How to Plant Strawberries

Inside: Planting strawberries isn’t difficult, but before grabbing that trowel it’s important to know the different types. Read on for our quick tutorial on how to plant strawberries.

Showing how to plant strawberries. — Love getting my hands down in the dirt! *Picture courtesy of Mike Moore*.

Doing Strawberries

Sometimes we make things harder than they have to be. Case in point: how to plant strawberries. Though I’d been a seasoned gardener when I decided to try my hand at the sweet red berries, if I’m being honest, they intimidated me a little. Three different types of plants? Just what kind do I plant? Once I figured that out, the whole business with the crown and not planting them too deep left me confused. Plant them up to the roots, but not the stem, the directions said. Okay, could you be more specific? The perfectionist in me was afraid of making a mistake. And after I finally did get them in the ground, why didn’t they do very well?

This past spring as Mom worked with Bill from Sugar Grove Growers at the greenhouse, watching him trim down the roots of a strawberry plant and plunge it into dirt, she asked him about his methods.

“You can’t kill a strawberry plant,” he said.

After a few successful years of growing them, I’m inclined to agree.

What Kind of Strawberries Do I Plant?

Another view of the planting bed. — Trying out planting strawberries in a raised bed. *Photo by Mike Moore.*

That’s the first question. Strawberry plants come in three major types–June bearing, everbearing, and day-neutral. Here are the specifics:

June bearing plants yield one large crop of berries per year, usually in June, though for some it may be earlier or later depending on your planting zone. I’m actually getting June bearing strawberries out of one of my beds right now.

Everbearing plants have a smaller harvest spread out over the growing season and can begin producing as soon as there are twelve hours of daylight.

Day-neutral plants produce fruit during three peak periods–as early as June, mid July, and late August.

Tip: When choosing which type of strawberries you want to plant, see what type as well as variety other seasoned gardeners in your area are planting.

So how do you plant strawberries? Here are the basics:

When to plant: For dormant bareroot strawberry crowns you can plant them in late winter to early spring, as soon as the nighttime temperatures stay above 25 degrees F and the ground is no longer frozen. Late spring frosts do not usually harm dormant crowns.

Strawberry transplants can be planted as soon as possible in spring after last frost.

How deep: Dig a hole approximately 4 – 8 inches deep, depending on the roots of your plant. You want to give them a bit of room to spread out, though a strawberry plant’s roots remain fairly shallow. Cover the plant to the top of the roots only, the crown (the short, thickened stem above the roots) should sit on top of the soil.

How far apart: Space strawberry plants 20 inches apart, and space rows 4 feet apart. That should provide enough room for “daughter” plants (runners) that will grow from the main plant.

How much sun and water: Plant in a sunny location that receives 6 – 8 hours of sun per day. Make sure your plants receive about 1 – 2 inches of water per week.

Give Them a Try!

Strawberries from the home garden are such a wonderful early summer treat. The harvest can be used fresh in recipes or used to make the most amazing preserves. And they’re absolutely great picked fresh as you’re browsing the leaves on a cool morning, hunting for the most bright red berries!

When it comes to planting strawberries, don’t be timid! Take the plant by the crown and give it a home in the good green earth. You will be rewarded for your efforts!