earliglow strawberry care is easy and simple, and with little maintenance you can expect to get a good harvest. The plants grow about 12 inches tall and wide (31 cm.) and should be spaced about that far apart in the garden. Choose a spot with soil that drains well and add organic material if your soil is poor. These berries need full sun and regular watering. You can use a mulch to keep moisture in and avoid over-drying. After the harvest of berries is complete, remove the older leaves, leaving new growth in place. You can use a balanced, general fertilizer in spring and again at mid-season. Earliglow strawberries do well in a variety of settings. You can plant them in a bed in rows, in raised beds, or as a border. If your space is limited, this variety will also do well in containers. However you grow them, with plenty of sun and water, you can enjoy a bountiful harvest of these delicious berries every summer.

What is an Elsanta strawberry? Strawberry ‘Elsanta’ (Fragaria x ananassa ‘Elsanta’) is a vigorous plant with deep green foliage; large flowers; and big, shiny, mouthwatering berries that ripen in mid-summer. This robust plant is easy to grow and a cinch to harvest, making it a good choice for beginning gardeners. It is suitable for growing in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 10. Interested in growing Elsanta strawberries? Read on for more information.

Elsanta Strawberry Facts

Elsanta is a Dutch variety that has risen to prominence over the years due to its reliable yield and disease resistance. It is a supermarket favorite because of its quality, firmness, and long shelf life. It is grown across the United States and Europe. Some people have complained that Elsanta and other supermarket strawberries have lost their flavor, but it is theorized that this occurs when plants are overwatered in order to grow them quickly. This is a good reason for growing Elsanta strawberries at home!

How to Grow Elsanta Strawberry Plants

Plant Elsanta strawberries in a sunny, sheltered location as soon as the ground can be worked in spring. Early planting allows the plants to become well established before the arrival of hot weather. Strawberries require well-drained soil, so dig in a generous quantity of compost or other organic material before planting, along with a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer. Elsanta strawberries also do well in raised beds and containers. Don’t plant strawberries where tomatoes, peppers, potatoes or eggplant have been grown; the soil may harbor a serious disease known as verticillium wilt. Strawberries produce best with full sunlight for at least six to eight hours per day. Allow about 18 inches (46 cm.) between plants, and avoid planting too deeply. Ensure the crown of the plant is slightly above the surface of the soil, just covering the tops of the roots. The plants will begin producing runners and “daughter” plants in four to five weeks.

Elsanta Berry Care

During the first growing season, remove blooms as soon as they appear to encourage development of more runners and a bigger crop in following years. Feed the plants after the first harvest in mid-summer, beginning in the second year, using a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer. Feed container-grown strawberries every other week throughout the growing season, using a water-soluble fertilizer. Water frequently but not excessively. In general, about an inch (2.5 cm.) of water is sufficient, although the plants may need a little extra during hot, dry weather and while the plants are setting fruit. Weed the strawberry patch regularly. Weeds will draw moisture and nutrients from the plants. Mulch plants with well-rotted manure or compost in spring, but use mulch sparingly if slugs and snails are a problem. In this case, consider using plastic mulch. Treat slugs and snails with commercial slug bait. You may be able to control slugs with beer traps or other homemade solutions. Cover the plants with plastic netting to protect the berries from birds.

Strawberry lovers who want more than one crop of the delicious, sweet berries opt for everbearing, or day-neutral cultivars. A terrific option for a day-neutral strawberry is Seascape, which was released by the University of California in 1992. Read on to find out about growing Seascape strawberries and other Seascape berry info.

What is a Seascape Strawberry?

Seascape strawberries are small, herbaceous, perennial plants that grow to only 12-18 inches (30.5-45.5 cm). As mentioned, Seascape strawberries are everbearing strawberries, which means they produce their delectable fruit throughout the growing season. The plants bear large, firm, brilliantly red fruit in the spring, summer and fall. According to most Seascape berry info, these strawberries are heat tolerant and disease resistant as well as being prolific producers. Their shallow root systems make them suitable not only for the garden, but for container growing as well. They are hardy in USDA zones 4-8 and are one of the premium strawberry cultivars for growers in the northeastern U.S.

