Growing Strawberries

Jack_Luca | Apr 9, 2010 |

3 Comments | Rating: 2

Strawberries are easy to grow. Strawberry plants are a perfect choice for the beginning gardener. They are especially fun to grow for children because they will see their hard work in the garden pay off fairly quickly. Planting your own strawberry patch is a rewarding experience. It is so nice to be able to walk outside and pick your own fresh, juicy, ripe strawberries.

Choosing Strawberries

Choose a strawberry variety that is disease resistant. Garden centers, nurseries and online plant sellers carry strawberry plants that were specifically developed to resist diseases.

Choose an ever bearing variety of strawberry plants or seeds. Ever bearing strawberry strawberries will provide you with fresh strawberries throughout the growing season.

Choose a variety specific to your growing zone. Some varieties of strawberries are more cold hardy than others and some are more heat tolerant than others.

Choose Your Strawberry Location

Choose an area of your garden that gets full sun throughout the day. If you are planning on growing strawberries in a patio container or a strawberry pot place it in a sunny area of your yard or patio.

Choose an area that has good drainage.

Avoid planting strawberries near deep rooted trees. The trees will take nutrients and water away from your strawberries.

Prepare The Garden Soil For Strawberries

Use a metal rake to rake the soil. Break up clumps of dirt and loosen compact soil.

Remove all rocks, roots, weeds, and debris from your strawberry patch.

Add a thick layer of compost over the top of your garden soil.

If you do not have compost, generously sprinkle a high nitrogen content plant food plus 2 to 3 cups of Epsom Salts over the soil.

Use the metal rake to work the compost or plant food into the garden soil.

Even if you have compost, you can still add all 3 to the soil for extra nutrients.

Prepare a Patio Container or Strawberry Jar

Use a good quality potting soil or make your own potting soil to fill the patio container or strawberry jar.

Plant Your Strawberry Plants

Dig a hole with a small garden shovel.

Spread the strawberry plant roots out.

Plant the strawberry plants in the soil just above the roots.

Leave 4 to 6 inches between each strawberry plant.

Water the plants well.

Add a thick layer of mulch. You can use straw, wet newspaper or a store bought weed block.

Caring For Strawberry Plants

Water strawberries early in the morning. Do not let the soil get too dry because your strawberry plants will wither and die.

Drape your strawberry plants with a light netting to keep birds from eating them.

Use care in choosing pesticides, insecticides and other chemical. Read labels to make sure they are safe to be used on food plants or find a safe natural alternative.

Picking Strawberries

Pick Strawberries when they are fully red.

To pick a strawberry: Pinch the stem 1/2 of an inch above the strawberry.