Season to plant strawberries
Growing Strawberries and Strawberry Varieties
How do you grow the best-tasting strawberries? We’ll share our planting and growing tips. Let’s start with the best strawberry varieties.
Garden strawberries are typically much sweeter and juicier than what you can find in the grocery store because the sugar in the berries converts to sugar after the berries are removed from the plant.
Strawberries are also perennials, so they’ll come back year after year! Plus, they will grow easily in a traditional garden bed, in containers, or even as a border crop.
Choosing Strawberry Varieties
Strawberries are best planted in the spring, as early as several weeks before the last frost date. By selecting a range of strawberry varieties you can spread your harvest from late spring through to early fall. Look for varieties described as ‘early-season’ to start, then choose a mid-season type, followed by a late-season strawberry.
June-bearing Strawberries
The most common variety of strawberries is called June-bearing because the fruit crops during the weeks of June (or early July) in most regions. The harvest generally lasts several weeks.
Everbearing Strawberries
For smaller quantities of strawberries produced over a long period (from spring to autumn), you could choose ‘everbearing’ varieties, also known as day-neutral or perpetual strawberries.
Everbearing strawberries are smaller, but can produce a few harvests each season. They are excellent for making preserves.
Alpine Strawberries
Alpine strawberries have tiny fruits that have a very intense strawberry taste. They don’t fruit heavily, but they can be allowed to grow between ornamentals and will naturally self-seed to create a useful edible ground cover.
Our Garden Planner can help you choose the best strawberry varieties to grow. Double-click on the strawberry icon to view the Varieties box and then scroll down the drop-down list to select a variety, or click the + button and hover over the information buttons for catalog descriptions. You even customize your own variety with its own spacing and dates.
Planting Strawberries
Strawberries will tolerate a partially shaded position, but grow them in a sunny spot for the best harvests. Add plenty of organic matter, such as well-rotted compost, before planting. Plant your strawberries so that the base of the crown (where the leaves emerge) is at soil level. Space them 18 to 24 inches apart in both directions.
Growing your strawberries in containers keeps the fruit off the ground where they are less likely to be nibbled by slugs. Fill the pots with rich potting soil and you can plant the strawberries a little closer together. Containers can dry out quickly, so pay close attention to watering.
To encourage a harvest of strawberries up to three weeks earlier than normal, cover early varieties with a cloche or row cover from the end of winter. When the plants are flowering, remove the covers on warm days to let insect pollinators in.
Growing Strawberries
Use special strawberry mats to prevent dirt from splashing onto the developing fruits, or use an organic mulch such as straw.
Keep plants weeded and well watered. Water on an organic liquid fertilizer that’s high in potassium (such as comfrey tea or a tomato fertilizer) every two weeks from when the first flowers appear until they’ve finished fruiting.
In the first year remove any runners (long trailing stems) that appear. From the second year, you can leave a few runners to grow them on into new plants.
Keep slug numbers down using beer traps, and net the fruits against birds. Make sure to tuck netting in at the edges to prevent birds becoming trapped underneath.
Harvesting Strawberries
Strawberries are ripe as soon as they’ve turned red. They taste best immediately after picking. Strawberries can be stored in a refrigerator after picking, but this does make them a little less flavorsome.
Once strawberries have finished fruiting, cut back the older foliage to leave just the young, central leaves. Add any straw mulch to your compost heap.
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As an easy and popular fruit to grow, knowing when to plant strawberries is important for a bumper, flavorful harvest.
Nothing quite beats a home-grown strawberry, and as they are simple to plant and look after, growing these tasty fruits is a great way of getting children interested in gardening.
A crucial factor in how to grow strawberries is knowing when to plant strawberry varieties to suit your local climate and growing conditions. Get it right, and you could be picking your own within a matter of months.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
When to plant strawberries
Strawberry plants, depending on the type, are generally planted out in spring when the soil becomes workable, or at the end of the growing season in fall.
Planting strawberries doesn’t have to take up valuable growing space, as they can be grown in containers, hanging baskets and even vertical wall hangers and are perfect to add to your kitchen garden ideas.
Strawberry plants are hardy perennials and will come back year after year, making them a relatively inexpensive delight to grow. However, ‘strawberry plants are productive for around four years, so it is good to propagate runners regularly to keep rejuvenating your plant stock’ says Debi Holland, an RHS trained horticulturalist who manages Debi Holland Gardening .
When thinking about when to plant your strawberries, several factors need to be considered. ‘The local climate will have an impact on planting times. Note local weather conditions and plant outside in spring when frost-risk has passed. Winds can also be an issue. Plant strawberries in protected areas to reduce flower damage and make it easier for pollinating insects,’ explain Debi.
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What month is best to plant strawberries?