Seascape Strawberry Care

Like other strawberries, Seascape strawberry care is minimal. They like nutrient rich, loamy soil with excellent drainage with full sun exposure. For maximum berry production, full sun is needed. This is where planting in a container may come in handy; you can move the container around and into the best sunny areas. Plant Seascape strawberries either in matted rows, high density plantings or in containers. Bare root strawberries should be planted about 8-12 inches (20.5-30.5 cm.) apart in the garden. If you choose to grow Seascape in containers, choose a container that has drainage holes and is at least 3-5 gallons (11-19 L.). When growing Seascape strawberries, be sure to provide them with one inch (2.5 cm.) of water per week depending upon weather conditions. If you are growing the berries in a container, they will likely have to be watered more frequently. Picking the strawberries frequently encourages the plants to fruit, so keep the plants well picked for a bumper crop of strawberries throughout the season.

Strawberry lovers who grow their own berries may be of two types. Some prefer the larger June-bearing strawberries and some prefer to sacrifice some of that size for everbearing varieties that produce multiple crops throughout the growing season. There is no right or wrong choice, but for those who want successive crops and live in the northern regions or higher elevations of the South, try growing Ozark Beauties. What are Ozark Beauty strawberries? Read on to find out how to grow an Ozark Beauty and about Ozark Beauty plant care.

What are Ozark Beauty Strawberries?

The Ozark Beauty strawberry was developed in Arkansas and is well suited for cooler regions, hardy to USDA zones 4-8, and with protection may even do well in USDA zones 3 and 9. This strawberry cultivar can survive winter temps down to -30 F. (-34 C.). Ozark Beauty strawberries are considered to be one of the best everbearing varieties. They are vigorous and extremely prolific producers. They produce fairly large berries for an everbearing that are deep red in color and honey-sweet, excellent for use in the making of preserves.

How to Grow an Ozark Beauty

When growing Ozark Beauties, be aware that this cultivar will typically not set fruit in the first year, or if they do, do so sparely. This strawberry variety produces very long runners at the same time as it is blooming and producing fruit. As with all strawberry varieties, ‘Ozark Beauty’ prefers full sun and slightly acidic soil with a pH of 5.3-6.5. Because they produce quite a few runners, they can be planted in a matted row or hill system.

Ozark Beauty Plant Care

Ozark Beauties should be provided an inch (2.5 cm.) of water per week depending upon weather conditions. During their first year of growth, remove all but 2-3 runners from Ozark Beauty plants. This will increase the size and quality of the berries. While Ozark Beauties are resistant to both leaf spot and leaf scorch, they do not have any resistance to common strawberry pests such as spider mites or nematodes. They are also susceptible to red stele and verticillium as well as anthracnose.

If you’re interested in growing strawberries, you may be getting confused with strawberry terminology. For instance, what are day-neutral strawberries? Are they the same as “everbearing” strawberries or what about “June-bearing” types? When do day-neutral strawberries grow? There are many questions about growing day-neutral strawberry plants, so keep reading the following day-neutral strawberry info.

What are Day-Neutral Strawberries?

Day-neutral strawberries continue to fruit as long as the weather holds. This means that, unlike the familiar June-bearing cultivars that only fruit for a short time, day-neutral strawberries fruit into the summer and fall, which is great news for strawberry lovers. They also have firmer and larger fruit than June-bearing strawberries.

When Do Day-Neutral Strawberries Grow?

As long as temperatures remain between 40 and 90 F. (4-32 C.), day-neutral strawberries will continue to produce throughout spring, summer, and into autumn, usually from June to October.

