How to Grow Strawberries: When and How to Plant, Care and Harvest

At a glance

Pick your type first: June-bearing, everbearing or day-neutral

The type you plant decides when you pick, how you space plants and how you manage runners, so choose it before you order plants. Per University of Minnesota Extension and Ohio State University Extension:

For named cultivars of each type and how they compare by region, see June-bearing vs everbearing vs day-neutral strawberries. The rest of this guide covers planting and growing.

When to plant strawberries, by zone

In cold and temperate zones, plant dormant, bare-root plants in early spring, as soon as the soil can be worked: University of Illinois Extension recommends March or April in Illinois so plants establish before summer heat, University of Maryland Extension March or early April, and University of Minnesota Extension April to May for dormant plants in Minnesota. In the warm South, gardeners often plant in fall and grow strawberries as an annual crop: UGA Extension (Circular 883) recommends this annual hill system for middle and south Georgia, setting plants from September 15 to November 1 (usually early October is best) and harvesting the next spring, while the spring-planted matted row works best in north Georgia.

These windows apply the sources above by zone and are approximate. Check local dates with the frost date lookup.

Choose the site and prepare the soil

• Sun: Full sun. UMN Extension notes that strawberries need full sun to produce maximum fruit: at least 6 hours of direct sun, with 10 or more ideal.
• Drainage: Strawberries are shallow-rooted and do not tolerate waterlogged soil. On slow-draining ground, UMD suggests a raised bed at least 12 inches above grade.
• pH: Ohio State University Extension recommends slightly acidic soil, pH 5.8 to 6.5. Test before planting and adjust with lime or sulfur based on the results.
• History: Avoid ground where tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplant or strawberries grew in the past few years; Illinois Extension notes these crops can harbor Verticillium wilt, a serious strawberry disease.
• Weeds: Clear perennial weeds the season before planting if you can. Weeds are hard to remove once a matted row fills in.
• Organic matter: Work compost into the bed before planting.

How to plant strawberries: step by step

1. Keep plants cool and moist until planting. Bare-root plants dry out fast; plant them as soon as possible after they arrive.
2. Dig a hole deep and wide enough to spread the roots out and down rather than folding them.
3. Set the crown at the soil line. This is the step that matters most. The center of the crown should sit level with the soil surface: roots fully buried, growth points visible above ground. UMN Extension warns that crowns planted too shallow lose water and can die, while crowns planted too deep may not be able to push leaves through the soil.
4. Firm the soil and water well right after planting.
5. Space for your system (table below).
6. Remove early flowers. On June-bearers, UMD and Illinois Extension advise removing flowers for the entire first season so plants put energy into roots and runners. On day-neutral types, remove blossoms for the first 4–6 weeks after planting (UMD; Ohio State says 6 weeks), then let them fruit later that summer.

Spacings follow University of Minnesota Extension, University of Illinois Extension, University of Maryland Extension and Ohio State University Extension. For how the matted-row and day-neutral systems differ, see UMN's guide to strawberry production systems.

Watering, mulching and runners

Water. UMN and Illinois Extension recommend about 1 inch of water a week from rain or irrigation; UGA gives 1 to 1.5 inches for Georgia. Keep it up through harvest and after renovation, when next year's flower buds are forming. Most roots are in the top several inches of soil, so plants show drought stress quickly. UMN advises watering early in the day with a soaker hose or drip system so leaves dry before nightfall, which helps prevent disease.

Mulch. A layer of clean straw (not hay, which carries weed seed) around plants keeps berries off the soil, holds moisture and reduces splashing that spreads fruit rot.

Runners. June-bearers spread by runners, and UMN Extension notes one plant can produce up to 120 daughter plants in a season. Let runners root to fill the row, then cut off extras that stray into the aisle. On day-neutral and everbearing plants, remove runners so energy goes into fruit.

Winter protection (zones 3–6). UMN notes the crown can be killed at 15°F. After 2 or 3 frosts have hardened the plants off, cover them with 4 to 6 inches of weed-free straw (Illinois says 3 to 4 inches, before temperatures drop below 20°F) to protect crowns from cold and heaving. Pull it into the aisles in spring when growth starts, and keep it handy to throw back over plants on frosty nights during bloom.

Fertilizing strawberries

Base fertilizer on a soil test. Before planting, work in compost plus any phosphorus, potassium or lime the test calls for. After that, timing matters more than amount:

A balanced granular fertilizer or a fertilizer applied through drip lines both work. For product types, see organic vs synthetic fertilizer.

