Growing strawberries - 7 tips & methods for masses of strawberries

There is no better way to teach children that sweet flavours can also come from the vegetable garden, instead of from plastic pointed bags full of chemical junk.  By growing strawberries yourself, you can offer your children or grandchildren a healthy snack.  By the way, children love to help you with this.  With a little common sense, you and your family can eat sweets from the garden from June to October.  In winter and spring you can eat jam made from your strawberries.  Personally, I don't know anyone who doesn't like strawberries.  In short, strawberries in the vegetable garden is always a good idea.  Enjoy the cultivation and the smiling faces once they splash open in many mouths.

Tip or method 1 : Choose the type of strawberries you want to grow

Growing Strawberries - There are two main types of strawberries that you can grow, june bearing strawberries and everbearing strawberries.  There are many varieties within those two types.  Take a good look at the specifications of which variety you are dealing with.  This will be important for the time and planting distances of planting out.  Single bearing strawberries will stop producing fruit in the summer after 2 - 3 weeks, while single bearing strawberries will continue until autumn.

everbearing strawberries

This variety is the most popular because the plant produces fruit 5 years in a row and that throughout the season.  This makes it ideal for a continuous harvest of strawberries.

june bearing strawberries

This plant will give you lots of strawberries over a period of 3 to 4 weeks, usually between June and the beginning of August.  Ideal for summer holidays.

Growing woodland strawberries

The wild strawberry is a very small type of strawberry and it is also permeable, they come back every year.  Even though the fruits are small, they are full of flavour and are horseradish sweet.  These are the ideal strawberries to make jam.  You can easily grow them in trays or pots or use them as edible ground cover.

Where do you find the plants ?

In most garden centres you will find strawberry plants, both single strawberry carriers and forest strawberries.  Take a good look at which type you are buying, it can be a good idea to plant different species, so you can spread out your harvest.  Buy your plants when you want to plant them out.  If you leave them in the pot for too long, the roots in the pot can suffocate each other.  As a result, the plants lose the strength to grow strongly.

Can you also sow strawberries?

Yes, of course.  In 2014 I pre-sowed Horti Tops' Sarian F1 from seed, but you can also pre-sow the strawberries Baron Van Solemacher (Rügen) from seed.  The first year the strawberries are harvested in autumn.  The second year from summer onwards.  You can also pre-sow the forest strawberries Yellow Cream and plant them out in pots or gutters.  The colour of these woodland strawberries is very nice, the birds don't see them as ripe either, so they leave them alone more than their red colleagues.  If you want early strawberries with endemic varieties, you better buy plants.  More information about sowing strawberries at Tip 5.

Pay attention when planting out

Before you plant out your strawberry plants, should you check them very carefully for signs of disease or weakness?  Your plants should have shiny green leaves with no spots.  Brown edges or dry leaves should also be removed.  Make sure you have a good root system that is very light in colour.  It is best to leave plants with dark roots.

Where to plant in my strawberries

Make a good decision where to plant your strawberries.  Strawberries can be grown in open soil as well as in pots or containers.  The most important things are your soil and nutrition.  More about this later.

Tip of methode 2 : De anatomie van de aardbei

Strawberry plants grow from the crown of the plant.  The crown is just above the roots.  !!! When planting out, the crown should not be under the soil, this applies to pots, containers or open ground.  The crown should also not be centimetres above the ground.  So be careful when planting strawberries that your crown is just above the ground.

The seeds of the strawberry are on the fruit, which is very exceptional.  The black dots are actually the seed of the plant.  You can try to harvest the seeds from a ripe strawberry, but it is not easy.  You better consider buying a bag of strawberry seed.  More on how to sow strawberries later in this article

Tip or method 3 : Growing strawberries in the vegetable garden - growing guide

Plant your strawberries at the right time.  The planting time is determined by the species you have chosen (see tip or method 1).  So pay close attention to the instructions given by the garden centre on the online plant shop.  It is best to plant single carriers in the summer before harvesting the year.  Between July and September you can plant out the single bearers.  Woodchips should be planted out around April/May.  It is best to plant the carrier varieties in March or July of the year of harvest.

The reason why you plant out your plants early is because it gives you the plant to get used to your vegetable garden. The plant builds up its strength in the year before (summer and through) or in spring (forest strawberries) to produce masses of strawberries as strong plants.

The location of your strawberry plants

Choose a warm, sunny place to plant out.  The sturdy strawberry plants can easily cope with the heat of the full sun and convert all the sunlight into delicious sweet fruits.  The plants also tolerate moderate winds.  You can also grow strawberries in the vegetable garden where there is partial shade, your plants will be a little less productive than in full sun, but it also works.

The acidity of the soil in your vegetable garden bed

As with all vegetable gardens, plant your vegetable garden soil well with a rotary fork, enrich the soil with organic fertiliser, remove competing plants (weeds) including their roots.  Strawberries like rich soil that is not too acidic, between 5.5 and 6.5.  If the soil is too acidic, you can add rock meal such as lime.  You can measure the degree of acidity in your vegetable garden soil with a pH meter.  If you have heavy clay soil or poor sandy soil, mix in organic material in the form of well-treated compost.

