Fresh strawberries from the garden taste a thousand times better than what you’ve been buying from the store. It’s just a fact. Home gardeners can grow their own delicious strawberries right on their patio or in their backyard for very little effort. These plants are easy to grow, and if you have the right varieties, you can actually harvest fruits for several months out of the year.
Here’s everything you need to know to start your own little strawberry patch, starting with the best soil for strawberries.
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HOW TO CHOOSE WHICH TYPE OF STRAWBERRIES TO GROW
When it comes to growing strawberries, choosing the right varieties can make all the difference in how long you get to enjoy fresh, homegrown berries. One of my favorite sources for strawberry plants is Stark Bros Nursery—they’re a reliable online nursery with great variety packs that allow you to harvest strawberries over an extended season.
Strawberries don’t all ripen at the same time. The two main types are June-bearing and ever-bearing, and each has its own benefits.
JUNE-BEARING STRAWBERRIES
If you love the idea of a big strawberry harvest all at once, June-bearing strawberries are the way to go. These varieties produce a heavy crop in late spring to early summer. Just keep in mind that you probably won’t get fruit in the first year, but once they get going, they’ll reward you with plenty of sweet berries.
EVER-BEARING STRAWBERRIES
Ever-bearing (also known as day-neutral) strawberries are a great choice if you want fruit in your first season. These plants produce berries in waves throughout the growing season, often giving you a second round of fruit in late summer or early fall.
ALPINE STRAWBERRIES – A SPECIAL TREAT
If you’re looking for something unique, alpine strawberries (sometimes called woodland strawberries) are a fun option. Unlike traditional varieties, these little berries can be grown from seed and are perfect for containers since they don’t send out runners. Depending on the variety, you’ll find them in shades of red, yellow, or cream.
Alpine strawberries are much smaller than the ones you see in grocery stores, but what they lack in size, they make up for in incredible flavor. These tiny berries are a sweet treat straight from the garden, and I highly recommend giving them a try!
👉 Check out my favorite alpine strawberry varieties here:
THE BEST SOIL FOR GROWING STRAWBERRIES
Strawberries thrive in the same sandy loam soil that works well for most vegetable gardens. These little perennials love soil that’s rich in organic matter and well-draining. While they need consistent moisture, their roots don’t like sitting in water, so good drainage is key to keeping them happy.
Here are two simple soil mix options to give your strawberries the perfect growing environment:
STRAWBERRY SOIL MIX OPTION #1
This mix is great for raised beds or improving in-ground soil and is measured by volume:
- 1 part topsoil
- 1 part garden compost
- 1 part coarse sand (It might sound odd, but the sand helps with drainage!)
STRAWBERRY SOIL MIX OPTION #2
This is Mel’s Mix from Mel Bartholomew’s Square Foot Gardening, and it works especially well for containers and raised beds:
- 1 part compost
- 1 part coarse vermiculite (Keeps the soil light and airy)
- 1 part peat moss or coco coir (Helps retain just the right amount of moisture)
Both of these mixes will give your strawberries the rich, well-draining soil they need to produce sweet, juicy berries!
WHERE TO FIND YOUR SOIL FOR GROWING STRAWBERRIES
You can find all of these soil ingredients at local landscape suppliers, nurseries, online vendors, and garden centers. If mixing your own blend sounds like too much work, most landscape supply stores carry a loamy soil mix that’s pretty close to these recipes. If you need more than a yard of soil, consider buying in bulk to save money. (Learn more about ordering soil for raised beds.)
Once your soil is mixed and ready, give your strawberries an extra nutrient boost by adding worm castings or a little rabbit or chicken manure to the top. Since strawberries have shallow roots, they’ll benefit from having nutrients right near the surface where they can easily access them.
THE BEST SOIL FOR GROWING STRAWBERRIES IN CONTAINERS
If you’re planting strawberries in containers, I recommend using a high-quality organic potting soil. One of my favorites is Ocean Forest Potting Soil from FoxFarm—it has great drainage and plenty of nutrients to start with. Mix it with fresh compost for even better results.
To keep your container strawberries thriving, top them off with fresh compost every couple of months to replenish nutrients and keep the plants producing sweet, juicy berries all season long!
