Strawberry

Category: berries

Growing

  • 📍 Zone: 2-10
  • 🌞 Sun: Full sun
  • 💧 Water: High; consistent moisture is important, especially during fruiting
  • 🌱 Soil: Slightly acidic, rich soil with plenty of compost; mulch recommended to retain moisture and suppress weeds

Planting

  • 📏 Height: Short groundcover (typically 6-8 inches)
  • 📏 Spacing: 1-2 feet apart, with rows spaced about 4 feet apart
  • 📅 When To Plant: Plant in spring after danger of frost; raised beds are ideal for drainage and warmth
  • 🌱 Propagation: Strawberries produce runners (stolons) that root and form new plants
  • ⬇️ Depth: Relatively shallow; crown should sit at soil level
  • 🤝 Companion:
    • 0: Garlic
    • 1: Radishes
    • 2: Peas
    • 3: Beans
    • 4: Spinach
    • 5: Lettuce
  • 🚫 Avoid Planting Near:
    • 0: Nightshades (e.g., potatoes, tomatoes, peppers)

Care & Maintenance

  • ✂️ Pruning:
    • 0: Remove runners if spreading is not desired to encourage more fruit production
    • 1: Allow some runners if you want the patch to expand naturally
  • Notes: Strawberries are short-lived perennials; beds should be renewed every 3-5 years for best yield

Harvesting & Usage

  • ⏰ When To Harvest: Harvest when berries are fully red and ripe; best picked in the morning when cool
  • ✋ How To Harvest: Gently twist or snip berries from the stem to avoid damaging plants
  • Varieties:
    • June-bearing: Produces large, flavorful strawberries early to mid-season; good for fresh eating and freezing
    • Everbearing: Produces smaller berries in several flushes throughout the season; excellent for jams and preserves

Ecological Info

  • 🐝 Pollinators:
    • 0: Bees (primary pollinators)
    • 1: Self-pollinating flowers
  • 🦌 Wildlife Resistance:
    • 0: Susceptible to birds — use netting for protection
    • 1: Susceptible to slugs — use slug traps or barriers