Growing Strawberry Plants

Fragaria : Rosaceae / the rose family

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

(Best months for growing Strawberry Plants in Australia - temperate 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

Your comments and tips

29 Jul 18, Jane (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Hi Mike, and all, Thanks for the drum on strawberries. All being well, I'll plant todaļy. Appreciated :)
30 Jul 18, Mike L (Australia - temperate climate)
Jane, if you are in sub tropical then you may be too late to produce a crop this year. Best time to plant sub tropical is early mid April. We are picking strawbs now. If you are going to plant now - plant a few and use the runners produced over summer/autumn for new plants next April. A few plants will produce a lot of new runners.
18 Aug 18, Jane (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Mike L - Just thinking about what your wrote. A friend gave me four strawberry plants in a punnet that she bought somewhere in town so I planted them - not knowing anything about strawberry growing or when/not to plant them etc. They look OK so far but (some other plants have lower leaves that are going yellow, no idea why, so I am guessing that)anything could happen? When you say to use the runners produced over summer/autumn for new plants next April do you mean that they will produce runners (that won't fruit) and cut them out of or pull them out of the ground and save them somehow?Or leave them in the ground to spread as they will? I ask because I also read in the strawberry article to cut the runners away and keep the mother plant (in the ground)? Is planting season in Subtropical Qld from April - Aug/Oct? If so what does one do between Aug/Oct -April the following year..? Thanks. Jane.
09 May 18, Ann (Australia - temperate climate)
Thanks Mike. Your suggestions are helpful and make good sense!
11 May 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Years ago I just planted things and hoped for the best - I grew pretty good crops of vegies though - some failures to. The last 18 mths I have researched and read a lot on the internet. I'm doing a lot of fine tuning of growing things now. I have learnt heaps about pollinating zucchini, cues, pumpkin etc. When it is better to grow capsicums and beans. Make and apply compost and mulch. Shade young seed/plants while they establish. it is a never ending game to improve.
02 May 18, Carmel (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Wanting to move strawberry plants (have a couple of old wheel barrows I want to use) Don't know age of existing plants. Should I plant just the runners or use older plants as well? New home to be built on garden site!!! Won't be living close by so will these plants be ok if watered twice a week over the next six months???
04 May 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
As a guide plants that have had 2 crops of fruit should be replaced with new runners. Plant new runners. Once planted mulch around the plants. Put a watering drip system under the mulch if possible. If possible put them where they will receive some shade each day - in the morning or late arvo. Strawberries have a shallow root system so give them a good watering 2-3 times a week at least - more if possible. Try not to wet the leaves and fruit when they starting produce fruit.
07 May 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
If possible take the wheel barrows with you - set them up where you are going to live.
30 Apr 18, Gavy (Australia - cool/mountain climate)
Hi I lives in Melbourne and planning to plant strawberries into big pots. Is May month is right time to plant them? I am planning to buy 20 small plants from the market.
01 May 18, Mike (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
You are temperate zone - plant May June July - learn to use the tools here - set you climate zone to temperate and then check when and how to grow plants.
Showing 51 - 60 of 193 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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