How to Plant Strawberries

The taste of a fresh strawberries is unlike anything you’ll ever taste from the store and so growing them is well worth the effort! In this post, I’ll show you exactly how to plant strawberries in your own garden so that you can enjoy sweet, delicious harvests right outside your door.

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There’s just nothing better than picking fresh strawberries right off the vine. Store-bought berries simply can’t compete!

This year has been extra special because I have my little garden helper—my 3-year-old son—right by my side. He absolutely loves strawberries, so I was incredibly motivated to master growing them.

Now, instead of stopping by the strawberry stand every few days, we’re harvesting them fresh from our own garden—and it’s the sweetest thing.

Strawberries are one of those fruits that are so much better when homegrown. You’ll rarely catch me buying them from the store anymore.

If this is your first time growing strawberries—don’t worry! They’re surprisingly easy to grow with just a few simple tips.

So let’s dive in and learn how to plant strawberries and why they make the perfect addition to any garden.

1st.) Prepare Planting Area

Strawberry plants need at least 8 hours of full sun so pick a location that gets plenty of sunshine.

They also prefer slightly acidic soil with a ph ideally around 5.5 to 6.5. If you’d like to test your soil you can easily do so with a home kit like this one here.

If your soil is too alkaline or too acidic you can plant your strawberries in containers filled with good quality potting soil or just amend your garden beds following some of the recommendations below.

You can raise the pH of soil that is too acidic by adding lime and you can lower the pH of soil that is too alkaline by adding sulfur.

Soil that is rich in clay can be amended by mixing in additives such as composted leaves, organic compost, or pelletized gypsum.

If your soil is sandy you can mix in things such as rich organic compost, peat moss, or composted manure.

Learn more about amending your soil in my blog post here: How to Build Healthy Soil with Regenerative Gardening: A Complete Guide.

But no matter what, be sure that your garden beds, raised beds, or containers have good drainage. You don’t want your strawberry plants to be in standing water.

Another good practice if you’re planting in the ground or in raised beds is to keep your soil soft and lightly worked up throughout the season so that daughter plants can easily root themselves into the soil.

I’ll go over more about strawberry daughter plants below.

2nd.) Choose the Right Strawberry Varieties

Now, this is where it can get a bit tricky!

The first time I went to the nursery to pick out strawberry plants I started looking at all of the varieties and had no idea which ones were best, or even what the difference was between all of them.

As I sat there googling to make sure I was buying the right plants I learned there are three types of strawberries.

To find out which varieties grow best in your state go to strawberryplants.org and click on your state and it’ll show you the plants best suited for you.

3rd.) Purchase Your Strawberry Plants

Once you’re ready to plant it’s time to get your strawberry plants. In some cases you can find strawberry transplants at a local nursery or you can buy bare root plants which my preferred option!

I order my plants from Farm on Central. Check out their plants below based on the season you’re planting. Use code AUDREYCRAWFORD for 5% off!

• Fall Strawberries
• Spring Strawberries

When to Grow Strawberries

If you live in an area where strawberries are commercially grown you’ll likely notice that many of them grow strawberries as annuals.

But for the home gardener, you can grow strawberry plants as hardy perennials. They’ll die back in the winter and then make their lovely comeback in the spring.

Plants will bloom in early spring and as the weather begins to warm up your berries should ripen in about 30 days.

However, you can choose to plant your strawberries in the fall or spring. I like to plant in the fall because then the plants have time to get established over the winter and you’ll get a head start in the spring.

How to Plant Strawberries 

The easiest way to grow strawberries is from already-started transplants from your local nursery or bare root strawberries from a reputable online supplier such as Farm on Central.

Then once you have your plants, plant them in your prepared garden beds, raised beds, or pots, in the fall or as soon as all danger of frost has passed.

Certain varieties shoot off runners, which then produce daughter plants. So typical plant spacing should be around 18” for the majority of plants.

Although some plants do not put off daughter plants so they can be planted closer together. Be sure to refer to your exact variety for spacing.

Once you get the spacing marked, dig a hole just deep enough so that the roots are covered but not the entire crown. The crown should be able to get some exposure to sunlight, which will prevent the plant from rotting.

Strawberry Plant Care

Once you get your strawberries planted here are all of the tips you need for the best success.

How Often Should You Water Strawberry Plants?

Water plants consistently. Strawberries thrive in moist soil but not in sitting water.

If you notice that your berries seem small it may be that they are not receiving enough water. So watch closely and increase your watering if need be.

Should You Mulch Strawberry Plants?

Mulching is not required but will help your strawberries in many ways such as keeping the soil moist and decreasing weeds.

