How to Grow Strawberries
Strawberry season is one of the most pleasant times of the year, and learning how to grow strawberries yourself can make it even more special. Just imagine inviting your friends over for dessert to show off the plump, juicy strawberries you grew yourself.
Strawberries are not hard to grow but they do need adequate space. Strawberries are best grown alone in their own patch, away from all other plants. The first thing you have to decide in learning how to grow strawberries is whether you want plants that produce strawberries spread out over the whole season, or if you want one huge batch of strawberries in June. June is the best choice for people who want to can or make jellies and jams. There are different varieties of strawberry plants in these two categories, appropriately named everbearing and Junebearing.
Strawberry plants are perennials, and each plant will produce berries for 3-4 years and then will need replacement. If you live in a cold climate strawberries are best planted in the spring, and in the fall if you live in a warm climate. If you chose to grow the everbearing variety, you should plant in mounds, setting the plants a foot or more a part. Mix fertilizer into the soil prior to planting. If you are planting your strawberries in rows, place them 18 inches a part. Make sure you have the crown of the plant above the ground and the roots at least a quarter-inch below the dirt. Allow runners to fill out the rows between the plants and then trim off excess runners. You should fertilize beside your plant rows.
Next, cover the strawberry plants with mulch. You could also use plastic as the goal is to keep the soil around the plants as moist as possible. Strawberry plants need a good amount of water--at least an inch every week--so you might have to water them at least periodically, and a lot during a drought.
Learning how to grow strawberry plants also means becoming acquainted with the variety of pests and diseases that are common. They can get verticillium wilt, which is a fungal disease, root rot, or fruit rot. Slugs and snails love strawberry plants, especially if the weather has been wet. Also watch for spider mites and aphids. If you do choose to use any chemicals on the plants, make sure you do it before they are bearing fruit. Never put a pesticide on the plant if there is fruit present.
After you have harvested all of the strawberries each season, you need to take care of the beds so they will produce more fruit next season. Cut the leaves off so that they have about 1-½ inches left above the crown. Fertilize with 10-10-10 or with organic matter. Cover with a half inch of soil but do not bury the crowns. Thin the plants as necessary and water. Then they will be ready to produce delicious strawberries next season.