Organic Strawberry Plants

Growing organic strawberry plants at home brings the sweet juicy fruit to your fingertips for immediate enjoyment at its peak of perfection.

Because they can be a little finicky to grow, and have some specific growing conditions that must be provided, many people shy away from growing them in the home garden.

But with a few simple tips to get started right, you can enjoy an abundance of fruit through many seasons.

Type of Strawberry Plants

There are three types of strawberry plants and a number of varieties within each. Junebearers are planted in spring and won't produce a harvest until the following spring.

Depending on your region, that can be any time from April in the south and California to June or July in colder regions. They bear all their fruit within a short period of time, usually less than a month.

These are the types to grow for preserving, whether canning or freezing, as you get an abundance of fruit at once. The plants produce many runners and spread quickly through the garden bed.

Everbearing strawberries produce are also planted in spring. But they produce a small harvest the following spring, a few scatted berries through the summer, and a small harvest in fall.

Growing several plants of this type will provide a steady supply of fruit throughout the seasons. They do best in cooler northern climates where the days of summer are warm and long. They do not produce as many runners and are easier to control in the garden.

Day-neutrals, although they produce a more abundant crop for a longer period, require more care than the other types.

They are more sensitive to heat and drought, and don't compete well with weeds. They can produce a bountiful harvest from June into frost in colder climates, and from January through August in warmer climates.

They produce only a few runners and are easy to control in the garden. Given the extra care needed, these are continuous producers for a longer period of time.

Planting

Strawberry plants only produce for about three years. After this, fruit production declines and these old plants should be removed. By then, the runners sent out by the mother plant will be producing fruit and continue the growth cycle.

When replanting new plants, find a different area of the garden for the new plants, where berry plants have not been grown for at least six years.

You can propagate your healthiest favorites from the garden by planting their runners in pots. They require full sun for the sweetest fruit, sandy loam soil and good drainage.

Till a four-inch compost layer into the bed. Depending on the type you grow, allow room for them to spread.

Plant in spring after soil has warmed, or in spring or fall in the south. Keep the plants in a bucket of water until ready to place in the ground.

Dig a large hole so you won't need to bend the root system of the plant. Pile the soil in the hole into a cone and place the plant's roots over the cone, filling in around them with loose soil.

Keep the crown of the plant at ground level as you fill. Tap the ground soil firmly with your hands, making sure the plant is still level.

Raised beds and containers work well for strawberry plants, as they provide good drainage and room to spread.

Using organic potting soil to raise the level of the bed or for the container also provides the nutrients needed.

Hanging baskets keep the fruit off the ground, clean and away from ground bugs that can't resist their sweetness.

Maintenance

Use a liquid organic fertilizer after planting and again when the flowers start to set. Use netting or row cover cloth around plants.

These will allow the sun, water and air circulation needed while keeping bugs and birds from feasting on your fruit.

For larger plants, prune off the runners and pot them up. The first set of flowers can also be pruned to encourage more lush growth.

The plants use these leaves to produce their food which, in turn, produces more fruit.

Water generously throughout the growing season and remove dead leaves and decaying fruit.

Add a layer of straw mulch to keep the fruit off the ground. When the plants go dormant, you can add a thicker layer of straw mulch for protection. Pick off any slugs and use organic pest control to eliminate aphids.

With proper planting and maintenance, and planting the types best suited for your needs, you can enjoy sweet, juicy strawberries from your own organic strawberry plants.

More Strawberries