Growing Strawberry Plants

Fragaria : Rosaceae / the rose family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
    P P P P            

(Best months for growing Strawberry Plants in USA - Zone 7a regions)

  • P = Plant out (transplant) seedlings
  • Easy to grow. Plant with crown (of roots) just covered.. Best planted at soil temperatures between 10°C and 20°C. (Show °F/in)
  • Space plants: 30 - 100 cm apart
  • Harvest in approximately 11 weeks. Strawberries bruise easily when ripe, handle carefully. Pick with a small piece of stem attached..
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Better in a bed on their own to allow good sun and air circulation
  • Avoid growing close to: If you are using rotation beds, avoid putting strawberries where you have grown tomatoes, potatoes, peppers or eggplant
  • Ripening fruit
  • Strawberry plants

Strawberries are low-growing leafy plants which grow 12 - 15 cm (about 6 inches) tall and will spread to about 50 - 100 cm (20 - 40 inches). They have five petalled white or pink flowers. The flowers are followed by the delicious red fruits (which have their seeds on the outside).

Later in the season the plants send out runners like thin stems across the garden which will take root to form new plants. Cut them off and leave the parent growing. You can transplant the runners or let them grow where they rooted to produce new plants.

At the end of fruiting, trim off old yellow leaves and clean up any mouldy fruit still attached.

Strawberries like well drained soil with plenty of humus. To prepare your bed, dig in some compost before planting and possibly use a liquid fertiliser during the growing season. Well fed strawberries taste better.

To protect the fruit from moulds and mildew use some form of mulch around the plants. Straw, pine needles, or black plastic are all suitable. Mulch will also help suppress weeds.

Protect your plants with some sort of netting or bird scarer or you will lose most of your crop!

Strawberry plants often need replacing after a few years as they get affected by viruses and stop producing well.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Strawberry Plants

Pick strawberries and eat them straight from the garden warm from the sunshine - delicious!

Strawberries can be used in any dessert needing soft fruit or berries. Summer pudding (which also has raspberries and blackberries or boysenberries), mousse, trifle, dipped in melted chocolate or just with cream.

Sprinkle a bowl of strawberries with balsamic vinegar and a little sugar to enhance the flavour and colour.

A quick jam of diced strawberries cooked in the microwave with an equal weight of sugar until completely soft won't keep but can be used right away.

Your comments and tips

03 Dec 24, ROB GRINDLEY-FERRIS (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
I AM USING A LIQUID FERTILIZER MADE FROM BANANA PEELS ON MY STRAWBERRIES, AND FIND THE FRUIT MUCH LARGER THAN BEFORE,, AND TASTIER. APPLIED ONCE PER WEEK. ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS??
26 Aug 24, Maggie (New Zealand - temperate climate)
My strawberry plants had vigorous growth during winter but the leaves look like wild strawberries. Now looking very sad and limp. Do I need to dig these up and replant new ones.
28 Oct 24, (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Replant each 2-3 years.
26 Sep 24, (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
Possibly too much nitrogen.
12 Jun 24, dolores fielding (USA - Zone 11b climate)
Any suggestions for growing strawberries in the tropics. St croix USVI Zone 11. Varieties and source of seeds and plants, soil preparation, sun or shade, fertilizer, pest control, any advice is appreciated.
23 Jun 24, (USA - Zone 9a climate)
Do some google research. I live on the other side of the planet.
18 May 24, Lea (Australia - temperate climate)
This is not about strawberries but watermelons . Planted in March nothing happened and now plant dying off. My question is can I leave the seeds in the ground or should I replant when warmer Thanks
21 May 24, (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Best to plant watermelons in the spring.
01 Mar 24, Anne (USA - Zone 9a climate)
Any variety suggestions for growing strawberries in Las Vegas?
29 Feb 24, dan (USA - Zone 10a climate)
I've ordered stawberries (Seascape and Mara Du Bois) grown in hanging baskets. I'd like to include companion plants, any thoughts? Thank you in advance.
Showing 1 - 10 of 348 comments

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This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
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