Additional Day-Neutral Strawberry Information

There has been some confusion over the terms ‘day-neutral’ and ‘everbearing’ strawberries because they often seem to be used interchangeably. Everbearing is an old term for strawberries that fruited throughout the summer, but modern day-neutral cultivars are more consistent in producing berries than the older ‘everbearing’ cultivars, which tended to produce fruit early in summer and then again late in the summer with a big, non-bearing gap in between. Day-neutral strawberries have been categorized as either weak or strong because each cultivar varies in its ability to flower during the summer. Strong, day-neutrals are said to produce both runners and blooms sparsely during the summer, have flowers form on the runners, and plants that are smaller with fewer crowns. Day-neutrals that have a stronger tendency to produce runners, flower more profusely, and become larger plants are called intermediate or weak day-neutrals.

Growing Day-Neutral Strawberries

Day-neutral strawberries thrive in raised beds covered with black plastic mulch that suppresses weeds and warms the soil. Ideally, they should be watered with a drip system to keep excess moisture from the leaves and fruit. Day-neutral strawberries should be planted in fall and are usually grown as annuals, although they may be held over for a second year.

The strawberry is a difficult fruit. The grocery store specimens that most of us eat are bred for appearance and shippability but not, usually, flavor. And anyone who’s eaten a berry straight out of the garden knows the difference all too well. One berry that’s particularly delicious (and also especially bad at travel) is Fraises de Bois. Keep reading to learn more about growing Fraises de Bois and Fraises de Bois care.

Fraises de Bois Strawberry Info

What are Fraises de Bois strawberries? Fraises de Bois (Fragaria vesca) translates from French to “strawberries of the woods.” They are frequently called alpine strawberries and woodland strawberries. Different varieties are native to Asia, Europe, and North America. They can sometimes be found growing in the wild. The plants themselves are very small, reaching 4 to 8 inches (10-20.5 cm.) in height. The berries are minuscule, especially by supermarket standards, and don’t tend to reach more than half an inch (1.5 cm.) in length. They are also very delicate, with a squishable quality that usually prevents them from even being transported to local farmers’ markets. Their taste, however, is incredible, both sweeter and more acidic than most other strawberries.

Fraises de Bois Care

Since they are almost impossible to find for sale, growing Fraises de Bois or finding them in the wild is virtually the only way to taste them. The plants are tolerant of both hot and cold, and, as a rule, are hardy from USDA zones 5-9. They grow in full sun to partial shade, and fertile, humus-rich, well-draining soil. They prefer slightly moist soil and need moderate watering. These strawberries will continue to bloom and bear fruit from late spring through late summer. They will spread easily through runners and self-seeding. They are tricky to grow in the garden, however - the germination process isn’t always reliable, and they are prone to several diseases, such as rots, wilts, blights, and mildew. But the taste may be worth the trouble.

Who doesn’t love strawberries? Allstar strawberries are hardy, June-bearing strawberries that produce generous harvests of big, juicy, orange-red berries in late spring and early summer. Read on and learn how to grow Allstar strawberry plants and additional Allstar strawberry facts.

Growing Allstar Strawberries

You can grow Allstar strawberries in USDA plant hardiness zones 5-9, and maybe as low as zone 3 with a generous layer of mulch or other protection during the winter. Allstar strawberries aren’t grown commercially because the delicate skin makes shipping difficult, but they’re ideal for home gardens. Allstar strawberries need a location with full sunlight and moist, well-draining soil. If your soil drains poorly, consider planting strawberries in a raised garden or container. Work a generous amount of compost or well-rotted manure into the top 6 inches (15 cm.) of the soil before planting, then rake the area smooth. Dig a hole for each plant, allowing about 18 inches (45.5 cm.) between them. Make the hole about 6 inches (15 cm.) deep, then form a 5-inch (12.5 cm.) mound of soil in the center. Place each plant in a hole with the roots evenly spread over the mound, then pat the soil around the roots. Ensure the crown of the plant is even with the surface of the soil. Spread a light layer of mulch around the plants. Cover newly planted strawberries with straw if a hard frost is expected.

