How to Grow Strawberries
It's Easy to Start a Strawberry Patch in Your Garden
Strawberries are one of summer's special pleasures, and making your own strawberry patch is easy and fun to do.
Strawberries are a summer favorite, and growing them is easier than you think. With a little space and some planning, you can create a strawberry patch that will reward you with a reliable crop year after year.
The Best Spot for Strawberries
Strawberries do best when they receive six to eight hours of sunlight a day. They require a well-drained sandy soil that is high in nutrients. Strawberries are very sensitive to standing water and irregular watering, and like a rich mixture of compost and manure. Be careful to plant them in an area where there is no competition from tree roots, grass, or other heavy feeders. As strawberries are particularly sensitive to mildew and rot, they are best planted in areas where the soil has been sterilized.
Strawberry plants should be spaced 18 inches apart. If making a large planting, space rows four feet apart to accommodate developing runners. Allowing your strawberries plenty of room will cut down on loss due to disease.
Keep the Soil Cool
Strawberries produce the best crop when the soil is kept cool by mulching. Mulching between rows discourages weeds, keeps the soil temperature down, and will keep fruit from lying on the ground, an invitation to rot. When mulching, avoid black plastic, as it will increase the soil temperature.
What Variety of Strawberry Plant Should You Choose?
There are number of basic differences in the types of strawberry plants on the market. You may want a steady supply of strawberries throughout the summer, or one or two large crops over the season for freezing or canning. Selecting the right strawberry variety will save you from having either too many or too few strawberries when you need them most.
Spring Bearing Strawberries
Spring bearing varieties will produce their greatest yield early in the season. Their season is short relative to the other varieties listed below, but they are heavy bearers. In the first year, discourage fruit production by removing flowers; this will increase plant production for a robust second year's crop.
Ever Bearing Strawberries
Ever bearing varieties will yield a small crop at the beginning of the season, with a sprinkling of berries throughout the summer months, and then a heavy crop in the fall. They will produce a small crop the first year, and are hardy from zones five through eight.
Day Neutral Strawberries
Day-neutral varieties will consistently set fruit throughout the season. They are a good choice if you want a few strawberries for breakfasts, salads, and smoothies throughout the summer months and are less interested in large yields.
Maintaining Your Strawberry Patch
Once established, maintain your strawberry patch by thinning plants to six inches apart, and trim the crowns of the plants to three inches after harvesting. Protect strawberries from cold temperatures by covering them with a thick layer of straw when temperatures drop to 20° F. Strawberries require a balanced fertilizer, but in colder climates, avoid fertilizing late in the season.
Strawberries are satisfying to grow, and the fruit is packed with nutrients. With a little planning and some elbowroom, you can have a reliable harvest year after year.
