For around five years, strawberries provide an abundance of beautiful red berries, which are both a food and a decorative plant.Strawberries are usually grown from seeds.Purchase a strawberry plant from the nursery.It's a good idea to grow this in your garden or container next year.
Step 1: A strawberry plant or runner can be bought from a garden store or nursery.
You can get runners from a garden store or a nursery, or you can purchase a pot-grown plant.Young strawberry plants that are already established are called pot-grown plants.It is possible to get berries the same year as you plant them, but you may need to wait a year for a full harvest.Runners are a cheaper option.These are plants that were taken from other strawberry plants.It may take a little longer to grow these in your garden.
Step 2: If you want a large harvest, get a June-bearing plant.
A June-bearing plant will give you the most strawberries, but only in June.If you want to preserve or freeze your harvest, purchase this variety.There are lots of June-bearing strawberries.Earliglow, Seneca, and Allstar are included.Do you know which type is recommended for your region?
Step 3: Pick a plant that will produce 2 moderate harvests a year.
The plant will produce fruit in the spring and autumn.You will get more harvests, but they will be smaller than June-bearing.EverSweet and Ozark Beauty are some of the varieties of everbearing.
Step 4: If you want small harvests year-round, select a day-neutral plant.
The strawberries may be produced throughout the year if the temperature is between 35 and 85 F (2–29C), but the harvests are very small.Tristar and Tribute are day-neutral.
Step 5: In your garden, choose a sunny spot.
Look for a spot where you can get at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day.The soil should be able to absorb water.Avoid areas with standing water.To test the drainage of the soil, dig a 12 by 12 inch (30 cm 30 cm) hole and fill it with water.Next day, fill it with water and see how long it takes to drain.It should drain about 1–3 inches an hour.If you have grown tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, or eggplants in the past 4 years, you should not plant strawberries in that area.
Step 6: The soil should have a pH of between 5.5 and 6.5.
You can get a soil testing kit from a nursery.To learn the pH, follow the instructions on the label.The soil needs to be slightly acidic.If the pH of your soil is not right, you will need to amend it.If the pH is too low, mix lime or small amounts of limestone into the soil.Adding sulfur or peat moss to the soil is recommended if the pH is too high.
Step 7: After the last frost in March or April, plant the strawberries.
When the ground is no longer frozen, you can plant strawberries.You should look up the frost dates for your area because this is usually in March or April.You should be able to dig with a trowel.Wait a few weeks if the ground is still hard.The soil needs to be dry.Wait a few days before planting strawberries if it rains.
Step 8: The hole should be deep and wide enough to hold the roots.
Depending on how long the roots are, the hole will be between 4 and 10 inches deep.If the plant is in a pot, use it as a guideline for how deep the hole should be.
Step 9: The strawberry plant needs to be moved from the pot into the hole.
Carefully remove the strawberry from its original pot.The roots should be placed in the soil.The tops of the roots should be covered with soil.The plant needs water immediately.The roots should be covered with soil.The crown should be above the soil.
Step 10: Take each strawberry plant away from the other.
If you have more than one row of strawberry plants, keep the rows 4 feet apart.The plants have plenty of room to grow.
Step 11: Choose a container with holes.
The container should be large enough to allow the plant to grow.The holes on the bottom are important.
Step 12: The pot should be filled with bottles, small rocks, and broken pottery.
About 1/3 of the pot should be filled.Landscape fabric is draped over the items.This will help the soil drain.The strawberry plant doesn't need the whole pot filled with soil because it has shallow roots.If you need to move the container, this will help.
Step 13: Put the mix in the remaining space.
You can use a soil with a pH between 5.5 and 6.5.You can plant the strawberries if you leave enough space in the container.Compost can be added to enrich the soil.The mix should state its pH.
Step 14: The strawberries should be placed into the pot.
The strawberry needs to be removed from its original pot.Don't touch or disturb the roots, but loosen the soil with your fingers.Put the plant in the pot.To cover the top of the roots, push or add more soil.The crown should be above the soil.The roots should be under the soil.If you have a large pot or growing container, keep the strawberries apart.
Step 15: Put the pots in a sunny area.
Strawberries need a lot of sunlight.If you want your pots to get enough sunshine, put them on a porch, garden, or balcony.If you leave the pots by a sunny window, you can bring them in during the winter.Put the strawberry plant under a grow light if you can't get enough sunlight indoors.
Step 16: Water should be available regularly.
Each week, give 1 inch of water.Water the plant's base.It's a good idea to avoid watering fruit and leaves as this could cause the plant to rot.For a rough estimate of how much water you need, use 19 liters of water for every 8 feet of strawberry plants.
Step 17: Fall is a good time to add mulch to protect roots from frost.
The mulch should be spread around the plants.You can use a variety of materials.Spread the mulch between the rows to keep the area free of weeds.
Step 18: The strawberry plants have plants.
Newly planted strawberry plants can be overwhelmed by weeds.It's a good idea to check for weeds once a week.Make sure to remove the roots of the weeds.You can use a hoe to remove weeds.
Step 19: Pluck off the flowers.
You can give the strawberry plant a chance to grow by removing the first flowers.You can cut the flowers with gardening shears.If you want to get a harvest the following year, remove all flowers in the first year.Don't remove the flowers next year.Remove the flowers at the end of June for day-neutral and everbearing varieties.After the fall harvest, allow flowers to grow.
Step 20: It is possible to prevent pests by using insecticides.
A wide range of insects like strawberries.Use insecticidal soaps or spray-on neem products on the plants to keep these at bay.Make sure these are safe for home use by reading the label.Follow the instructions on the label for proper use.Nets are put over the strawberries to keep birds from eating them.
Step 21: It's a good idea to apply a fungicide to the plant.
Strawberries are susceptible to many types of fungus.The fungicide is labeled for home use.If it is safe for strawberries, it should be on the label.Follow the instructions on the label.Pull or cut the leaves off the plant if you notice discolored leaves.
Step 22: The strawberries need to be harvested.
When 34 of the strawberry is red, you can pick it.Go to your strawberry patch with a bowl or basket.Pick it from the bush by twisting the stem.The strawberries should be washed in cool water.strawberries that sit on top of the soil too long will rot, so harvest your fruit as soon as it is ripe.The strawberries are rotting from the plant.If you leave them on the plant, it is better to throw them out.