How to Grow Strawberries

Who doesn’t love a sweet, sweet strawberry in those summer months? Whether they’re livening up your outdoor space with their vibrance or being spread on crackers in jam form, strawberries are a pleasure from the ground to the gut! Even better - strawberry plants don’t take up a lot of space and take minimal effort to grow. And get this, if you’re clever, you can plant a selection of strawberry varieties to ensure that you have a harvest from early summer all the way through to the first frosts. 

Sweet, juicy and attractive, it’s no wonder they’re one of the most popular fruits to grow at home.

Like many of you summer babies out there, strawberries thrive in the sun. So find your fruit plant a sheltered area, in full sun and, if possible, avoid known frost pockets.

While strawberries will grow on most soils, they require well-drained, moisture-retentive soil, rich in humus, to truly thrive. So dig in plenty of well-rotted organic matter, like garden compost to best look after your strawberries.

If you really want to treat your strawbs, prepare your soil as long before planting as possible and be sure to remove all those pesky perennial weeds as you dig. Just before planting, rake in a dressing of balanced plant fertiliser, such as Growmore Multipurpose Fertiliser or Blood, Fish & Bone Fertiliser, to give the plants a boost this season. If recently dug, firm the ground thoroughly.

If you’re keen to work out how to grow strawberries from seeds inside the home, listen up. Some of our green-thumbed gardeners don’t want to miss out on strawberries over the winter months so take to growing within the inviting warmth of their house between December and March.

Placing your pot on a warm kitchen windowsill, spread the strawberry seeds thinly over the surface of your compost. Once your plants reach around 4 inches tall, you should move them into individual pots to offer them the space to grow.

Set plants 37-45cm (15-18in) apart, in rows 82-90cm (33-36in) apart. Plant with a trowel, ensuring the roots are well spread out in each planting hole - we strongly recommend taking a look at our high-quality Darlac tools when it comes to getting the job done properly in the garden. It is most important to set the crowns just level with the soil surface. After refilling with moist soil, firm in each plant with your boot.

When to Plant Strawberries in the UK

A+ grade strawberry plants are grown through the summer months. Once your soil is all good to go, moisten your plant’s roots and get them planted as soon as possible.

Strawberries are the perfect plant for beginners, but if you’re looking to grow the very best of the best - there are plenty of ways to ensure your bush is the (strawberries and) cream of the crop.

When to Prune Strawberries

We recommend pruning your strawberry plants after harvesting into the late summer. Be sure to remove any dead leaves and runners to keep your strawberry plant healthier for longer. Trim your plant to about 3 inches above the soil to encourage new growth.

Other Tips

1. If your plants are not growing strongly, it is best to de-blossom them in their first season. This may seem hard in the short term but will enable them to devote all their energies to building strong crowns in the future.
2. At the beginning of June, mulch fruiting rows with straw, tucking it around the plants and under the fruiting trusses. This keeps the fruits clean and reduces rotting.
3. After strawing, cover the rows with garden cloches and tunnels or nets to prevent the ripening fruits from being attacked by birds.

What to Do with Strawberry Plants at the End of the Season

If you’re keen to maintain your strawberry plants throughout the winter, pruning is essential. You should then cover them with fleece during frosts to ensure their survival during those colder months of the year.

Once your strawberries are big, red, and ripe, they’re ready to go. This normally happens between early summer and early autumn in the UK, depending on the type of strawberries you’re growing. But just a heads up: if you want to experience their flavour at its best, you’re going to want to eat them ASAP!

What are you waiting for? Your growing journey starts right here at Fothergill’s! Shop our strawberry seeds and plants today and let us help get your strawberry garden going.

If you have any further questions about how to grow strawberries or curiosities about any of our other products, don’t hesitate to contact us or take a deeper dive into our gardening blog!