Allstar Strawberry Care

Remove blossoms and runners in the first year to increase production in subsequent years. Water regularly to keep the soil moist throughout the growing season. Strawberries generally need about 1 inch (2.5 cm.) per week, and maybe a little more during hot, dry weather. Plants also benefit from extra moisture, up to 2 inches (5 cm.) per week during fruiting. Harvesting Allstar strawberries is best done in the morning when the air is cool. Be sure the berries are ripe; strawberries don’t continue to ripen once picked. Protect Allstar strawberry plants with plastic netting if birds are a problem. Watch for slugs too. Treat the pests with standard or non-toxic slug bait or diatomaceous earth. You can also try beer traps or other homemade solutions. Cover the plants with 2 to 3 inches (5-7.5 cm.) of straw, pine needles, or other loose mulch during the winter.

With the continually rising prices of produce, many families have taken up growing their own fruits and vegetables. Strawberries have always been a fun, rewarding, and easy fruit to grow in the home garden. However, successful yields of strawberries can be dependent on which strawberries you grow. 

Strawberries are classified into three groups: Everbearing, Day-Neutral, or June-bearing. Oftentimes, though, day-neutral strawberries are also grouped with everbearing types. In this article we will specifically answer the question, “What are everbearing strawberries.” 

Read on for more information on growing everbearing strawberries.

What are Everbearing Strawberries?

By looking at strawberry plants you cannot tell if they are everbearing, day-neutral, or June-bearing. Therefore, we must rely on the proper labeling of strawberry plants at nurseries and garden centers to know which type we are purchasing. 

Unfortunately, plant labeling is not a perfect science. They can fall out and get lost, plants can be mislabeled and, much to the vexation of garden center workers, customers sometimes pull out plant tags to read them just to stick the label back in any nearby plant. 

In addition, many nurseries label both everbearing and day-neutral strawberries as everbearing despite differences in the two. However, the more experienced you become at growing these different types of strawberry plants, the more you’ll be able to recognize their distinguishable growing habits, in case they were mislabeled. Fruit production, quality, and harvest is what distinguishes between the different types of strawberries. 

So when do everbearing strawberries grow and when can I harvest everbearing strawberries? Fruit production on June-bearing and everbearing strawberry plants is affected by day length, temperatures, and climate zone. Everbearing strawberry plants begin to form flower buds when day length is 12 hours or more per day. 

True everbearing strawberry plants produce two to three separate yields of strawberries, one crop in spring to early summer, another crop in midsummer in cooler climates, and the last crop in late summer to early fall. Although they are generally called everbearing strawberries as well, day-neutral strawberries do not require any specific day length to set fruit.

Day-neutral strawberry plants usually produce fruit throughout the growing season. However, both day-neutral and everbearing strawberry plants do not tolerate high temperatures in summer; plants generally do not produce fruit in high heat, and may even begin to dieback. Everbearing strawberry plants, including day-neutral varieties, are best suited to cooler, mild climates.

Growing Everbearing Strawberries

While strawberry plants are generally considered hardy in zones 3 through 10, June-bearing types do better in mild to warmer climates, while everbearing strawberries do better in cooler to mild climates. Since June-bearing strawberry plants produce a singular crop of strawberries in spring to early summer, late spring frosts can damage or kill the fruit. 

If everbearing strawberry plants are hit by late frosts, it is not quite as devastating because they will produce more fruit throughout the growing season. This fruit production is one of the main differences between June-bearing and everbearing strawberries. 

June-bearing usually produce just one high yield each growing season, while everbearing strawberries will produce several smaller crops in a year. Everbearing strawberry plants also produce less runners. The fruit of everbearing strawberries is generally smaller than June-bearing strawberries too. 

So when can you expect to harvest everbearing strawberries? The answer is simply as soon as the fruit is ripe. When growing everbearing strawberries, plants will generally start to produce fruit within their first growing season. However, the first year’s fruiting may be more sporadic and sparse. 

Strawberry plants also produce less berries with age. After three to four years, strawberry plants usually need to be replaced because they no longer produce good quality fruit. Some popular varieties of everbearing and day-neutral strawberries are:

• Everest
• Seascape
• Albion
• Quinalt
• Tristar (day-neutral)
• Tribute (day-neutral)

June-bearing strawberry plants are extremely popular because of their excellent fruit quality and production. They are also the most common strawberries grown for commercial use. However, many gardeners wonder exactly what makes a strawberry June-bearing? Distinguishing between everbearing or June-bearing strawberries can be difficult because the plants don’t actually look any different. It is actually their fruit production that sets them apart. Continue reading for more June-bearing strawberry info.