The USDA plant hardiness zone and your local climate will have a bearing on which month is best to plant your strawberries.
‘Strawberries are a cooler weather producer and early planting of a day neutral variety is best when evening/morning temperatures are upwards of 45 degrees.
Planting a June bearing variety is typically done in either late summer or mid-October to winter over, for fruit picking when you have the longest day length hours of the year,’ says Leonora Meier of expert strawberry growers Lassen Canyon Nursery .
If you are planting strawberries in fall and live in a colder region, you may need to look into ways to winterize strawberry plants to protect them over the coldest months.
Most strawberry varieties grow best in full sun, although they will tolerate some shade. Alpine or wild strawberries, on the other hand, don’t require full sun and are ideal for a shaded spot.
(Image credit: Faba Photography/GettyImages)
When to plant strawberries under cover
Growing strawberries under cover can lengthen the growing season and even produce a crop as early as April or May, depending on the climate where you live.
There are a number of options for when to plant strawberries under cover, which you can factor into your planting schedule when planning a greenhouse:
- Strawberry plants can be planted in an unheated greenhouse or poly tunnel in the fall to fruit the following spring.
- They can be planted in March to harvest a few months later.
- If grown in a heated greenhouse, strawberries can be planted out as early as December, with pickable fruit ready from late March onwards.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
When to plant strawberries grown in containers
Strawberries are often grown as vegetable garden container ideas as they can easily be moved under cover to avoid frosts and then back outside again when necessary, to the sunniest spot in the garden.
When it comes to when to plant strawberries in containers, bare-root and potted plants can be planted out from spring to early summer, hopefully providing the first fruits only several weeks later.
However, if you are growing strawberries from runners, these can be planted out in September to establish before fruiting the following year.
When to plant strawberry seeds
Strawberry seeds can be planted in late winter or early spring. The plants will be small and require some care before planting out.
Gradually harden off the young plants before planting out in their final position in spring, but only once all risk of frost has passed.
(Image credit: Getty images)
When to plant strawberries for a summer harvest?
If you plant them at the right time, most strawberry varieties, if planted as bare root or potted plants in spring and given the right conditions, will provide something to eat after 3 months.
When thinking about when to plant strawberries, Leonora Meier suggests ‘the best question a grower should ask themselves is “When do I want to be picking flavorful strawberries?”
‘The answer to that question is to map out your timeline of when your last or first expected frost date is and count backwards 6-8 weeks. That is your planting window to either be picking marketable fruit or having a strong root system to get the plant through the dormant period,’ she explains.
However, it is good to remember that strawberry plants grown from seed won’t crop until their second season, and even potted or bare root grown plants can take a year to establish fully and really produce a bountiful harvest.
Edward Bowring is a horticultural therapist and writer with a passion for gardening and the health benefits that it has to offer. With a background in occupational therapy, Edward worked within health care settings where he witnessed first-hand the healing power of gardening and has managed and run therapeutic kitchen and community gardens ever since.
Planting strawberries: detailed instructions for garden and remontant strawberries
Strawberries (scientifically - garden strawberries) are the most favorite summer berry for both adults and children. Delicate, sweet and fragrant - it can not leave anyone indifferent.
To the great regret of amateur gardeners, the fruiting of this truly royal berry ends in July (provided that you have planted its early, mid-ripening and late varieties).
However, with the creation of remontant varieties capable of producing several crops a year, the consumption of fresh strawberries continued until autumn. And today you can enjoy delicious berries all summer, getting rare vitamins and nutrients contained in it until the end of September.
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After all, strawberries contain a lot of vitamins that restore metabolism and normalize the human blood formula.
Growing strawberries is not difficult at all, especially if you cover the beds with a black non-woven covering material that saves the plants from the invasion of weeds and retains moisture in the soil.
In order for your strawberries to grow well and fruit abundantly, it is very important to plant them correctly. If you do this operation incorrectly, you may end up with no harvest at all. nine0003
Moreover, the planting of garden and remontant strawberries is somewhat different from each other. Therefore, today we will tell you how to properly plant strawberries of both types and introduce you to the best varieties of garden and remontant strawberries.
PLANTING OF GARDEN STRAWBERRY
We have already described in detail the history of obtaining strawberry cultivars, the beneficial properties of its berries, how to care for it after planting in our published articles:
How to make a strawberry patch;
"How to care for strawberries";
How to Care for Strawberries;
Planting strawberries.
In this article we will talk in great detail about planting garden and remontant strawberries. First, let's talk about planting common garden strawberries.
Choosing a location for planting garden strawberries is the most important factor. A good harvest can only be obtained in a garden bed well lit by the sun throughout the daylight hours. nine0003
Strawberry garden must be protected from cold winds and drafts and not be flooded with rain and melt water. Its surface must be made absolutely flat or give it a slight slope to the south.