Mulching between the plants

You can also apply a layer of mulch between the plants.   I prefer straw as it retains the moisture in the soil and is a soft blanket for your fruits.  When it rains it prevents your strawberries from lying in the water and rotting.  If you don't have any organic material available, you can also use a carrot blanket.

Bathe the clods of your strawberry plants.

Place the clods of your strawberry plants in a container with water (or compost tea) about half an hour before planting and let them soak up plenty of water.  This will help your plant to make the transition and ensure it is watered during the first week.

Planting distances

Make a planting hole in your nutrient-rich soil and then plant out your strawberry plant with the plant's crown just above the ground.  Press the soil well at the base of your plant and around it.  Plant your strawberries 35 to 40 cm between the plants.  Between the rows you can leave 60-90 cm more space.  This seems a lot but sometimes it is more productive to give the plants a little more space. Sometimes you harvest more from one strong plant than from three plants that have to compete with each other for nutrition and space in the ground.

Water and feed your strawberry plants

Water regularly.  Be careful not to give too many.  The root system of the strawberry plant does not go that deep; in the summer you prefer to water a little every day.  So no desert and certainly no swamp.  If you are going on holiday, ask someone to come and water your strawberries every day in very warm weather.  Water at the height of the crown, not the fruits.  Fruits that lie in the water will rot fAster.

Use a liquid organic fertiliser or make your own comfrey vulture.  These two nutrients are rich in potassium, also called potassium.  If you give nitrogen fertilizer, you will see a lot of leaves but few strawberries.

Invest in strong plants

Remove the first flowers from the plant.  I know, we are very excited at the first signs of life, but just as with peppers and peppers, it is better to remove the first flowers.  Certainly before planting, you have to remove everything, even the first two weeks that flowers start to form, I cut them off.  In this way, the plant invests its strength in its root system and that pays off in many more strawberries later on.  You can also leave a few plants alone and not pick flowers for the first early harvest.  The bees will also thank you.  The choice is yours.

Protect your plants, birds love them

I walk in my vegetable garden every day, and I also regularly stop at the strawberry plants.  The first signs that the flowers form strawberries are when you see a small green strawberry in the heart of the flower.  It is that little green strawberry that you will see grow into a delicious red strawberry every day.  When you see the first red on your strawberries you have to intervene.  A bird net over your strawberries will make sure that you eat strawberries yourself and not the winged friends in your garden.  You can also hang shiny moving things such as a CD or a plastic bag on a sloping stake to chase away birds.  But a bird net works best.

Harvesting strawberries and further plant maintenance

When the whole strawberry is red, you can harvest it.  Take a bowl or basket to your strawberry bed and always pick your fruit in such a way that the stem remains intact.  Rinse your strawberries briefly in cold water and enjoy your home-grown strawberries.

Continue to take care of your plants.  They are hardy and will produce fruit for 5 years.  Then they need to be replaced.  You can put new plants every year, but that is not necessary.  Unless you suffer from diseases in your vegetable garden, it may be better to replace your plants every year or every two years.

Tip or method 4 : Grow strawberries in pots, gutters or trays

As has already been said, strawberries have shallow roots.  They are therefore easy to grow indoors or outdoors in pots, gutters, containers, ... You can place your plants on the balcony, terrace or windowsill.  Contrary to plants in open ground, strawberry plants are best planted in spring.  You can keep them indoors in cold weather in a place with lots of light so that they can grow stronger.

Opt for good water drainage

Choose pots with holes in the bottom so that the moisture can drain away.  When water can remain at the bottom of your pots this is a breeding ground for unwanted diseases.  The choice of pot is not that important.  As long as there is sunshine and enough water and light the plants will leave.  Shards of terracotta pots or pebbles at the bottom of your pot help drainage and retain some water for dry periods.

Do not fill your pots, gutters or containers immediately.

Fill your pots 2/3 full with a mixture of potting soil for vegetable gardens and compost.  If you do not have any compost you can also grow in 100% potting soil.  Choose at least a pot with a diameter of 20 cm or grow in long trays or plant gutters with a distance between the plants of 20 to 30 cm.  Despite the shallow roots, a strawberry plant needs space.

Be careful with the roots of your strawberry plants.

Carefully remove your strawberry plants from their pots.  If this does not go smoothly because the roots have already grown through the drainage holes, cut the pot with garden shears.  Rub the excess soil off the root ball and lightly massage the roots.  Fill a bucket of water and let the roots soak up water for half an hour, this way they remain well moistened.

Remove the plants from the water basin and place them in the pot, bin or gutter that you filled 2/3 with potting soil and compost.  Now fill your pot with extra potting soil and compost until the crown of your plant is just above it.  Do not dig in the crown and make sure it is not high. Just above the soil is top.