What are June-Bearing Strawberries?

June-bearing strawberry plants usually only produce one vigorous crop of large, sweet juicy strawberries in spring to early summer. That being said, the plants usually produce little to no fruit in their first growing season. Because of this, gardeners usually pinch back any flowers and runners, allowing the plant to put all its energy into healthy root development in the first season. June-bearing strawberries form flower buds in late summer to early fall when day length is less than 10 hours per day. These flowers bloom in early spring, then produce an abundance of large, juicy berries in spring. When to pick June-bearing strawberries is during this two-three week period in late spring to early summer, when fruits ripen. Because June-bearing strawberry plants bloom and fruit so early in the season, fruits can be damaged or killed by late spring frosts in cooler climates. Cold frames or row covers can help prevent frost damage. Many gardeners in cooler climates will grow both everbearing and June-bearing plants to ensure that they will have harvestable fruit. June-bearing plants are more heat tolerant than everbearing strawberries, though, so they tend to do better in climates with hot summers.

How to Grow June-Bearing Strawberry Plants

June-bearing strawberries are usually planted in rows that are 4 feet (1 m.) apart, with each plant spaced 18 inches (45.5 cm.) apart. Straw mulch is placed under and around plants to keep the fruits from touching the soil, to retain soil moisture, and to keep weeds down. Strawberry plants require about an inch (2.5 cm.) of water per week during the growing season. During flower and fruit production, June-bearing strawberry plants should be fertilized every two weeks with a 10-10-10 fertilizer for fruits and vegetables, or a slow-release fertilizer can be applied early in spring. Some popular varieties of June-bearing strawberries are:

• Earligrow
• Annapolis
• Honeoye
• Delmarvel
• Seneca
• Jewel
• Kent
• Allstar

Fresh strawberries are one of the joys of summer. Strawberry shortcake, strawberry preserves, and berry smoothies are just some of the tasty treats we enjoy when it is the season. Jewel strawberry plants are prolific producers, easy to grow, and tolerant of a range of conditions. They even have moderate winter hardiness and are suitable for USDA zones 4 to 8. Read on for more Jewel strawberry info and see if they are the right variety for your garden.

Jewel Strawberry Info

The berries from a Jewel strawberry plant are exactly what you picture when you think of this variety of fruit. Firm, deeply red, and juicy; the berries adapt to a host of uses. What are Jewel strawberries? They are on the list of the top 10 strawberries. The plants are resistant to the more common strawberry problems and self-pollinate, with fruit that has a delicious scent and flavor. Jewel strawberry plants are a hybrid, which is recommended for commercial, home gardens and you-pick operations. The plant is low growing, hugging the ground and spreading by stolon. Each plant is 12 inches (31 cm.) tall with a similar spread. In just a year from planting you can be harvesting bright red, wedge shaped fruits. The berries are especially good for freezing but also lend themselves well to fresh fruit concoctions. Jewel is a mid-season variety that starts to ripen in June. The berries are large and the plant produces plenty of the sweet fruit. Jewel is also an adaptable variety that needs very little supplemental care.