The groundwater level should be no closer than 1.5 m from the ground, so strawberries cannot be planted in low places.
When forming a strawberry bed, remember that its height should be at least 50 - 60 cm.
Soils . Strawberries need fertile, light, loose, well-permeable soils with a neutral reaction of the environment (pH 7.0). It will grow well on organically fertilized sandy or medium loamy lands.
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You will not get a good harvest on acidic, clay soils. Such preliminarily (preferably in the fall, but it is also possible in the spring, as soon as the snow melts) must be neutralized with dolomite flour (at the rate of 2 kg per 5 sq. M of beds.
4-5 days before planting strawberries, dig up and form a strawberry bed, preferably orienting it from west to east, then future plants will be evenly illuminated by the sun without shading each other. wood ash, 2 tablespoons of superphosphate and 1.5 tablespoons of potassium sulfate.0003
Level the surface of the bed and water it well (2 cans of water per square meter). Then cover the bed with black non-woven covering material and leave it for a couple of days so that the earth sags on it.
After a couple of days you can start planting.
Landing. The best spring planting dates for garden strawberries are from May 5 to May 15 (depending on your local climate).
As a rule, gardeners plant strawberries in two rows spaced 50-60 cm apart.
Interval between plants in a row - 30 cm.
On the dark agrofibre, make cross cuts according to the above pattern. Carefully remove the seedlings from the plastic cups and plant them in the prepared cuts, after digging holes under them.
The volume of the planting hole should be 3 to 5 cm larger than the diameter and height of the earthen clod. Then the roots of the strawberry will quickly "settle" in a new place and take root sooner.
Plant seedlings so that the heart (apical bud) of the strawberry is flush with the ground. If you deepen it, it will drag into the ground, and the plant will die. nine0003
If the heart sticks out above the ground, then the roots of the bush will be exposed. It can also lead to the death of the plant. Therefore, it is necessary to constantly ensure that the apical bud always remains strictly at the level of the soil surface.
Pathogens quickly accumulate on strawberry beds, so this crop is grown in one place for no more than 5 years.
For better pollination, plant some honey plants around the perimeter of the strawberry patch.
We recommend that you plant at least 5 varieties of garden strawberries, with different ripening periods. This will extend the period of consumption of fresh berries for the season. Plant each variety in a separate bed. nine0003
The timing of planting of each individual variety is very important for the proper growth and development of strawberries.
Plant in cloudy weather early in the morning or in the evening when the sun is setting.
If the weather is hot, be sure to shade the young plants with old sheets or white agrofibre, throwing them over the arches. Otherwise, young plants may simply burn out. And do not forget to water them every day in the evening.
Predecessors. nine0020 The best predecessors for strawberries are onions, garlic, beans, peas, beets, turnips, carrots. Do not plant after tomatoes, cabbages, potatoes, peppers, and other nightshade crops.
PLANTING OF REPAIR STRAWBERRY
Translated from French, the name "remontant" is translated as "blooming again". Remontant strawberries are capable of producing two crops of berries in one season. The first ripens in June, the second - in August - early September (depending on the variety). nine0003
The difference in the biology of the two species - garden and remontant strawberries makes some adjustments to the rules for their planting, although they largely coincide.
The choice of location, the composition of the soil, the preparation of the beds are completely identical. Let's talk about what points need to be considered when planting remontant strawberries.
Fertilizers . Unlike garden strawberries, remontant strawberries require more nitrogen (at the first stage) and potassium fertilizers. After all, it consumes much more nutrients for the formation of a double crop. nine0003
Increase the dose of phosphate (superphosphate) during planting to 3 tbsp.
spoons.
And at the beginning of July, add 1.5 tbsp. spoons of potassium magnesia. Then the autumn harvest will be much higher.
Pinching . Cut off the first flowers on remontant strawberries. This will allow her to get stronger faster. When the first crop begins to form in July, pinch off some of the flower stalks. Then the autumn harvest will be much more abundant.
Planting dates . Garden strawberries can be planted in spring and autumn. And it is better to plant remontant in the spring, then next year you will already get a full-fledged harvest of large tasty berries. nine0003
Post-plant irrigation . Water remontant strawberries more abundantly and more often than garden strawberries. Water is necessary for the plant to lay the future crop.
We recommend that you grow remontant strawberries in one place for no more than 5 years. Then she will begin to shrink and hurt.
THE BEST VARIETIES OF GARDEN AND REPAIR STRAWBERRY (STRAWBERRY) FROM OUR COLLECTION
We have told you how to properly plant garden and repair strawberries (strawberries).