Once you’ve mixed up your soil, add some worm castings or composted manure to the top of your soil blend for an extra nutrient boost. Strawberries have a shallow root system, so it’s great to have lots of nutrients right at the top for them to pick up.
WHEN TO PLANT STRAWBERRY PLANTS
Strawberry plants are perennials, which means they can live and produce for several years. You can probably enjoy fruit from one plant for 3 to 4 years before it tires out and it’s time to either start with new plants or propagate runners from the old plants.
The best time to plant strawberries is in the early spring and then again in the fall.
In the spring, you can plant bare-root strawberries (more on that in a minute) or buy young plants from your local nursery. You just want to wait to plant until you’re past the likelihood of heavy frost. Your plants should be okay with a couple of light frosts and will enjoy nice, cool weather.
Their prime growing season will be throughout the spring and into the summer months, when they’ll ideally produce fruits for you to harvest. Some strawberry varieties will halt their fruit production when it’s hot.
In early fall, your plants will finish producing but can stay in your garden. This is the time to add any new strawberry plants you’d like so that they can get established in your garden before winter. Strawberries will die back during the coldest months and then produce new stems in the spring.
WHERE TO PLANT STRAWBERRY PLANTS
The most important factor when choosing a spot for your strawberries is sunlight. Strawberries need at least 8 hours of full sun to produce the sweetest, most flavorful fruit. If you live in a hot climate, a location with some afternoon shade can help protect your plants from extreme heat.
Beyond that, strawberries are incredibly versatile! You can grow them in the ground, raised beds, containers, hanging baskets, pots, grow bags, or even in strawberry towers—special tiered planters designed just for them.
GROWING STRAWBERRIES IN-GROUND
If you’re planting strawberries directly in the ground, drainage is key. Avoid low spots where water tends to sit. If you have heavy clay soil, improve drainage by working compost and coarse sand into the top 6 inches of soil.
Plant your strawberries in small mounds, spacing them about 12 inches apart. This helps prevent root rot and improves airflow around the plants.
To keep ripening berries off the soil (and away from pests), consider using strawberry supports—those small plastic collars that lift the fruit above the ground.
GROWING STRAWBERRIES IN A RAISED BED
I love planting strawberries along the edges of my raised beds—their flowers and fruit look beautiful draping over the sides! If you’re growing June-bearing strawberries, be prepared for runners (baby plants that spread out from the main plant).
For easier maintenance, consider growing Alpine strawberries, which don’t send out runners. If you do plant June-bearing varieties, prune runners that grow toward the center of your raised bed to keep them from taking over.
GROWING STRAWBERRIES IN CONTAINERS
Strawberries are perfect for small spaces! You only need a pot or container at least 6 inches wide for a single plant, and if you have a wide container or grow bag, you can fit multiple plants for an even bigger harvest. (Check out some of my favorite container options here.)
The most important thing is drainage—make sure your container has drainage holes so excess water can escape. If it doesn’t, you may need to drill some holes to prevent soggy soil and root rot.
If you’re growing strawberries on a porch or patio, consider lining the bottom of your container with weed barrier cloth or burlap before adding soil. This helps keep the soil from washing out when you water.
GROWING STRAWBERRIES IN A STRAWBERRY TOWER
A strawberry tower is a fun and space-saving way to grow strawberries, especially on apartment balconies or small patios. These multi-tiered planters, typically made of plastic or terracotta, allow you to plant one strawberry plant per slot, making the most of vertical space.
These towers generally have good drainage, but pay close attention to the plants in the bottom tier—they might dry out faster or not get as much water as the ones above. If your tower is under a covered patio, rotate it daily so all your plants get equal sunlight.
HOW TO PLANT STRAWBERRY PLANTS
Before planting, it’s a great idea to add a layer of compost to the top of your strawberry bed or container if you are planting in previously used soil. This will give your plants a nutrient boost.
- In the ground: Space strawberry plants 12 inches apart to give them room to spread.
- In raised beds or containers: You can plant them a bit closer, about 6 inches apart.
PLANTING NURSERY-GROWN STRAWBERRY PLANTS
If you’re starting with potted strawberry plants from the nursery, simply plant them so their roots sit just below the soil surface.