How to Grow Jewel Strawberries

Nurseries, mail order catalogs, and online garden centers carry the Jewel variety. They usually come as bare root plants, although occasionally can be found as plant starts. If it is too early to plant, keep the starts in a cool location with moderate light and moisten roots regularly. Prior to planting, incorporate some well-rotted compost to enhance drainage and nutrient density. Gradually harden off new plants for a seven day period by exposing them slowly to the outdoors in a shady location for longer and longer periods of time. Ensure the roots stay moist during this process. Space plants 12 inches (31 cm.) apart in loose, well-draining soil in full sun. Pinch the flowers the first year to develop thick, vigorous plants. Keep the bed moderately moist and weed free. Add compost, like this Espoma Organic Potting Soil Mix from Amazon, as a side dressing every spring when new growth emerges to feed the roots and enhance plant growth. When plants begin to die back for winter, cover the bed in straw in late fall. This will minimize heaving and help keep the roots warm. As early spring arrives, pull away the straw and use it in your compost pile or push to the edges to minimize weeds. Slugs and snails love strawberries as much as we do. Set beer traps or use copper taping, like this GONZO 9001 Copper Stopper Slug & Snail Barrier from Amazon, around the bed to repel these pests. Avoid watering overhead when plants cannot dry before nightfall to minimize fungal issues. Each plant bears for three to five years, but because the internodes root and produce more plants, there will be a steady supply of fruit for years to come.

If you’re a northern climate gardener and you’re in the market for hardy, disease-resistant strawberries, Northeaster strawberries (Fragaria ‘Northeaster’) may be just the ticket. Read on to learn about growing Northeaster strawberries in your garden.

Strawberry ‘Northeaster’ Info

This June-bearing strawberry, released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1996, is suitable for growing in USDA plant hardiness zones 4 through 8. It has gained favor for its generous yields and large, sweet, juicy berries, which are delicious baked, eaten raw, or incorporated into jams and jellies. Northeaster strawberry plants reach heights of about 8 inches (20 cm.), with a spread of 24 inches. (60 cm.). Although the plant is grown primarily for sweet fruit, it is also attractive as a groundcover, along borders, or in hanging baskets or containers. Dainty white flowers with bright yellow eyes appear from mid- to late spring.

How to Grow Northeaster Strawberries

Prepare the soil ahead of time by working in a generous amount of compost or well-rotted manure. Dig a hole large enough to accommodate the roots, then form a mound in the bottom of the hole. Plant the strawberry in the hole with the roots spread evenly over the mound and the crown slightly above soil level. Allow 12 to 18 inches (12 to 45 cm.) between plants. Northeaster strawberry plants tolerate full sun to partial shade. They are fairly picky about soil, performing best in moist, rich, alkaline conditions, but they don’t tolerate standing water. Northeaster strawberry plants are self-pollinating.

Northeaster Berry Care

Remove all blooms the first year. Preventing the plant from fruiting pays off with a vigorous plant and healthy yields for several years to come. Mulch Northeaster strawberry plants to conserve moisture and prevent the berries from resting on the soil. Water regularly to keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy. Northeaster strawberry plants develop lots of runners. Train them to grow outward and press them into the soil, where they will root and develop new plants. Feed Northeaster strawberry plants every spring, using a balanced, organic fertilizer.

The strawberries we are familiar with today are nothing like those eaten by our ancestors. They ate Fragaria vesca, commonly referred to as alpine or woodland strawberry. What are alpine strawberries? Native to Europe and Asia, varieties of alpine strawberries can still be found growing in North America, both naturally and as an introduced species. The following article discusses how to grow alpine strawberry and other pertinent woodland strawberry information.

What are Alpine Strawberries?

Although similar to modern strawberries, alpine strawberry plants are smaller, lack runners, and have significantly smaller fruit, about the size of a fingernail. A member of the rose family, Rosaceae, the alpine strawberry is a botanical form of the wood strawberry, or "fraise de bois" in French. These tiny plants can be found growing wild along the perimeter of woods in Europe, North and South America, and northern Asia and Africa. This alpine form of the wood strawberry was first discovered around 300 years ago in the low Alps. Unlike wood strawberries that only bear fruit in the spring, alpine strawberries continuously bear through the growing season, June to October.

Additional Woodland Strawberry Information

The first runner-less alpine strawberries selected were called ‘Bush Alpine’ or ‘Gaillon.’ Today, there are many strains of alpine strawberries, some of which produce fruit that is yellow or cream in color. They can be grown in USDA zones 3 through 10. The plants have tri-foliate, slightly serrated, green leaves. Blooms are small, five petaled, and white with yellow centers. The fruit has a delicately sweet, wild strawberry flavor with many varieties said to have a hint of pineapple. The genus name comes from the Latin “fraga,” which means strawberry, and from “fragrans,” meaning fragrant, in reference to the aroma of the fruit.

