How to Grow Strawberries
Fragaria × ananassa
The first fruit most gardeners grow — perennial, productive, and great in containers.
About strawberries
Strawberries are a beginner-friendly perennial fruit that produces within a year and fits anywhere, from beds to hanging baskets. There are three types: June-bearing (one big early-summer crop), everbearing (two flushes), and day-neutral (fruit all season). Pinching the first-year flowers builds stronger plants and bigger future harvests.
When to plant and harvest strawberries
Timing is relative to your frost dates. Find your USDA zone for exact dates, or browse the month-by-month calendars.
Start seeds indoors
Usually planted as bare-root crowns
Transplant outdoors
Early spring
Direct sow
Plant crowns in early spring
Harvest
Late spring through summer (by type)
How to grow strawberries step by step
- 1
Plant bare-root crowns in early spring with the crown exactly at soil level — burying it rots the plant.
- 2
Space 12–18 in apart in rich, slightly acidic, well-drained soil in full sun.
- 3
Pinch off the first year’s flowers on June-bearers to build strong plants.
- 4
Mulch with straw to keep fruit clean and conserve moisture.
- 5
Renovate beds after fruiting and replace plants every 3–4 years as they decline.
Common problems growing strawberries
⚠ Rotting crowns
Crown planted too deep or soil too wet — set crowns at soil level in well-drained ground.
⚠ Birds eating fruit
Net plants as berries ripen.
⚠ Gray mold on fruit
Mulch to keep berries off soil, improve airflow, and pick ripe fruit promptly.
✓ Good companions for strawberries
✗ Keep away from
🧺 Harvesting strawberries
Pick when berries are fully red, ideally in the cool morning, leaving the green cap on. Harvest every 1–2 days during the season and remove any rotting fruit to protect the rest.
Strawberries: frequently asked questions
How deep do you plant strawberries?＋
Set the crown exactly at soil level — the roots fanned below, the crown above. Burying the crown causes rot; planting too high dries the roots.
What’s the difference between June-bearing and everbearing?＋
June-bearers give one large early-summer crop; everbearing and day-neutral types produce smaller amounts over a longer season.
Grow strawberries in your zone
See exactly when to plant and what else to grow alongside strawberries, tailored to your USDA hardiness zone.
