Nothing beats the taste of fresh strawberries, especially in the summer. If you want to enjoy instant picking, you can learn how to grow strawberries at home. In fact, the best strawberries are locally produced, with a rich flavor and sweetness that simply cannot be compared to their supermarket counterparts. Plus, once you know how to grow strawberries, you can save money on grocery bills in the long run.
Strawberries are very easy to grow, and the best time to plant is spring or fall, depending on your growing region. They can be planted directly in the ground, raised garden beds, pots, or even in hanging baskets. This makes it the perfect fruit to grow on porches or small outdoor spaces. Best of all, you’ll have a perpetual supply of ready-made strawberries to choose from for that refreshing dessert.
So, whether it’s in the garden, in the bed, or in a pot, here’s how to grow strawberries in four easy steps for a juicy summer harvest.
If you prefer local foods, check this out How to grow tomatoes in pots And how to grow potatoes for delicious meals.
How to grow strawberries in the garden
1. Choose your strawberry plant
While you can grow strawberries from seed, most people choose to purchase a young plant or runners from your local garden center or nursery. Plants grown in pots are young strawberries, while running plants are seedlings with long roots taken from strawberry plants. These types tend to be the cheapest option, but may take a little longer to grow and harvest.
If you want a big summer harvest, it’s a good idea to buy a June-bearing plant to give you the most strawberries. But if you want a small year-round harvest, it’s best to buy a hardy, hardy plant that produces fruit during spring and fall.
2. Choose a sunny spot in your garden
Next, find a sunny spot outside. Strawberries need 6 to 10 hours of direct sunlight, so choose a sunny, well-drained location outside. Ideally, the soil pH should be between 5.5 and 6.5 for a healthy harvest. If the pH is too low, it is recommended to mix lime or small amounts of dolomite limestone into the soil. And if the pH is too high, add sulfur or algae to the soil. If you’re not sure, you can always use a soil testing kit like the SONKIR Soil pH Meter ($12, Amazon).
Hint: Never plant strawberries on a plot where tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, or eggplants have been grown in the past four years. You may spread this fungus to your plants.
3. Strawberry planting
Next, use a shovel to dig a hole in the soil that is deep and wide enough for the roots. This should ideally be between 4 to 8 inches, depending on the length of the runner’s roots.
If the plant is in a pot, use the pot as a guide for how deep the hole should be. Carefully remove the strawberry plant from the pot and place the roots in the soil. Cover the roots with soil to cover the tops and water immediately. The crown (or thick green stem) should remain above the soil.
4. Space plants
When planting in a designated patch of soil or raised bed, plant each strawberry about 20 inches from each other. If you have more than one row of strawberry plants, leave 4 feet between rows to ensure the plants have plenty of room to grow.
How to grow strawberries in a vase
1. Choose the appropriate container with drain
First, find a pot or large pot about 16 to 18 inches in diameter to allow enough room for the plant to grow. Make sure there are holes in the bottom of the pot for proper soil drainage. Then fill a third of the pot with broken pottery or small rocks to help with drainage.
2. Fill the pot with soil
3. Planting strawberries in the pot
Gently remove the strawberries from their original package by loosening the soil around the roots with your fingers. Place the plant in the hole in the pot before covering the tops of the roots with soil.
This should leave the crown of the plant above the soil. If you have a large pot or pot with multiple plants, keep the strawberries spaced about 10 to 12 inches apart.
4. Water and put it in a sunny spot
Water the plants well and place them in a sunny location. Strawberries need 6 to 10 hours of sunlight per day, so place the pots on the balcony, in the backyard, or on the porch where they can get enough sunlight. When it gets cooler, you can bring the pots indoors, as long as they are near a sunny windowsill. In addition, strawberries should be watered regularly with about an inch of water each week.
Hint: Only water the base of the plant, not the fruit and leaves as this can cause the fungus to grow.
When are strawberries ready to be picked?
When most strawberries turn red, it means they are ripe and ready to be picked. Carefully wrap the stem to pick it up, and be sure to rinse it off with cold water before eating.
Avoid leaving ripe fruits on the vine as they will spoil quickly. And by summer, you must have a bowl of fresh, juicy strawberries to enjoy!
If you are also interested in indoor plants, check out our guides on how to care for succulents, How to bring back succulents How to plant weed seeds and get a greener yard. We also cover how to care for air plants. If you have favorite plants that wilt, check out our top tips How to save a dying plant.