Growing strawberries in containers and raised beds

Raised beds are a good fix for heavy or wet soil: they drain fast, warm early in spring, and make picking easier. Fill them with a mix of topsoil and compost and plant as you would in the ground.

For pots, hanging baskets and strawberry jars, day-neutral and everbearing types work best because they fruit without spreading and need no matted row. Use a container with drainage holes and a quality potting mix, set crowns at the soil line, and place pots in full sun. Containers dry out quickly, so check them daily in summer, and feed lightly every few weeks because nutrients wash out with frequent watering. UMD suggests replanting containers every three years. In cold zones, potted strawberries are far less hardy than plants in the ground; move containers to an unheated garage or bury them in the soil and mulch them for winter.

Harvesting strawberries

Berries ripen about four weeks after flowering in Minnesota (University of Minnesota Extension) and about five weeks after bloom in Maryland (University of Maryland Extension). UMD suggests leaving berries on the plant 1 to 2 days after they turn fully red, since picked berries color but do not sweeten. Check plants daily once color develops, pick in the cool of the morning when fruit is dry, refrigerate right away and wash just before eating. Remove any rotting or damaged berries as you pick; leaving them spreads gray mold. See gray mold on strawberries if fuzzy fruit becomes a problem.

Renovate June-bearing beds every year

June-bearing beds crowd themselves within a year or two. Renovation, right after the last harvest, keeps them productive. UMN Extension stresses starting immediately after the last harvest because next year's fruiting buds form in fall, generally in September and October. Do not renovate in the planting year or on day-neutral plants.

1. Mow or cut the leaves off about 1–2 inches above the crowns (Illinois says about 1 inch, UMN about 2 inches), without cutting into them.
2. Narrow the row to about 6–12 inches wide (Illinois) by tilling or hoeing out plants on the edges.
3. Thin plants left in the row to about 4–6 inches apart (Illinois; UMD and UMN suggest 6–8 inches), keeping the youngest, healthiest ones.
4. Fertilize lightly and water deeply so plants regrow and set runners before fall.

Even well-kept beds decline: UMN grows June-bearers for 3 to 5 years, UMD notes decline after 3 to 4 years, and Ohio State recommends a new planting after three to four years of fruiting. Replant in a new spot rather than in the same soil.

Pests and problems

Common mistakes

Frequently asked

When should I plant strawberries?

In most of the U.S., plant dormant bare-root plants in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked (March or April in Illinois and Maryland, April to May in Minnesota). In middle and south Georgia and similar mild-winter areas, UGA Extension recommends planting from mid-September to November 1 and harvesting the next spring.

How far apart should strawberries be planted?

For June-bearing plants in a matted row, UMN Extension recommends 18–24 inches apart in rows 3–4 feet apart, letting runners fill in. For day-neutral and everbearing types in a hill system, Illinois Extension sets plants about 12 inches apart with runners removed; Ohio State gives 8–12 inches.

How long does it take strawberries to grow?

Berries ripen about 4–5 weeks after flowers open. Day-neutral and everbearing plants set in spring fruit later that same summer once early flowers are removed; June-bearers should have first-year flowers removed and give their first full crop the following spring.

Do strawberry plants come back every year?

Yes, strawberries are perennials in most of the U.S. UMN Extension grows June-bearing beds for 3 to 5 years, and Ohio State recommends replanting after three to four years of fruiting, in a new spot. In middle and south Georgia, UGA Extension recommends growing them as a fall-planted annual.

Do strawberry plants need full sun?

Yes. University of Minnesota Extension says strawberries need full sun to produce maximum fruit: at least 6 hours of direct sun a day, with 10 or more hours ideal.

Can you grow strawberries from a strawberry?

The tiny seeds on the outside can sprout, but plants grown from saved seed of store-bought berries are slow and often unlike the parent. Buying certified plants, or rooting runners from healthy plants, is far faster and more reliable.

Can you grow strawberries in pots?

Yes. Day-neutral and everbearing types suit containers best. Use a pot at least 8–12 inches wide with drainage, potting mix, and full sun, and water whenever the top inch dries out.

Sources

1. Growing strawberries in the home garden, University of Minnesota Extension
2. Strawberry end-of-season renovation, University of Minnesota Extension
3. Choosing a strawberry production system, University of Minnesota Extension
4. Growing Strawberries in a Home Garden, University of Maryland Extension
5. Growing Strawberries, University of Illinois Extension
6. Home Garden Strawberries (C883), University of Georgia Extension
7. Growing Strawberries in the Home Garden, Ohio State University CFAES

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