Water and fertiliser your strawberries in pots

Water well, so the clods of the plants and the potting soil are sucked towards each other and air bubbles disappear from the soil.  You may have to add some extra soil after watering because the crowns are too exposed.  Use a watering can with a spray head so that you do not erode or wash away the soil.

Ready!  You can now hang or put your bowl, pot or leg outside.  Choose a warm, sunny spot in your vegetable garden for optimal results.  Harvest regularly.  In this way you encourage the plants to continue producing.  Water the first flowers weekly with a liquid organic fertiliser or make your own comfrey vulture.

Tip or method 5 : Growing strawberries from seed

Sowing strawberries is also a very fun way of growing strawberries.  It requires a little more work but is very rewarding.

Pre-sowing in trays

Buy your strawberry seeds in your garden centre, you can also find them here at Moestuinweinetjes in the web shop.  Fill a sowing and propagation tray of 51 cells and make a seed hole of 5 mm deep in each cell.  Sow three seeds in each hole.  The seeds are very small, so proceed very precisely.  Cover the seeds with some more sowing soil and lightly press the soil with your fingers.  Don't press too hard so that the seeds don't have any problems germinating.  Water the top layer well with a plant sprayer.

With or without propagator

Place your tray in a propagator to maintain humidity during germination.  You can also stretch plastic foil over your tray to achieve the same effect.  Set the thermostat of your propagator to 24°C or place it on the  Check daily whether the sowing soil remains moist.  Water with a plant sprayer if necessary. Do not pour any water, the tiny seeds could be washed away.

When you see the seeds germinating, the soil cracking or the first green dot, open the ventilation sliders of your propagator or remove the plastic foil from your tray.  If your propagator has grow lights, you can turn them on now.  If you do not have a propagator, make sure the seedlings get as much light as possible.  Keep an eye on the humidity of your soil.

From seedlings to young plants

If several seeds germinated, thin out your plants when they are one cm tall. Keep the strongest plant and cut off the rest, try not to prick them out or you will hurt the others.  Play the young strawberry plants with a spoon to a P7 pot with potting soil for vegetable gardens when they are 2 cm big.  Strawberry plants do not grow above the ground as quickly as they are small, but make a root system very quickly.

In the P7 pots the young plants have food for 4 weeks, after that you can feed them with a liquid organic fertiliser or make your own comfrey vulture.  Plant out your young plants according to the tip 4 ( grow strawberries in open ground) or tip 4 ( grow strawberries in pots, gutters or containers).  The time of planting out depends on which species and whether you grow in open ground or in boxes.  Start sowing 3 months before the desired planting.

On our Youtube Channel you can see how I even pre-sow and transplant my strawberries (sorry dutch spoken):

 

Tip or method 6 : Growing strawberries from runners

Runners are the shoots you see with strawberry plants.  The shoots grow away from the plant and make a new plant in a kind of armpit, that armpit forms the basis of a new plant and you can make it take root.  This new plant can be used to grow new plants the year after.  How to proceed.You can fill p7 pots with potting soil for vegetable gardens and push the foothills of the mother plant into their armpits.  This is often labour intensive, watering is also a big job.  Keeping the p7 pots in balance also often means that you have to use ironwork to fix the pots or shoots.  I choose this for a much easier method which you can see in the following video (sorry dutch spoken):

 

After 4 weeks the cuttings are sufficiently rooted to plant out.  Cut the foothills of single-bearing varieties in the summer and those of your porters in the autumn.  Good luck.

Tip or method 7 : This is your strawberry vegetable garden calendar.

The following information will guide you in taking care of your strawberry plants.  You may need to adapt to the varieties you grow.

• Early winter (December-January) : Keep your strawberry beds free of weeds, remove anything that can stimulate rot or fungi (leaves, mushrooms, rotting wood, ...).  Keep an eye on the temperature.  When it gets colder than -4°C it is best to apply a fleece cloth.
• Late winter (January-February) : Sow your strawberries now if you want to grow strawberries from seed.
• Early spring (March April) : Clean your pots and containers well to plant out new strawberries.  Give your existing plants some liquid manure at the first heat.
• Late spring (April-May) : Remove the shoots and also remove the first flowers from your ankle-bearing strawberries the first two weeks they appear.  Protect strawberries from birds.
• Early summer (June-July) : Apply a mulch layer around your plants.  Water and feed regularly.  Check your leaves for diseases and remove diseased plants.  Harvest and enjoy your first strawberries.  Plant the shoots of your ankle-bearing plants.
• Late summer (July-August) : Keep watering and feeding well.  Harvest the carrying varieties.  Time to make jam ?
• Early autumn (September-October) : Remove dead material from your plants.  Give some more liquid food for the winter.  Keep on harvesting your carrying plants.
• Late Autumn : Decentify your carry through varieties for the winter.  The bird net can now also be removed.

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