If you plan to enter the world of growing fruit, strawberries are one of the easiest fruit to grow and great for beginners. Plus, homegrown strawberries are far more flavorful than what you’ll ever find in a grocery store. Why? The sugar in berries converts to starch soon after it’s picked. Learn more about growing strawberries in the home garden.
The good news is that strawberries are relatively easy to grow if you keep them in a location that gets full sun.
Strawberry plants come in three types:
- June-bearing varieties bear all at once usually over a period of three weeks. Day-length sensitive, these varieties produce buds in the autumn, flowers, and fruits the following June, and runners during the long days of summer. Although called “June-bearing” or “June-bearers,” these strawberries bear earlier than June in warmer climates.
- Everbearing varieties produce a big crop in spring, produce lightly in the summer, and then bear another crop in late summer/fall. These varieties form buds during the long days of summer and the short days of autumn. The summer-formed buds flower and fruit in autumn, and the autumn-formed buds fruit the following spring.
- Day-Neutral varieties produce fruit continuously through the season until the first frost: Insensitive to day length, these varieties produce buds, fruits, and runners continuously if temperature remains between 35° and 85°F (1° to 30°C). Production is less than that of June-bearers.
For the home garden, we recommend June-bearers. Although you will have to wait a year for fruit harvesting, it will be well worth it.
Reader Comments
Leave a Comment
What am I doing wrong?
Hi, I have the exact same problem as Lorraine Scott posted on July 12 of this year (2020) and I know that your answer was that "Your questions are answered above in “How to grow strawberries.”" The thing she may be wondering, as I am, is, if I am doing all the things it says on how to grow strawberries; what is it that I am doing/not doing enough to cause the actual fruit (without the cap) to only grow, on average, to about the diameter of a nickel? The plants have spread to completely cover a plot about 9' x 3-to-4' and I am getting less than a hanful every couple of days.
Small strawberries
Hi Martha, First, we’re going to assume they’re not woodland strawberries which are finger-nail size. Otherwise, there are many reasons for smaller fruit: 1. Freezes or cold snaps and winter injury, 2. Poor pollination due to rainy, windy weather or lack of pollinators, 3. Too much heat; strawberries like temperate climates and will be stressed in heat, 4. Drought/not enough water. Strawberries must be watered adequately (but not over-watered). Soil must drain well with no standing water. 5. Too much nitrogen in your fertilizer would lead to lush greenergy but small fruit 6. Crowding. Strawberries need the right spacing to put out those runners. 7. Improper planting at the start. The crown of the strawberry must be at soil level (not to high or low). 8. Full sun (at least 8 hours per day), Many of these factors are common to all fruiting plants.
Why are they called "strawberries"?
In the "Whit and Wisdom" section of the article, it asks "Why are Strawberries called Strawberries?" Some theories are given; but, one that is not mentioned, which I thought was the reason, was that you put straw around all the plants early in the season before they spread-out and before they begin to flower so that later, the berries won't touch the soil. This prevents them from getting too moist then waterlogged (and rotten) from the moisture in the soil after rain. Plus, it keeps the bugs from getting to the fruit too easily. Then, of course, it keeps the fruit clean and acts as a mulch to help retain moisture within the roots while letting air circulate to prevent excessive moisture and/or puddles. The answer to an older question (2018) here also says "Yes, straw is commonly used around strawberries as mulch." So, am I wrong? or is that the most common theory on the name?
Origin of word strawberry
Yes, many of us gardeners assume the common name “strawberry” stems from the fact the plant is most often mulched with straw during the winter. The exact origin of the common name is uncertain. According to etymologists, the prevailing theory is that the straw may reference the tiny chaff-like external seeds which cover the fruit. Another theory is that the name strawberry probably is a corruption of “strewn berry” which references the fact that, as a strawberry plant produced runners and spread, its berries were strewn about the ground. Other sources suggest its name stems from the fact that English youth picked wild strawberries and sold them impaled on grass straws to the public.
sunrise strawberry
Years ago my parents grew a strawberry by the name of Sunrise. I lost all of them one year and have not been able to find that variety of plants to replace them with. I have found a new berry called Sweet Sunrise but not the old variety. Have any idea where I might find those plants.
Sunrise strawberrie
‘Sunrise’ is an early-season June-Bearing Strawberry variety that produces ample runners. See references:
http://chemung.cce.cornell.edu/resources/strawberries
https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/strawberry-types/
We’re not sure where you can buy it, but you may want contact your local county cooperative extension.
small berrries
My strawberries are in their second year. The plants are healthy with huge leaves but the fruit was small and not as plentiful as I was expecting.
