Few things beat a sun-warm strawberry picked straight from your own garden. The good news is that learning how to grow strawberries is easier than most people think. They’re compact, forgiving and productive, and they fit in beds, borders, pots and even hanging baskets.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through every step. You’ll learn which type to buy, when and where to plant, how to water and feed, what to do about flowers and runners, and how to protect your harvest from pests and disease.
Choosing the Right Strawberry Type
The right strawberry type depends on when you want fruit and how much space you have. June-bearing plants give one big crop, while everbearing and day-neutral plants spread smaller harvests across the season.
June-Bearing Strawberries
June-bearing strawberries produce one large crop in late spring to early summer. The harvest usually lasts two to three weeks, and the berries tend to be large and plentiful.
These are my top pick if you want to make jam, freeze berries or share a big batch. They also send out lots of runners, so they fill a bed quickly.
The tradeoff is patience. June-bearers fruit the year after planting, so you’ll spend the first season building strong plants.
Everbearing and Day-Neutral Strawberries
Everbearing strawberries usually give two or three crops. You’ll often see one flush in early summer, another in late summer and sometimes a third in early fall.
Day-neutral strawberries keep producing steady flushes as long as temperatures stay moderate. They slow down in hot spells, then pick back up when the weather cools.
Both types can fruit the first summer you plant them. They also make fewer runners, which makes them a great match for containers and small spaces.
| Type | Harvest Pattern | First Fruit | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| June-bearing | One large crop, late spring to early summer | Year after planting | Jam, freezing, big batches |
| Everbearing | Two or three crops per season | First summer | Steady snacking |
| Day-neutral | Steady flushes in moderate temperatures | First summer | Containers, small spaces |
What to Buy Before You Start
My advice is to start with bare-root strawberry plants. They’re usually sold in bundles in early spring, cost less than potted plants and establish quickly when planted on time.
Look for plants with firm crowns and healthy, light-colored roots. Skip any bundles that look moldy, mushy or completely dried out.
The second item I’d grab is straw mulch. You’ll use it to keep berries off the soil, hold in moisture and smother weeds. Pick clean straw, not hay, since hay often carries weed seeds.
When and Where to Plant
Plant strawberries in early spring in most areas, or in fall where winters are mild. Choose a sunny spot with rich, well-drained, slightly acidic soil.
Best Planting Time
In most of the US, early spring is the sweet spot. Plant as soon as the soil can be worked and isn’t soggy, usually a few weeks before your last frost.
Bare-root plants are dormant, so they handle cool weather well. Getting them in early gives the roots time to settle before summer heat arrives.
If you live in a mild-winter area, fall planting works too. The plants grow roots through the cool months and are ready to fruit in spring.
Sun and Soil Needs
Strawberries need full sun, at least 6 to 8 hours a day. Eight or more hours is best for sweet berries and heavy yields.
The soil should be rich and well drained, with a pH between 5.5 and 6.8. A simple soil test will tell you where you stand before you plant.
Mix in a few inches of compost to add organic matter. If your soil is heavy clay or stays wet, raised beds help a lot because they drain faster and warm up earlier in spring.
Picking a Spot and Neighbors
Avoid spots where tomatoes, peppers, potatoes or eggplants grew recently. These crops share some soil diseases with strawberries.
Strawberries also work well in small, planned layouts. If you’re short on room, check out my guide to the best fruits for a square foot garden for ideas on fitting them in.
Companion planting is another option worth considering. I cover the pros and cons of planting cabbage and strawberries together in a separate article if you’re planning a mixed bed.
Planting Strawberries the Right Way
Planting depth is the single most important step in how to grow strawberries well. Set the crown right at soil level, space plants properly and water them in well.
Getting the Crown Depth Right
The crown is the short, thick part where the roots meet the leaves. It needs to sit exactly at soil level.
If you bury the crown, it can rot. If you plant too high, the roots dry out and the plant struggles.
Here’s how I plant each one:
- Soak bare-root plants in water for 20 to 30 minutes before planting.