PLANTING BARE-ROOT STRAWBERRY PLANTS
If you’re planting bare-root strawberries in the spring or fall, follow these steps:
- Soak the roots in water for 4 to 6 hours before planting.
- Separate each individual root carefully.
- Dig a shallow hole and position the plant so the roots meet the stem right at soil level.
- Backfill the hole, making sure not to bury the crown.
After planting, water your strawberries well and keep the soil consistently moist for the first few weeks while they establish strong roots.
HOW TO CARE FOR STRAWBERRY PLANTS
Strawberries are surprisingly low-maintenance, which is why wild strawberries thrive in so many places. With the right care, your plants will reward you with plenty of sweet berries!
WATERING
Once your strawberry plants are established, they’ll need about an inch of water per week. The best way to keep them consistently hydrated is with a drip irrigation system, like [this one for raised beds] or Growoya’s watering system for pots and containers.
If you’re watering by hand, check the soil first—only water if the top inch feels dry. Try to avoid getting water on the leaves or fruits to prevent mold and fungal issues.
FERTILIZING
For bigger harvests, top your strawberry bed with a couple of inches of fresh compost every few months. Once your plants start forming flowers, I recommend fertilizing with MicroLife Maximum Blooms—this is my go-to for fruiting plants because it provides all the nutrients they need to develop flowers and fruit. Just follow the instructions on the bottle!
PRUNING
If your plants send out runners (those long stems that produce new plants), consider pinching them off. While runners can turn into new strawberry plants, they also steal energy from the main plant, which you want focused on fruit production.
Want more plants? Instead of discarding runners, replant them! Use a landscaping pin to secure them to the soil, and they’ll form roots in no time.
WHEN TO REMOVE OLD PLANTS
If a strawberry plant has been in your garden for several years and isn’t producing well anymore, it’s time to replace it with a new one.
COMMON ISSUES WITH STRAWBERRY PLANTS
FUNGAL DISEASES
In damp conditions, strawberries are prone to gray mold, a fungus that causes fruits to soften, turn brown, and eventually grow mold. To reduce the risk of fungal diseases like gray mold and powdery mildew:
✔ Water at the base of the plant, keeping leaves and fruits dry.
✔ Water in the morning, so plants have time to dry before nightfall.
✔ Remove any diseased leaves or fruits immediately to prevent spread.
✔ Keep the soil around plants free of debris, as rotting plant matter can harbor fungal spores that splash onto plants when watering.
PESTS EATING BERRIES
There’s nothing worse than waiting for your strawberries to ripen, only to find something took a bite before you could!
For small pests like pill bugs (roly-polies), slugs, or snails:
✔ Use strawberry mats to keep berries off the soil.
✔ If necessary, apply organic Sluggo to deter slugs and snails.
For larger pests like birds, rabbits, and squirrels:
✔ Wrap ripening berries in organza bags (the kind used for jewelry storage).
✔ Consider placing wire cages around your plants.
NOTE: If using netting or pest cloth, keep in mind that it blocks pollinators, so only cover plants once fruits have already set—and always check for pests before covering to avoid trapping them inside!
WHEN TO HARVEST STRAWBERRIES
Patience is key when growing strawberries! If you’re planting June-bearing strawberries, you likely won’t get fruit the first year. Some gardeners even pinch off flower buds in the first season to encourage stronger plants and a bigger harvest the following year.
Here’s when you can expect to harvest strawberries based on the type you’re growing:
✔ June-bearing strawberries produce fruit in late spring to early summer (usually over a 2-3 week period).
✔ Day-neutral strawberries can provide two harvests throughout summer.
✔ Everbearing strawberries fruit twice a year—once in late spring/early summer and again in late summer/early fall.
HOW TO HARVEST STRAWBERRIES
- Wait until strawberries are fully red before picking—they won’t continue ripening once harvested.
- To avoid bruising, pinch the stem just above the fruit rather than pulling.
- Each plant typically produces 5 to 7 berries per season.
ENJOYING & STORING YOUR STRAWBERRY HARVEST
The best way to enjoy strawberries? Eat them fresh, straight from the garden! If you have extras:
- Don’t wash them until you’re ready to eat (moisture speeds up spoilage).
- Store them in the fridge, where they’ll stay fresh for a couple of days.