In conclusion, we want to present you their best varieties from our unique collection. nine0003
Our collection
GARDEN STRAWBERRY
Early varieties:
Revelation, Chersina, Corimabari, Viemagüetta
Mid-season varieties:
Zenga-Zengana, Roxana, Elvira, Korona, Tago, Kimberley, Jive, Maxim.
Late varieties:
Wima Tarda, Magnus, Vera, Wima Xima, Salsa, Vikoda. nine0025
REPAIR STRAWBERRY:
Mara de Bois, Furor, Hademar, Vima Rina, Bravura, Harmony, Evie 2, Albion, Pineberry, Monterey, Ostara, Muscat.
Read more about these varieties on our website or in the SPRING 2021 catalog.
And you can order them for spring planting today!
Planting time for strawberries in spring: how and when to plant
With the onset of March, the issues of planting new fruit and berry crops in the garden area become more and more acute.
It is especially tempting to plant new varieties of strawberries. During the long winter, thousands of catalogs have been reviewed by gardeners, high-yielding strawberry varieties with huge berries have been selected, and orders have been made.
Whoever hasn't had time to order new items, we invite you to the online store of the Becker company, where you can undoubtedly choose the best varieties of strawberries of the world selection. Rules for planting strawberries in the spring - in this article. nine0003
Advantages and disadvantages of planting strawberries in the spring
Classically, transplanting and planting strawberries is carried out closer to autumn, usually this work is planned for August. But it is in the spring, by the beginning of the new planting season, that new varieties of strawberries appear, the assortment at stores is updated, so it is often necessary to plant newly purchased bushes in the spring.
Closed-rooted seedlings are considered to be suitable for planting in late summer, while bare-rooted seedlings are best planted in spring.
But by and large, both spring and autumn planting have their pros and cons. nine0003
The advantages of spring planting strawberries are:
- High soil moisture in the area, which reduces the watering of transplanted berry bushes.
- Excellent survival of plants in the warm season.
- No danger of freezing of weak plants in winter.
- Formation of strong plants by the winter period with a branched root system that has grown over the summer.
The downside of spring planting of wild strawberries and strawberries in the open ground is the fact that the crop cannot be obtained in the first year of cultivation, the first berries will ripen only after a year. nine0003
Dates for planting in spring
Strawberries are a capricious culture, so you should carefully choose the time for planting berry seedlings in open ground. General rules - young berry bushes can be planted in spring at a stable air temperature of + 15 ° C and no less.
In different regions of the country, this time will be different, so in the northern regions it is possible to plant strawberries in open ground only by the end of May, in the middle lane - by mid-May, in the south - from mid-April. These terms are rather conditional, because every year the weather in certain periods can be radically different. nine0003
Preparatory work
Preparatory work on the area intended for planting strawberries should begin no later than a month. During this time, it is necessary to remove garbage from the territory, remove stones from the soil and burn all plant residues. It is worth recalling that a place is allocated for berry beds in the southwestern parts of your garden.
If these works were carried out in the autumn, and the site was also dug up, it is worth leveling and harrowing the soil.
Strawberries can be grown in fertile soil with the addition of sand and humus.
If the land on the site is suitable, it is worth adding superphosphate and ash before planting. You can check the level of soil acidity, strawberries grow well and develop in beds with a soil reaction in the range of pH 5.5-6.5.
6 important steps for planting strawberry seedlings in spring
- Preparation of planting holes (up to 10 cm deep) - they are placed in rows with a distance of at least 30 cm from neighboring bushes. Humus and ash are added to each well in small quantities. Before planting, the holes are watered. nine0214
- Root treatment - before planting the bushes in the ground, the dried strawberry roots should be soaked in water (biological preparations), after which they are dipped in a liquid mash to prevent premature drying.
- Planting seedlings - each bush is carefully planted in the hole, making sure that the roots do not wrap up, but fit freely in the recess. Follow the heart - the central point of growth should not be buried in the ground, covered with soil, flooded with water.
The ideal position of the heart is on the same level with the surface of the bed. nine0214 - If the plant is deeply buried, the bud will dry out, and if, on the contrary, planted close to the soil surface, the roots will dry out. With any of the options, strawberry seedlings will grow poorly.
- Gently water the planted plants.
- Mulch the beds with hay, peat chips, special films.
A few more secrets of spring planting strawberries
Beginning gardeners do not know how to plant strawberries correctly. For clarity, we illustrate the planting of strawberries in the spring photo:
- It is not recommended to establish a strawberry plantation in those areas where nightshade crops were previously grown. Ideal predecessors for strawberries are cereal plants.
- Periodic weeding of beds with strawberries and removal of weeds will significantly increase crop yields.
- In case of changing weather conditions, heavy rains, sudden cold snaps, do not be lazy to close the beds with strawberry seedlings with a film.
