"Growing Strawberries"

Growing strawberries gives you a lot more choice of variety - and taste - than eating shop-bought strawberries.

'Strawberries and cream' has become part of the Wimbledon Tennis Tournament tradition, and every year thousands of punnets of strawberries are sold ( about 10 strawberries with cream around £2.00 ) just at Wimbledon fortnight alone!

Commercial strawberry growers are slightly limited with their varieties, as many types will not store well. 'Pick them and eat them' types are perfect for the home grower.

Prepare the soil

Choose a spot that hasn't been used for growing strawberries or potatoes within the previous 3 years.

Strawberries like full sun and will not do well in a 'cold' spot.

Remove all weeds and dig in as much organic compost as you can. This will almost guarantee a huge crop! Hoe and rake over the ground.

Later on, you will need some straw or black plastic sheets..

Choosing Your Plants

Growing strawberries from seed is possible - Thompson & Morgan have a couple of varieties here Growing strawberries from seed UK
Strawberry seed US
Thompson and Morgan Worldwide

However most gardeners start their strawberry patch with young plants.


These strawberry plants are available for delivery in the UK from this page: Growing strawberries from plants

Or in the US from here Gardener's Supply Type 'strawberries' (without the quotes) into the search box on their homepage.

Or browse your local garden centre or nursery.

Planting strawberries

Growing strawberries is a piece of cake when you follow the right steps!

Strawberry plants should be spaced to about 35cm-45cm in a row, in rows about 75cm apart.

Dig holes for your plants. Not too deep though, strawberries have a shallow rooting system. Make sure the 'crown' of the plant ( the chunky part above the roots ) is above the soil.

Firm down plants with your hands and water well.

Growing Strawberries: Caring for your plants

Place slug pellets around the plants. If you can't find an organic variety try using broken egg shells or dry sand.

Natural collection get to grips with slugs - organically -
Beat those slugs!

Keep plants well watered. Because they are shallow rooting plants, strawberries will dry out very quickly in hot weather, and your crop will be affected.

In early summer or late spring, when the small fruits start to appear, cover the ground around your plants with a fairly thick layer of straw. Try and get 'weed free' straw. Barley is the best.

If no straw can be found, use black plastic.

Covering the ground in this way keeps the weeds down, and stops the fruits getting in contact with the soil, where they will rot very quickly or get eaten by the slugs.

Growing strawberries in your garden will encourage just about every garden bird you can imagine. The trouble is, they will ALL eat your strawberries...... if you let them!

Make a small wooden frame to stand over your strawberry bed, and cover in fine netting. Don't use heavy materials, as you will want to move the cover every day during cropping season. Use light wood, and perhaps tent pegs or the equivalent to secure it against being blown over by the wind or stray cats and dogs.

Remove the 'runners' - little plants coming off the main plant, before they root. This will encourage your 'mother' plant to produce more fruit.

Pick your strawberries every day in season.

With good weather and a fairly long growing season, starwberries can produce up to 3 crops a year.

After the third year, your strawberry plants will produce less fruit, and so on every year afterwards.

It is widely advised to replace your whole strawberry bed every 3-5 years. Don't use the same plot for your new plants though. Go back to the beginning and prepare your bed well.....:-)

You can find more about strawberries and even a few recipe ideas in my book recently published with Findhorn Press. Grow Your Own Pharmacy You really can grow enough fruit and veg to keep your family glowing with good health!

Happy Gardening!

More "Strawberry" Reading

www.flower-and-garden-tips.com/growingstrawberries.html