How to Grow an Alpine Strawberry

These delicate looking plants are tougher than they look and can bear fruit with as little sun as four hours a day. Unfussy, they bear the best testing fruit in soil that is rich in organic matter and that is well-draining. Alpine strawberries have shallow roots that can be easily damaged through cultivation or by the hot summer sun, so it is best to mulch around them with compost, straw, or pine needles. Add fresh mulch in the spring to continually enrich the soil, retain moisture, discourage weeds, and keep the soil cool. Plants can be propagated from seed or via crown division. If growing alpine strawberries from seed, sow seed in a flat filled with a well-draining medium. Very lightly cover the seeds with soil and then set the flat in a pan of water. Seeds will take a few weeks to germinate and may not do so all at once, so be patient. After a month or so of growth, the seedlings should be transplanted into individual pots and slowly hardened off outside. Transplant them into the garden after all chance of frost has passed for your area. Seedlings planted in the spring will bear that summer. In successive growing years, the plants will begin to fruit in the spring. As the plants age, rejuvenate them by division. Dig the plants up in the early spring and cut off the young, tender growth on the outside of the plant. Make sure this cut clump has roots; it’s going to be a new plant after all. Replant the newly cut clump of berries and compost the old center plant.

Wild strawberries are not uncommon in backyard gardens. They tend to crop up along fence lines in particular. These tiny, wild original strawberries look like their domesticated counterparts but they lack the size and, sometimes, the sweetness. Still, they may be worth harvesting and it is certainly worth learning some of the fascinating wild strawberry history.

History of Wild Strawberries

The history of wild strawberries begins thousands of years ago. Various types of strawberry are native all over the world. In ancient South America, they were used for trading, while in North America they were medicinal and used to promote fertility. Wild strawberries were used as early as 5,000 years ago as medicine in Asia. The leaves were used to make a detoxifying and anti-aging tea. In ancient Rome, the wild berries treated bad breath and digestive issues. In North America, the native wild strawberry is Fragaria virginiana. It is small but was taken to France in the 1600s to be bred with a South American native, Fragaria chilioensis, to create what would become the modern garden strawberry that we know today. The creation was accidental, but it resulted in a new species that grew vigorously and produced large, tasty berries. Wild strawberry history continues as this resulting cross made its way back to North America in the late 1700s. It had become popular in Europe and found similar enthusiasm in the New World becoming an established crop by the early 1800s.

Wild Strawberry Information for Harvest and Use

Although we call it a berry, a strawberry is not really a berry or a fruit. It is the overgrown flower receptacle. What we call the seeds are achenes, and these are the actual fruits of the plant. The "berries" of the wild plant native to North America are quite small and seedy, but if you collect enough, you can enjoy them as you would domestic strawberries. You can also let them grow in your yard to attract birds. To cultivate wild strawberries, you can uproot wild plants you find in your yard, in the woods or in an open field and plant them in beds. They make a good, low ground cover and an edging plant in beds. Expect the plants to bloom in late spring and be ready to pick wild strawberries by early summer.

There’s nothing worse in your summer garden than strawberries rotting on vines. It’s terribly disappointing to look forward to fresh berries, only to have them go bad before you even harvest them. There are solutions to this crisis, though, things you can do to prevent it and save the remaining strawberries.

Why Do Strawberries Rot in the Garden?

There are a few different diseases that can cause rotting strawberries, and if you understand how these develop, you can take steps to prevent them:

• Gray mold. Gray mold looks just like it sounds: gray, fuzzy mold growing on your berries. It can begin early, before any berries develop, causing the flowers and stems to brown and even die. As the berries form, they get moldy and rot. Gray mold is triggered by excess moisture.
• Leather rot. If your berries develop brown spots in warm and wet weather, you probably have leather rot. This is a fungal infection and it causes the spots and makes the fruit tough.
• Anthracnose fruit rot. Another fungal infection, this one causes circular depressions on the berries. It often occurs in humid and wet conditions.

