How to Grow Juicy Sweet Strawberries in Your Garden

Raspberries and blueberries have their place both in the garden and in the kitchen, but what’s more glorious than a sun-ripened strawberry, freshly picked, juicy and sweet? If you haven’t attempted to grow strawberries, perhaps it’s time for you to experience one of the most splendid delights you can harvest in your garden.

And here’s some good news: strawberries are easy to nurture.

Getting Strawberries Started

The first thing you’ll need to do is meet the strawberries; that is, explore the three types you can choose from. June-bearing strawberries are so named because they tend to set their fruit all at once, over a period of two to three weeks, which usually coincides with the month of June (at least in the north); Everbearing strawberries produce two lighter crops per year, in the spring and fall; Day-neutral strawberries produce all throughout the growing season.

Each of these three types includes numerous cultivated varieties, and experimenting with different options can help you find the best fit for your growing conditions. Some cultivars thrive only in specific regions, meaning the strawberries that flourish in the South may differ from those successfully grown in Oregon.

After selecting your desired variety (or varieties), you’ll need to decide between potted or dormant bare-root plants.

Bare-root plants can be embedded as soon as the soil is workable in spring, while potted strawberry plants should be transplanted after the last frost date.

No matter which type you choose, be careful not to bury the crown, as this can hinder growth.

When setting your strawberries, ensure ample spacing between rows to promote airflow and reduce the risk of disease. Strawberries spread through runners, which take root upon contact with soil, creating new plants. To accommodate this natural growth, leave room for future expansion. Alternatively, strawberries can be grown in a “solid bed” system without wide row spacing or even used as an edible groundcover.

When it comes to the basics of light and soil, strawberries love a full sun location that gives them ample time to soak up the rays each day. Well-draining soil is also important, and compost and mulch are valuable additions. (Mulching around your strawberry plants is a great way to keep your berries off of the soil which means they’ll stay much cleaner that way!)

Keeping Strawberries Happy

As long as you provide plenty of sun, your strawberries will be content when growing in garden beds, raised beds or containers.

Containers can be a helpful

Ways to keep runaway strawberries in check.

Regular watering is important, but this fruit doesn’t like to be waterlogged, either. (Keep in mind that container-grown strawberries will require more frequent watering than strawberries in a garden bed, as the plants in the container will dry out much faster.)

Your baby strawberry plants probably won’t produce much in the first year (although everbearing varieties might give you some berries) but watch for impressive yields in subsequent years. In general, strawberries are short-lived perennials and likely won’t produce well after four or five years. But by that time your plants will have sent out many runners that will have developed into new “daughter” plants, so the future of your strawberry bed will be in good hands.

Final tip: For the best flavor and quality, wait for the berries to turn fully red before harvesting, since the ripening process will stop once the berry has been picked. During the peak of production, you’ll want to gather your strawberries often (every other day is a good rule of thumb), and then comes the joy of using your fresh berries in all manner of culinary delights.