How to grow Strawberries
Fragaria × ananassa
Quick reward — berries the very first summer.
In cold-winter areas, tuck a straw mulch over the crowns after the ground freezes to carry plants through. June-bearing types do well in most regions; look for varieties suited to your hardiness zone.
Grow Strawberries with step-by-step help for your exact yard.
Start free in Seededly →Strawberries at a glance
| Sun | Full sun |
|---|---|
| Soil pH | 5.5–6.5 |
| Spacing | 12–18 in apart |
| Harvest | June, or all summer |
| Plant | Early spring |
| Lifespan | Replant every 3–4 yrs |
How to grow Strawberries, step by step
Choose a type
- June-bearing gives one big early-summer harvest — ideal for jam and freezing.
- Day-neutral / everbearing gives a steady trickle all season.
- In cold regions, hardy June-bearers like Honeoye are the safest bet.
Prep the bed
- Full sun and good drainage — a raised bed is excellent in our clay.
- Work in plenty of compost; aim for pH 5.5–6.5.
Plant in early spring
- Set the crown right at soil level — the #1 mistake is planting too deep or too shallow.
- Roots fanned down, crown (the growing center) sitting exactly at the surface.
- Space plants 12–18 inches apart.
First-year care
- On June-bearers, pinch off the first year’s blossoms so the plant builds strong roots and runners instead.
- Water about 1 inch per week.
- Let runners root to fill in a matted row.
Keep it going
- After the June harvest, renovate: mow old leaves, narrow the rows, and topdress with compost.
- After the ground freezes in late fall, cover crowns with a few inches of straw; rake it off in spring.
- Replace the bed every 3–4 years as plants tire out.
Strawberries problems & fixes
Strawberries — Plants rot at the center: what's wrong and how do I fix it?
Crown was planted too deep. Reset plants so the crown sits right at soil level.
Strawberries — Berries rotting on the soil: what's wrong and how do I fix it?
Mulch with straw to lift fruit off wet ground, and pick ripe berries promptly.
Strawberries — Lots of runners, few berries: what's wrong and how do I fix it?
Normal in year one — pinch off early blossoms so plants build roots first.
Strawberries — Weak crop after a few years: what's wrong and how do I fix it?
Beds wear out. Start a fresh bed every 3–4 years.
Recommended strawberries varieties
- Honeoye — June-bearing. Very hardy and hugely productive — one big June crop, great for freezing.
- Jewel — June-bearing. Large berries with excellent flavor; a regional favorite.
- Albion — Day-neutral. Fruits on and off all summer instead of one big flush.
Strawberries month-by-month
| January | Dormant under mulch — order crowns. |
|---|---|
| February | Plan the bed; order crowns if you haven’t. |
| March | Rake straw off the crowns as growth starts. |
| April | Plant new crowns with the crown at soil level. |
| May | Bloom — protect from frost; water about 1 inch a week. |
| June | June harvest! Pick ripe berries daily. |
| July | Renovate beds after harvest; let runners root in. |
| August | Water runners and keep weeds down. |
| September | Plants set next year’s buds now — keep them watered. |
| October | Stop fertilizing; tidy the beds. |
| November | After the ground freezes, cover crowns with straw. |
| December | Dormant under a straw blanket. |