![]() ![]() To concentrate the plants’ energy on producing fruit, remove any runners that form. Plant three everbearing or day-neutral plants per square foot of space, or four smaller alpine or wild ones. Photo: STEP 6: Plant strawberries in containers or hanging planters.Īvoid dark-colored containers, since they retain too much heat, and make sure your pots are at least 4 to 6 inches deep with drainage holes. Set each transplant deeply enough that the top of its roots are covered, while the upper half of its crown protrudes above the ground. Use a trowel to place dormant transplants or seedlings 18 inches apart for June bearers, which make many runners, and 6 to 10 inches apart for other types that don’t, with 3 feet of space between rows. Such mulch can suppress weeds for Northern gardeners too. Southern gardeners setting out strawberries in autumn should lay black plastic mulch over their soil to help keep it warm over winter, and insert the plants through holes in that plastic. Mix an organic berry fertilizer, such as 4-3-4, into the top 5 inches of either soil, using 10 pounds for every 100 square feet of bed. Give sandier soils 1 inch of compost to help them retain moisture. If your soil is heavy clay and you can’t construct a raised bed, strew 4 inches of compost over the surface of the ground and till it in. Photo: STEP 4: Prepare a garden bed.Ĭhoose a location with a soil pH between 5.5 and 6.8, which receives at least 6 hours of sun per day, preferably 10, and in which nightshade crops (tomatoes, potatoes, etc.) haven’t grown recently. When the seedlings have three leaves, give each one its own 3-inch pot filled with potting mix. The seeds should sprout within 1 to 6 weeks. Afterward, position it under a grow light or on a sunny windowsill at a temperature between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the pot inside a plastic bag, zip the bag shut, and place it inside your refrigerator for 1 month. ![]() After filling a small pot with damp, sterile seed-starting mix, press the seeds into the surface of that mix without covering them. Sow strawberry seeds indoors 4 to 5 months before your last frost date. RELATED: The Fastest-Growing Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs for Impatient Gardeners STEP 3: Sow strawberry seeds. ![]() They can be plowed or tilled under after their spring crop, because strawberries don’t deal well with the South’s intense midsummer heat. Southern gardeners planning to raise strawberry plants over winter for a spring harvest should choose June bearers (aka spring bearers), planting them between mid-September and early November. However, they should wait until after the last frost to set out transplants or seedlings that already are growing in pots. Northern gardeners should plan to set out dormant transplants about a month to 6 weeks before their last frost-usually in April or May. These two types are recommended for those who want to harvest smaller amounts of berries to eat fresh. ![]() Day-neutral strawberries bloom and bear as long as the temperature remains between 35 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. They’re the best choice for gardeners who wish to freeze or otherwise preserve the berries.Įverbearers make small crops during summer and a heavier one in autumn. June-bearing strawberries produce the largest fruits in the largest amounts of any strawberry type during a 3-week period in early summer in the North, in spring in the South. Keep in mind that, when properly cultivated, June-bearing (aka spring-bearing) strawberries won’t bear during their first year in the North and require about 6 months to do so when planted in autumn in the South. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to and affiliated sites. ![]()
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