How to Grow Strawberries

In addition to the traditional strawberry patch, there are as many ways to grow strawberries as there are to eat them! Grow strawberries in a bed, hydroponically, as a ground cover, as an ornamental patio plant, or in a hanging basket.

Strawberry Categories

An important part of knowing how to grow strawberries is understanding how different types of strawberries grow. Strawberry cultivars are placed in one of three categories.

? June bearing strawberries produce a large, voluptuous crop of berries in late spring. Mother plants send out runners (daughters) that root and develop into matted rows. The disadvantage to June bearing strawberries is 1) they only bear fruit once a year and 2) the first year you need to pluck all blossoms from your plants to let them become firmly established.

? Ever bearing strawberries really aren't "ever" bearing, but do produce a harvest twice a year, once in spring and again in autumn. During the first year, pluck all blossoms from ever-bearing cultivars through the end of June. After that, they will blossom again and set fruit for a fall harvest.

? Day neutral strawberries frequently produce a crop of small, but very sweet berries throughout most of the growing season. After plucking off the first set of blossoms allow the fruit to set and you'll have strawberries throughout the summer!

The Versatile Alpine Strawberry

The Alpine Strawberry is a cousin of the wild strawberry and is very much at home lining a path or walk way. In fact, the only strawberry that is regularly started from seed, the Alpine strawberry is a day neutral cultivar that makes an excellent ground cover with headily fragrant blossoms and very tasty red or white strawberries. The Alpine Strawberry reseeds profusely from its own strawberry seeds and bears fruit throughout the growing season.

Buying Strawberries for Transplanting

The best time to purchase strawberry plants is autumn. Find end of season plants at dirt-cheap prices or order new plants for spring delivery. In addition, your nursery may offer wholesale strawberry plants packed in bundles containing as few as 25 plants. Nurseries have limited space and often take orders for wholesale plants on a first-come, first-served basis. Frequently, their stock is depleted long before spring.

Most strawberry cultivars over-winter if kept cool in a root cellar, unheated garage, or basement. For extra protection, cover roots with sand, wood shavings or soil. Ordering or purchasing strawberry plants in the fall ensures that you'll have them for spring planting!

Thirty plants provide enough strawberries for a family of four. Select your plants carefully and purchase only virus-tested transplants.

Site Selection

Plant strawberries in the sunniest spot you can find. Although you can get a harvestable crop with as little as six hours of direct sunlight per day, the largest harvests and best quality berries come from those plants that get the advantage of full sun.

The shallow rooted strawberry plant is poor competition for weeds, shrubs, trees, or other plants. Till a garden bed in the fall to eliminate a lot of the weeds that cause problems during the growing season. Choose a spot away from large trees, which may send roots into your strawberry bed. Also, be sure to locate your strawberry bed away from any spot where you have grown peppers, tomatoes, eggplant or potatoes. These plants can harbor verticillium wilt, which is devastating to strawberries.

Although strawberries won't thrive in saturated ground, they do need a moist environment. Amend soil with a good supply of nutrient rich organic matter to both improve aeration, drainage, and increase moisture-holding capacity. In the spring, as soon as the frost is out of the ground and the soil is workable, till your bed again. Now you are ready to "set" your strawberry plants. The second and third part of this how to on strawberries is available on our site.

Linda is an author of Gardening Tips Tricks and Howto's. The next part of this article is available at our site Gardening-Guides.com,
where you can also download the whole series as a free full color e-book. Just follow the links.