- Trim any roots longer than about 6 inches.
- Dig a hole deep and wide enough to spread the roots out.
- Make a small mound of soil in the hole and drape the roots over it.
- Fill in so the soil line hits the middle of the crown.
- Firm the soil gently and water well.
After watering, double-check the depth. Soil often settles, so add or remove a little as needed.
Spacing and Row Layout
Space plants 12 to 18 inches apart. This gives each plant room for air flow, which helps prevent disease.
For a matted row system, leave 3 to 4 feet between rows. Runners will fill in the space between plants and form a wide, thick strip of berries.
| Planting Detail | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Crown depth | Right at soil level |
| Plant spacing | 12 to 18 inches |
| Row spacing (matted rows) | 3 to 4 feet |
| Sun | 6 to 8+ hours (8 is best) |
| Soil pH | 5.5 to 6.8 |
Raised Beds and Small Spaces
Raised beds are one of my favorite ways to grow strawberries. They drain well, warm up fast and keep the plants easier to reach.
If you don’t have ground space, go up. Stacked planters, wall pockets and tiered towers all work, and you’ll find plenty of inspiration in these vertical garden ideas.
Just remember that raised and vertical setups dry out faster. You’ll need to check moisture more often, especially in summer.
Watering, Mulching and Feeding
Give strawberries about 1 to 1.5 inches of water a week at the soil line. Mulch with straw and feed lightly with compost or a balanced fertilizer.
How Much and How to Water
Strawberries have shallow roots, so they dry out quickly. Steady moisture is key, especially while plants are flowering and fruiting.
Aim for 1 to 1.5 inches of water a week, including rain. In hot, windy weather, you may need a bit more.
Water at the soil line, not over the leaves. Wet foliage and wet berries invite gray mold and leaf spot. A soaker hose or drip line makes this easy.
Morning is the best time to water. Any splashes dry quickly in the sun, and the plants go into the heat of the day well hydrated.
Mulching With Straw
Straw mulch is the classic choice for strawberries, and the name isn’t a coincidence. It keeps berries off the soil so they stay clean and are less likely to rot.
Spread 2 to 3 inches of straw around plants once the soil has warmed in spring. Keep it slightly back from the crowns so they don’t stay too damp.
Mulch also holds in moisture and blocks weeds. If you want more detail on materials and timing, my guide to mulching a vegetable garden covers the basics.
In cold-winter areas, a thicker layer of straw over dormant plants in late fall protects crowns from freeze-thaw damage. Pull it back in spring when new growth starts.
Feeding Your Plants
Strawberries don’t need heavy feeding. Too much nitrogen gives you lush leaves and fewer berries.
I like to work compost into the bed before planting. After that, a light dose of balanced fertilizer at planting and again after the main harvest is usually plenty.
For June-bearers, the after-harvest feeding matters most. That’s when the plants are forming next year’s flower buds.
For everbearing and day-neutral types, light feeding every few weeks during the season helps them keep producing. Follow the label rates and don’t overdo it.
Flowers, Runners and Pinching
Pinch first-year flowers so plants can establish, then manage runners based on your goal. Remove runners for bigger berries, or root them to make new plants.
Pinching First-Year Flowers
It feels wrong to pull off flowers, but it pays off. Removing early blooms sends energy into roots and crowns instead of fruit.
On June-bearing plants, pinch off all flowers the first year. You’ll skip a small harvest now in exchange for a much bigger one next season.
On everbearing and day-neutral types, pinch flowers until early July. After that, let the flowers stay so the plants can fruit in late summer and fall.
Managing Runners
Runners are long stems that grow out from the mother plant and root to form new plants. They’re how strawberries spread.
If you want bigger berries, snip runners off as they appear. The mother plant then puts its energy into fruit.
If you want more plants, let some runners root. You can pin the tip to the soil with a bent wire or set it into a small pot of mix until it roots.
In matted rows, I let runners fill in the rows but keep