The Beginner’s Guide to Growing Strawberries

The Beginner’s Guide to Growing Strawberries

Using Bareroots & Pre-Sprouted Potted Plants

There’s nothing quite like a sun-warmed strawberry straight from the garden. Whether you’re starting with a bundle of bareroots or picking up pre-sprouted plants at your local nursery, strawberries are a rewarding and delicious crop to grow.

Types of Strawberry Plants

  • June-bearing: Produce one large crop in early summer. Great for preserving.

  • Ever-bearing: Produce two smaller crops — one in early summer, another in fall.

  • Day-neutral: Produce fruit throughout the growing season in smaller flushes.

Step 1: Choose Your Plant Type

Bareroot Plants

  • Look like dormant crowns with roots.

  • Usually available in early spring (often more affordable in bulk).

  • Need to be planted right away or stored temporarily in a cool, dark spot with damp roots.

Pre-Sprouted Potted Plants

  • Already growing with green leaves.

  • Great for late spring or even early summer planting.

  • More expensive, but offer instant garden satisfaction and easier success for beginners.

Step 2: Pick a Planting Site

  • Full sun (6–8+ hours daily).

  • Well-drained soil rich in organic matter.

  • Avoid areas where peppers, tomatoes, or eggplants have been grown recently (disease risk).

  • Raised beds or mounded rows work great for drainage.

Step 3: Prepare the Soil

  • Loosen soil 6–8 inches deep.

  • Mix in compost or well-rotted manure.

  • pH should be 5.5 to 6.8.

  • Consider covering beds with straw mulch or black landscape fabric to keep weeds down and berries clean.

Step 4: Planting Your Strawberries

Bareroot Plants

  1. Soak roots in water for 15–30 minutes before planting.

  2. Dig a hole wide enough to spread out the roots.

  3. Plant with the crown at soil level — too deep and it may rot; too high and it may dry out.

  4. Space plants 12–18 inches apart, rows 2–3 feet apart.

  5. Water well after planting.

Pre-Sprouted Potted Plants

  1. Gently remove from pot and loosen roots if pot-bound.

  2. Dig a hole just deep enough for the root ball.

  3. Plant at the same soil level as the crown.

  4. Water thoroughly.

Step 5: Care & Maintenance

  • Watering: Keep soil consistently moist but not soggy, especially during fruiting.

  • Mulch: Straw, pine needles, or landscape fabric help retain moisture and deter weeds.

  • Fertilize: Use a balanced organic fertilizer at planting and mid-season (skip if plants are fruiting).

  • Pinch flowers (for bareroots in the first season) to help establish strong roots and runners.

Step 6: Ongoing Care

  • Remove runners if you want to focus on fewer, larger berries.

  • Or allow runners to root if you're creating a matted row.

  • Protect ripening berries from birds with netting if needed.

Step 7: Winter Prep

  • In cold climates, apply straw mulch over plants after the ground freezes to protect crowns.

  • Remove mulch in early spring once new growth appears.

Harvest Tips

  • Pick berries when fully red for best flavor.

  • Harvest in the morning when berries are cool.

  • Don’t pull — pinch or cut the stem.

Bonus: Container Growing

  • Great for small spaces.

  • Use pots at least 12” deep.

  • Ensure good drainage and use high-quality potting mix.

Quick Start Checklist

  • Choose variety & plant type

  • Prep soil & location

  • Plant with crown at soil level

  • Mulch, water, and feed as needed

  • Pinch flowers on new bareroots

  • Harvest & enjoy!

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