Strawberry Growing Basics

Which type of strawberry should you plant?

Strawberries are usually grouped by how they set fruit. June-bearing plants produce one large crop over a short window each season and send out many runners. Everbearing and day-neutral plants produce smaller flushes over a longer period and send out fewer runners. Which group suits you depends on whether you want a big harvest for sharing and freezing, or a steady trickle for fresh eating.

Ask your county extension office which varieties perform in your area. Local advice matters because winter hardiness, disease pressure and bloom timing against late frost all vary by region. Buy certified, disease-free plants from a reputable supplier instead of digging runners from an old or unknown patch, since strawberry diseases travel on plants.

Spend a little time on supply. Order plants early enough to get the varieties you want, and ask whether they are shipped dormant or in pots, since dormant plants must be set out promptly while pots give more flexibility.

How do you prepare a strawberry bed?

Pick a sunny site with soil that drains well. Strawberries sit shallow in the ground and do poorly where water stands. A raised bed or a mounded row helps on heavy ground. Avoid planting where tomatoes, peppers, potatoes or eggplant grew recently, because some soil-borne diseases are shared, and avoid sites that were recently sod unless you have dealt with grubs.

Take a soil test through your extension office before planting and follow the report and product labels for any lime or fertilizer. Remove perennial weeds thoroughly beforehand. Weeds are the hardest part of a strawberry bed to manage once the plants fill in, so a clean start saves a great deal of work.

How deep do you plant strawberry crowns?

Crown depth is the detail that causes the most losses. The crown is the thick base where leaves and roots meet. Set it so the roots are covered but the crown sits at the soil surface, with the growing point above the ground. Buried crowns tend to rot, and crowns left too high dry out.

Spread the roots rather than bunching them, firm the soil and water in well. Plant when the soil is workable and the worst freezes have passed, timing it against your local last frost date. Your extension office can tell you the usual planting window for your area.

• Keep roots damp and shaded until planting.
• Trim overlong roots only if the supplier directions say so.
• Space plants as the variety and your row system require.
• Check the crown level again after the first rain.

What should you do with the first-year blossoms and runners?

Many growers remove blossoms on new June-bearing plants in the first season so the plant puts energy into roots and runners. Guidance differs for everbearing types, so follow local advice for your variety.

Runners are the plant's way of spreading. Decide on a system, such as matted rows where runners fill in a defined strip, or hills where you remove runners to keep plants as individuals. Thin the planting if it becomes too dense, because crowded plants shade each other, hold moisture and invite disease.

Keep notes on how many runners you leave and where. A planting that is too thick gives smaller berries and more disease, while one that is too sparse wastes space and invites weeds.

How do you protect plants through winter and bloom?

In cold climates, strawberries are commonly covered with a loose mulch such as straw after the plants have gone dormant, then uncovered in spring as growth resumes. Your extension office can tell you the timing that fits your region. Mulching too early can trap warmth and moisture, and removing it too late can smother new growth.

Blossoms are tender, and a frost during bloom can kill the center of the flower. Watch the forecast and keep a light covering ready to throw over the plants on a frosty night, then remove it in the morning so pollinators can work.

How do you keep a strawberry patch producing?

Strawberry patches decline over time. Disease builds up, plants crowd and yields fall. Many growers renew the planting by rotating to a fresh site after a few seasons, or by following a renovation routine after harvest. Ask your extension office about the method suited to your variety.

Keep notes on variety, planting date, yield and problems. Watch for gray, fuzzy fruit rot, leaf spots, slugs and birds, and identify the problem before choosing a response. If you ever consider a pesticide, the label is the law and a soil test and a correct diagnosis come first. Netting over the fruit and picking ripe berries promptly reduce losses without any spray.

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Homestead & Small Farm Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.