All of these infections are most likely to develop when strawberry plants are wet for long periods of time. The infecting agents may get on the berries when rain water splashes dirt up and onto them. This can also happen when you’re watering the plants.

Preventing Rotten Strawberries on the Plant

The best medicine for these particular infections is to prevent them from occurring at all. All three can result from excessive moisture and warm, humid weather. Because strawberry plants are low, it is easy for water to splash dirt on them and contaminate them, and for them to get wet and stay wet. One thing you can do to avoid all this is plant your strawberries with plenty of space between them. This allows for air flow so plants can dry out between watering and rain. Make sure you also plant them in a spot with good drainage. A layer of straw mulch can prevent splashing and acts like a barrier. If you have particularly wet weather as your plants are growing, you can cover the plants as it rains. You may also want to try staking the plants to keep leaves and berries up and off the ground. If your strawberries are already rotting, pick off the affected ones, which will give the rest a chance to grow without getting infected. As a last resort, or if mold and rot continue to pester your plants, you can use a fungicide. After a bad year of rot, you might consider cleaning out the bed and treating it with a fungicide to prepare it for next year.

Strawberries are fun to grow because they provide a tasty summer harvest. Although they are perennials and generally hardy to USDA zones 4 or 5 (depending on variety), can strawberries survive winter? There is a lot of potential for damage to strawberry plants in winter, even where they are hardy. This is why mulching your strawberry plants is important.

Next summer's strawberry harvest relies on the plants making it through winter with little to no damage. Mulching your strawberry plants at just the right time will help to create the ideal conditions for them to not just survive winter, but to thrive!

Ensure you have the healthiest plants and juiciest strawberries next summer by correctly preparing in the autumn.

Benefits Of Mulching Strawberries

The primary benefit of mulch for strawberry plants is to protect them from cold. There are a few ways cold temperatures and weather can damage your strawberry plants:

• Very low temperatures, below 20 degrees Fahrenheit (-7 Celsius), can injure plants and even kill new buds.
• Cold temperatures in winter without protection can reduce the next year’s yield.
• Repeated freezing and thawing of the soil can cause the strawberry plants to experience frost heave where they are thrust out of the ground. The exposed roots and crowns then can be damaged by cold temperatures.
• In the most severe cases, unprotected strawberries can die over the winter.

An additional benefit of mulching around strawberries is that it keeps the berries off the ground. The berries grow close to the ground on these short plants and it’s better for them to rest on clean straw mulch than on the soil.

Best Mulch For Strawberries

The best mulch is easy to remember: straw for strawberries. Clean straw is an ideal mulch for strawberry plants because it holds air, which provides good insulation to keep plants warm and protected in winter. Straw also tends to stay dry, while other mulching materials can get soggy and stay wet for long periods of time, promoting rot and even smothering plants.

When To Mulch

The exact timing for mulching your strawberry plants will depend on your location. Generally, mulch them in late fall or early winter. The rule is to mulch once the soil is consistently 40 degrees (4.4 Celsius) or colder for a few days. Another benchmark is when nighttime temperatures are around 20 degrees.

Avoid mulching too early. Your strawberry plants need to go dormant before being mulched. They stay green and growing longer than many people realize, into December in some locations. Dormant strawberry leaves will look a little grayish and flat. This indicates they are ready for mulching.

When mulching strawberries with straw, use enough that they are covered by two to three inches (5.0 to 7.5 cm).

Mulch Removal

Remove winter mulch from all your different types of strawberry plants as the new growth begins to appear in spring. Check your plants regularly for new growth beginning in late March or early April. When you see new leaves, it’s time to remove the mulch.

Uncover the plants gently, using a rake. Unless the straw has begun to decay or get moldy, you can leave a layer under the new growth. This will keep growing berries from resting on the soil. Mulch in the growing season can also prevent splash back of soil onto plants during watering, keeping them cleaner and protecting them from disease.

Frequently Asked Questions