How to Grow Strawberries

Fruits and Berries
Grow Strawberries

Strawberries are tasty fruits and they can be used in many different ways. You can eat them fresh, make a fruit salad, use them for cakes or even freeze them to use them in smoothies. These fruits are healthy and you can enjoy them often.

If you wish to grow your own strawberries, here are some starting tips to help you grow your first strawberries.

Growing Strawberries in Your Garden

You can grow strawberries in your garden, be it in your back yard or even a front yard. It's important to choose a sunny spot and allot enough space for strawberries to grow. The best time to plant them will depend on your climate. If you live in a mild-winter area, you can plant strawberries from bare-root stock in late winter or early spring. If you live in a cold climate area, wait until spring to plant your strawberries.

It's important to buy enough strawberries for the allotted space. These plants spread by runners to about 1 foot across. It means you will need around 200 plants to fill a 15 by 30 foot patch in your garden.

Before you plant, make sure that the soil is rich, acidic and well-drained. Dig in some organic matter to prep the soil.

When planting, make sure to set plants about 14 to 18 inches apart, in mounded rows about 2 feet apart. Make sure that the crown is slightly above the soil level. A buried crown can easily rot. You should also mulch with straw in order to keep berries clean and deter weeds.

Strawberries need consistent moisture during the whole growing season. It's best to use soaker hoses or a drip-irrigation system in order to keep them moist and prevent disease.

Best Strawberry Varieties for US Regions

Here is a list of the best strawberry varieties based on various regions in the US:

  • Northwest: 'Quinault'. West of Cascades: 'Hood', 'Puget Reliance', and 'Rainier'. East of Cascades: 'Shuksan'.
  • Southwest: 'Camarosa', 'Chandler', 'Ozark Beauty', 'Shasta'.
  • California: 'Chandler' (especially Santa Barbara and south), 'Seascape', 'Sequoia'.
  • Rocky Mountain states: 'Fort Laramie', 'Ogallala', 'Tribute', 'Tristar'.

Photo credit: Judy Baxter

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