Strawberries are one of the easiest fruit to grow and great for beginners! Plus, they’re very rewarding because the taste is far more flavorful than what you’ll ever find in a grocery store. Why? The sugar in berries converts to starch soon after they’re picked. Learn more about growing strawberries in the home garden.
The best thing about strawberries is that they’re very easy to grow in almost all climates and soils across the United States and Canada—as long as you plant them in a location that gets full sun.
Strawberry plants come in three types:
- June-bearing varieties bear fruit 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.
Growing Strawberries From Planting to Harvest
See some really great tips on growing strawberries in this demonstration garden—and then read the guide below for more information on every stage from planting to harvesting!
Reader Comments
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One more thing I'd like to
One more thing I'd like to add to the Topsy Turvy set up is to make sure you pinch off the runners from the strawberry plants to get more strawberries.
planting herbs between strawberry plants
what herbs can I plant in between immature strawberry plants? I planted new starters this year and they are small, so
I have quite a bit of room between rows to plant something else. My preference is herbs, but I am open to suggestions.
Good herbal companions for strawberries ...
... are borage and thyme because they are allies. Borage helps strawberries resist insects and disease, and thyme deters worms, especially when planted as a border.
Some good vegetable companions for strawberries include beans, lettuce, onions, and spinach.
Do NOT plant broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower or kohlrabi. They do not play well with strawberries.
Container Strawberries
I have a topsy turvy strawberry planter. I have yet to use it, but can strawberries be grown in containers? I want to try growing, but don't have yard space. Can they be grown well in the topsy turvy? Or possible in a big planter pot?
I'm not sure if strawberries
I'm not sure if strawberries will grow well in a topsy turvy planter, but you can grow strawberries in a container.
Any small ever-bearing strawberry variety (like the alpine strawberry, or wild strawberry) is a good choice because you don't want the berries to get too big or heavy. When planting, start with small young plants. They are easier to fit into the plant pockets, and their root systems will quickly spread inside the container. Use a well-drained potting soil. Make sure you plant the strawberries outside after any danger of frost has passed. You also can start the plants indoors earlier if you like.
Hope this helps! Good luck.
topsy turvy strawberry planter
nechole84.........i have a topsy turvy as well as strawberries growing in a strawberry pot........both are producing berries with minimal effort......in fact like the topsy turvy thingy bought another so can have 2 for next year........
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