---

No Dig Gardens - How to Build One

The no dig garden is exactly what it describes...a fertile garden bed with no digging at all. It involves layering clean, organic materials that will literally compost... Read More

Keeping the Balance of Nature: Pond Water Maintenance

You might be tempted to let Mother Nature, tend to your backyard pond, and who could blame you? After all, she does a pretty good job of... Read More

How to Create a Zen Garden

When you hear the term "Zen Garden" the picture conjured up is of a dry landscape with rocks surrounded by carefully raked gravel which invites you to... Read More

How to Build a Waterfall For Your Garden Pond

Building a waterfall is easier than you think and will add a new dimension to your pool.When building a waterfall, as with any garden project, you must... Read More

A Quick Overview of Outdoor Hot Tubs

There is nothing quite as relaxing as a leisurely evening soak in the hot tub after a long, hard day's work. Sore muscles can finally relax as... Read More

Easy Care Of Phalaenopsis

Do you have a knack for being with moths? Most people would say, "no way". Yet, the moth orchids that I am talking about are the ones... Read More

9-11 Changed Everything for the Garden Tractor Business

While traveling the US and occasionally taking the back highways one might have seen an interesting trend. That is the proliferation of the Lawn Garden tractors. They... Read More

Cyclamen

Think of cyclamen and the chances are that Mothers Day immediately comes to mind, which is something of a pity. Now don't misinterpret me, there's nothing wrong... Read More

Layer Your Plantings

Part three in a seriesIn our last article, we helped you layout your new landscape. In this article we'll explore which plants to put where and what... Read More

Indoor Gardening Tips for Jerry Seinfeld

"I have no plants in my house. They won't live for me. Some of them don't even wait to die, they commit suicide" ~Jerry Seinfeld ... Read More

A Bit About Bare Root Roses...

Scents from the rose garden filling the air as you walk by... it's a lovely summer scent that you can enjoy every year. Many gardeners know that... Read More

Pest Control Tips for Maintaining Your Greenhouse

Greenhouses provide a warm, humid atmosphere and are home to a variety of different plants and flowers which is why they are a perfect target for insects.... Read More

Home for a Gnome?

Kitsch is defined by several dictionaries as relating to poor quality or gaudy art objects that appeal to "low-brow" taste. But in the garden, kitsch categorizes folksy... Read More

Hills and Holes: Not Part of Your Landscaping Design?

Do pests 'gopher' your lawn? Chances are, if you have a lawn, you risk the chance of having pests, such as the gopher and his cousin the... Read More

Choosing the Perfect Landscape Painting

Landscape paintings are a beautiful way to spruce up the decor of your home. Although you can buy cheap reproduced paintings, you may want to consider purchasing... Read More

Black Walnut Trees Produce A Natural Insecticide

The black walnut tree manufactures a substance that is a natural insecticide according to experts at the Texas State University in Austin.American black walnut tress contain a... Read More

Fake Grass

The history of artificial or fake grass is to say the least an interesting one and arose out of the social desire to in-effect ward off what... Read More

What is Compost Tea?

Organic gardeners all know compost is fantastic stuff. But now, there's something even better and that's compost tea. If you start with a good compost you'll have... Read More

The Perfect Garden Sundial

Is it possible for a garden sundial to tell perfect time?The chances are very good if you can make one yourself, or get one custom made for... Read More

A Garden Bench: A Beautiful Addition To Any Garden

Okay, so you have spent hours upon hours creating the perfect garden. You have chosen only the choicest flowers, agonized for days over their placement, and even... Read More

Using Push Reel Mowers

If you're not familiar with push reel mowers or if you haven't used one since "back in the day", there are a few points you should be... Read More

Feeding the Hummingbirds

Early in May here in west central Wisconsin, I can count on seeing a Ruby Throated Hummingbird hovering in front of my kitchen window, flitting back and... Read More

Preparing Successful Seedlings

Growing your own seedlings is very gratifying and far more economic than purchasing them. It also gives you far greater control over your existing growing conditions.Vegetable seeds... Read More

Here is Why You Should Use Gypsum in Gardening

Do you have clay or layer of hard subsoil problems in your garden? Then gypsum may be the answer to help loosen the soil structure. It is... Read More

Potting Benches: Beautiful and Practical

Do you love spending time outdoors in your garden creating beautiful floral arrangements that can be enjoyed by all? Do you spend more time gathering up your... Read More

Selling Your House? Mow Your Lawn!

A property that has a well manicured lawn has one of the best chances at showing pride in ownership than any other outdoor technique.For one thing, there... Read More