Mulch ideas,

• Black plastic
• Shredded leaves
• Compost
• Straw

Unfortunately, some organic mulches attract slugs, which will end up eating your strawberries. So that’s why it’s common to see black plastic used on large strawberry farms.

But as long as you keep an eye out and prevent the slugs with a bait such as Sluggo, you should be fine.

When and How to Fertilize Strawberry Plants?

Before fertilizing in early spring it’s always smart to do a soil test because sometimes fertilizing early in the season may cause more harm than good.

For example, if strawberries get too much nitrogen early in the season it can cause the plants to produce soft berries.

However, if the soil test shows a deficiency in certain elements such as phosphorus and potassium you can apply those elements.

You can also add a small amount of nitrogen in early spring if you notice the leaves on your plants are light green, hardly growing, or if your soil is on the more sandy side.

Overall, the best time to fertilize strawberry plants is towards the end of the season after harvest with a balanced fertilizer such as Prebiotic Fertilizer from Agrigro.

How to Protect Strawberries from Birds and Pests?

A common problem with many fruits is that the birds enjoy them before you do. So one of the best ways to protect your plants is with some sort of bird netting.

Another common pest that will feed on your strawberries is ants and I always believe it’s easier to prevent them if possible.

A great way to prevent ants on your strawberry plants is with diatomaceous earth.

You can sprinkle it around your plants to prevent them from making it onto your strawberries. Or you can sprinkle it directly on the plants and berries if you need to kill the ants.

You can learn more about using diatomaceous earth in your garden in my post here, Simple, Effective Diatomaceous Earth Garden Uses.

Should You Trim Daughter Plants & Blooms During 1st Year?

I know this may be difficult but it is best to remove all of the blooms and trim off all of the daughter plants during the first year of strawberry plant growth.

This allows the plants to focus on developing a strong root system and vigorous crowns, which sets it up for much better harvests in future years.

This means by the second year of growth, your plants will be even stronger and produce more fruit.

For June-bearing strawberries you should remove all of the blooms which means you will not get a crop in the 1st year.

For everbearing and day-neutral you should remove all of the initial blooms in spring and early summer. Then if you’d like, you can keep on the later blooms for a small late harvest.

Then once your mother plants start sending off runners you should trim them off. But in the second year, you can train them to root. Ideally, you want daughter plants spaced at least 10 inches apart.

Personal note: I do have to admit that I did not do this. I planted my strawberry plants in fall and I let everything grow. At the time I had a 3 year old son who was so eager for the strawberries I just couldn’t bare the thought of not getting a harvest and we picked a ton of berries. So even though the statement above is best practice take it with a grain of salt.

When is the Best Time to Harvest Strawberries?

When it comes time to harvest, you should pick your strawberries 2-3 days after they have gained full color.

It’s best to pick your berries early in the morning while they are still cool and then immediately put them in the fridge without washing them which will help extend their shelf life.

Frequently Asked Questions

Below are some frequently asked questions that relate to growing strawberries.

Do strawberries like acidic soil?

Strawberry plants like slightly acidic soil with a soil pH of around 5.5 – 6.5. Although, if the soil is too acidic strawberry plants will not grow well and will not produce fruit.

Strawberry plants will not grow well in soil that is too alkaline either. So it’s best to do a soil test and amend your soil as necessary.

How many strawberries does one plant produce?

The amount of strawberries each plant produces depends on the type of strawberry, the age of the plant, and your growing conditions.

Here’s a general estimate of average yield per foot of row:

Note: Day-neutral strawberries tend to peak in production during their first year, and it’s common for their yields to decrease in the second and third years. Because of this, many gardeners choose to renew their strawberry beds every 3–5 years to keep yields high and plants healthy.

Factors like soil quality, sunlight, water, and pest control will also play a big role in how much fruit your plants produce.

How to use fresh strawberries?

Now, this is what we’ve all been waiting for, eating fresh strawberries right?

Fresh strawberries are delicious all on their own or you can sprinkle them with a little bit of sugar and they are even better!

But a few of my favorite ways to use them are in recipes such as,

• Strawberry shortcake
• Homemade jam
• Cheesecake with strawberry topping!

As we wrap up, I hope you truly enjoy the process of growing strawberries in your own garden. Don’t let all the steps and tips overwhelm you—just take it one season at a time.

Strawberries are simple, satisfying, and so fun to grow. And there’s nothing quite like the joy of picking your own delicious berries right outside your back door.

So if this is your first time planting strawberries, give it a try and enjoy the journey. That’s what gardening is all about!