Strawberry
Garden Strawberry, June-Bearing Strawberry, Everbearing Strawberry, Day-Neutral Strawberry
Plant in raised beds or matted rows in rich, well-drained soil. Pinch off flowers in year 1 to build plant vigor for year 2. Mulch with straw to keep fruit clean, conserve moisture, and protect crowns in winter. June-bearing types produce one large crop; everbearing/day-neutral types produce all season. Renovate beds after harvest by mowing foliage and thinning runners. Replace plants every 3–4 years.
- Germination
- 14–28 days
- Harvest after planting
- 90–120 days
- Spacing
- 25–35 cm
When to plant strawberry
Plant 0–4 weeks before your last spring frost.
Dashed line: typical last spring frost in zone 7 (Apr 5). Zone dates are averages; most of the UK is zone 8–9, central Europe 6–7 and the Baltics and Scandinavia 4–6. In the app, Tomatograph uses your garden's own frost dates.
How to grow strawberry
- 1
Plant
Plant runners or bare-root crowns in early spring, with the crown level with the soil surface, about 30–45 cm apart in rich, free-draining soil.
- 2
First year
Pinch off the flowers in the first year so plants build strength for a bigger crop the next.
- 3
Mulch
Tuck straw under the plants as fruit forms to keep it clean and the soil moist.
- 4
Harvest and renew
June-bearing types give one large crop; everbearing types fruit all summer. After harvest, cut back old leaves and thin runners. Replace plants every 3–4 years.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun
Water
Medium water
Temperature
-20–30 °C
Frost tolerance
Frost-hardy — tolerates frost
Days to maturity
60–90 days
Ideal soil pH
5.5–6.5
How Tomatograph watches your strawberry
Tomatograph checks your local forecast every morning and only speaks up when one of these applies to your garden.
- First frost within 14 daysReminder to mulch the roots before winter.
- 3 days at 35 °C or aboveHeat-wave alert while plants are flowering or fruiting: shade and water early.
- Humidity above 80% for 48 hoursCheck for gray mold, which thrives in those conditions.
- Within a week of maturityHarvest-window reminder based on when you planted.
Strawberry questions
- When should I plant strawberry?
- Plant 0–4 weeks before your last spring frost.
- How long until I can harvest strawberry?
- About 90–120 days after planting out, depending on variety and weather.
- How far apart should I plant strawberry?
- Allow 25–35 cm between plants.
- What grows well with strawberry?
- Good neighbours include borage, thyme, lettuce, spinach.
Growing guide written by Tomatograph. Planting figures from openplantdb (CC0 1.0). Zone frost dates are averages from openplantdb (CC0 1.0).