What do I do to get a bigger crop next year?
larger fruit
Your questions are answered above in “How to grow strawberries.”
Strawberries!
I love strawberries, when I lived in CA I used to go to California strawberries dot com all the time for the best recipes ever! I am setting up my garden to do mostly strawberries. Thanks for the amazing information.
Strawberries from seeds
How many seeds per hole?
growing strawberries
I don't do any of the 'special' things to grow strawberries. My plants are in big planters, they have rooted, flowered, fruited, made runners and been perfectly happy for nearly three years now. I bring them in to the plant room during the coldest part of the winter then back out on the south wall of the house to do it all over again. I have runners to plant or give away, lots of fruit we eat straight off the plant and no worries about what to do when. I tend to do this will all my plants and it works. Too much fuss kill everything.
Painted rocks that look like strawberries
I haven’t tried it yet, but I read that painting rocks red with little white dots on them to look like strawberries, and placing them in visible areas will help deflect birds. If a bird tries what looks like a strawberry and they get a rock, they won’t try again!
Strawberry Preserves, Broken Link :(
Hello there.. I found this Wonderful article this morning! And the link that says, 'How to make Strawberry Preserves' is broken! When I go there, it says Page not found.. I'll be checking back!
Strawberry Preserves Recipe
Hello - In response to your complaint, go to the top of the page and type in Strawberry Preserves. It'll take you to the video and have a working link for the recipe. Have a blessed day!
Link to Strawberry Preserves
Thank you to Jeanette for taking the time to provide these helpful instructions! We have also updated the broken link for the Strawberry Preserves Video.
How long before pull up plants and start over?
Everything I have read says after plants are 3 years old they will stop producing...and just get rid of them and plant new. My strawberry plants arr now 3. They are everbearing. They have produced abundantly these past years and this year through June..then stopped. Should I pull them out and start over?
Strawberry Plants
Yes, if you’ve seen no new buds since June, it sounds like the plants have reached their limit. Everbearing don’t produce many runners, but if they do have a few, you can use those to start your next generation.
Strawberry Growing
How long do the roots of strawberries grow?
Strawberry Nutrients
What Nutrients Do Strawberries Have?
Strawberry nutritional value
Hi Tyler,
Strawberries are packed with Vitamin C (1 cup = 141% of your daily value). Vitamin C is an antioxidant necessary for immune and skin health.
Also, strawberries are also a good source of manganese (1 cup = 28% of your daily value) which is an element that is important for many processes in your body.
There are also small amounts of folate (vitamin B9), potassium, and several other vitamins and minerals.
Selecting and Preparing a Planting Site Planting Strawberries
How Deep do you Plant Strawberries exactly?
planting depth for strawberries
Tyler, That is a good question and we’ll make sure we update the article to provide more “depth,” so to speak.
The planting depth for strawberries is very important. It’s not a question of how many inches. You want to set the plant into the ground so that the roots are nicely covered with soil, but DO NOT BURY THE CROWN. The crown is the central growing bud, from which the leaves, flowers, and fruit arise. If you bury the crown, the plant could rot.
Ants
Ants have found my strawberries. How do I get rid of them?
Ants on Strawberries
If the weather’s dry enough, try placing some diatomaceous earth around your berries to prevent the ants from accessing them.
Strawberries
I tried growing some strawberries in a "strawberry pot" that was advertised on one of the tv shows. First and second year the plants actually grew and I got some nice large fruits, but the plants dried up and died. I think those "pots" are a waste. And, of course, the chipmunks didn't help -- they ate the strawberries and always beat me to the blueberries, too. : ( But I still LOVE to garden!!
Strawberries
I have a smaller greenhouse that I only grow my strawberries in. I find that after 3 years of the same plants within it I must remove and plant new. They are only productive for 3 years although they will continue to be healthy, vibrant plants. Production of fruit, however, drops off. I am in zone 7 at 5600 ft elevation and we do get frost and snow. I did nothing to cover them during the winter but early March here I removed dead leaves, trimmed things back, added compost and seaweed fertilizer and they are growing like a house a’fire! Am looking forward to an abundant crop of berries this year!
Straw mulch for new planting
I just planted new berry crowns, was wondering if i can use straw to mulch them to hold down weeds?
Straw Mulch
Yes, straw is commonly used around strawberries as mulch. Just be sure not to bury the strawberries themselves!
About Strawberries
Why is the strawberry fruit sweet?
Why does the strawberry flower become the strawberry fruit?
If you could answer these questions, that would be amazing.
mulching strawberries
Can I use grass cuttings to mulch plants? Do all the plants get cut down? I hesitate to do that !
Pages