How to Grow Strawberries

Summer isn’t complete without fresh strawberries, especially when they’re grown in your own backyard! The best time to get them in the ground is anywhere from June through to October. This guide will show you how to prep, plant, and care for your strawberry plants, so you can be .

PrepARATION

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SOIL - Give your crops the best start in life with good quality soil. Check out our range of premium soil and compost here. If your chosen soil doesn’t include compost, make sure to work in some organic matter. Remove any weeds and, if using an existing garden bed, empty it out beforehand.

PLANT TYPE - It’s often a good idea to select and plant a range of these types to provide a continuous supply of fruit throughout the season, as they all fruit at different times.

  • Chandler: Produces lighter coloured fruit that range from small to very large in size. Can also resist wet weather.

  • Camarosa: Produces fruit that is dark red, dense, and large to very large in size. Can resist wet weather.

  • Pajara: Produces fruit that is bright red, large, and full of flavour.

LOCATION - One of the best places you can grow your strawberry plant is in a raised bed. It is easier to control weeds and to protect from the elements with a layer of pea straw. Also look out for the sunniest part of your backyard. Strawberry plants will thrive in full sun.

GET PLANTING

Place your strawberries at least 40 cm apart to allow them room to breathe. To help reduce transplant stress, it’s a good idea to soak the plants in a bucket of seaweed tonic before planting.

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HOW TO PLANT

  1. Create a small mound

  2. Dig each plant a hole the size of its pot – this should be at least 30cm deep.

  3. Remove the plant from its pot and place it in the hole.

  4. Move the soil around its base, ensuring the crown remains above soil level.

  5. Add strawberry straw, or another mulch product, to help protect from pests, retain moisture and reduce weeds.

Strawberries won’t ripen after they have been picked, so only harvest them when they are fully coloured. Leave some stem at the top of each strawberry as you snip them. Prune the plant after it has finished fruiting to help its growth in the next strawberry season.

Don’t forget to put netting up to protect your strawberries from pests. You don’t want to watch the birds enjoy your hard work instead of you!

Care during growth

To encourage better growth - pick flowers as they appear, keep an eye out for insects or disease, and remove any runners on young plants. Fertilize every 6 weeks to help the plant resist disease and produce more fruit

While you should water regularly and make sure they are well-nourished during the growing period, you don’t want to over water them. Reduce watering when the strawberries start turning red to avoid soft, tasteless fruit.