How to Grow Strawberries - Care of Strawberries

Now that you have started growing strawberries you want to make sure the beds last several years. Strawberries are fairly low maintenance, but a few simple things can keep them growing even longer.

For June bearing strawberries during the first growing season you should remove the flowers, which helps promote runner development. This will improve yields in the following years.

For everbearing and day-neutral strawberries, the idea is similar, you remove the flowers until the end of June and after that date allow the flowers to remain to set fruit for a summer/fall harvest.

Fertilize with a balanced fertilizer (.e.g 10-10-0) after “renovation.” Use about 1 lb of fertilizer per 100 square feet. Be careful not to over fertilize, as that will just encourage leafy growth, and increases the susceptibility to frost and other winter damage. Renovation is the process of encouraging fresh high yielding growth for next year. This is done more often with the June bearing varieties. One common approach is to mow the plants with a mower blade set to about an inch above the crowns. Follow this up by narrowing the rows to 6 to 12 inches. This can be done with a shovel, or even a tiller or hoe.

Preparing for Winter

Mulching is the time honored way to help strawberries last the winter, and is often used to help manage the growth of the plants during the growing season. Apply and organic mulch of pine needles or straw between plants after planting. this helps reduce the soil temperature. Mulch is always good for keeping weeds down, and this will help keep the fruit clean as well as reduce weeds and to lift the fruit off the soil. Avoid a black plastic mulch as that will heat up the soil too much.

For the colder winters in northern states, putting a mulch over the bed will keep the crowns safe. When it gets under 20 degrees F. outside apply a covering mulch of several inches of straw or some similar material. This is a mulch that will be removed from the bed after the first frosts, so make sure it’s easy to take off later.

Early spring frosts can cause damage to strawberries. Remove the covering mulch early in the spring. If there is a threat of a late frost cover with a tarp or old blankets. You can also try one of the commercial mulching sheets or row covers.

As mentioned earlier you will need to do some renovation on your strawberries. Renovate June-bearing strawberries, especially those grown in matted rows immediately after harvest. This will keep your patch growing strong for 3 to 4 years. After mowing, narrowing the rows, and weeding, you will want to follow up with a 10-10-10 fertilizer, applied at about 1 lb per 100 square feet. Be sure to water it in well, and continue to water.

Filed under Growing Berries by John

Comments on How to Grow Strawberries - Care of Strawberries »

July 7, 2008

Vicky H @ 1:08 pm

Thank you so much for the info. We received plants from a friend last year. They produced fine but have a very yellow leaf and spots on the leaves. Any idea what to do?

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Vicky

John @ 1:25 pm

There are a lot of difference diseases of strawberry plants, but here is a good summary with pictures to help identify your particular problem.

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/crops/facts/info_leaf_diseases.htm

Roger Graeve @ 4:11 pm

I’m trying to find information on “renovating” my strawberry patch. I’m able to find info. on “renovating” beds of “June bearing” plants. However, I have “Everbearing” plants. Are you supposed to also “renovate” those? If so . . . , how? , when?

August 15, 2008

Cat T @ 9:22 am

What if your strawberries are growing in pots/barrels? I’m not sure if I should leave them out or put them in a corner for winter.

October 5, 2008

Jimi @ 9:53 am

when should I cut the runners from my strawberry plants?

October 27, 2008

Marion @ 12:36 pm

My strawberry plants are now clean and ready for the next thing. What do I use for fertilizer and how much? I will be using straw for mulch when it is time. Probably soon?
Marion

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