Looking after strawberries
Water, straw, nets and a little tidying: a year in the strawberry patch.
How this site works. Every fact is in our own words and linked to its source, beside it. Growing advice comes mainly from the RHS, the UK’s gardening charity.
Watering
Water new plants regularly while they settle in, and all plants in long dry spells. Hanging baskets dry out fastest. RHS
Try not to wet the crown or the fruit when watering, as that can lead to fungal problems, especially grey mould. Water in the morning, not the evening. RHS
Feeding
Plants in good, mulched soil rarely need feeding. In containers, feed every fortnight in the growing season, switching to a high-potassium feed when the first flower buds form. RHS
Straw
Put straw under the plants when fruits start to form. It keeps the fruit off the damp ground, so it stays clean and dry and is less likely to rot. RHS
Wheat straw is fine, but barley straw is softer. Take the straw away in autumn, when it can harbour fungal diseases, slugs and snails. RHS
Flowers
Perpetual strawberries planted in spring settle in better if you remove the first flush of flowers. Leave the flowers on cold-stored runners. RHS
Frost, birds and squirrels
Strawberry plants are hardy, but if frost is forecast when they are in flower, cover them overnight with fleece, hessian or an old bedsheet. RHS
To stop birds eating the fruit, cover the plants with taut netting on a frame before the berries ripen. Chicken wire also keeps squirrels off. RHS
Picking
Pick only fully ripe berries, bright red all over: they don’t ripen any more once picked. The warmest part of the day is when they taste best. RHS
Eat them as soon as you can, because ripe strawberries don’t keep long. Frozen ones lose their shape but are still good in smoothies and desserts. RHS
Making new plants from runners
As the plant gets older, the mother crown sends out runners. They touch the ground and take root, making new plants. Britannica
To make new plants, peg runners into 9cm (3½in) pots of compost with U-shaped wire about 15cm (6in) long. Late summer is ideal. Cut them from the parent once they have rooted. RHS
Perpetual strawberries make fewer runners than summer-fruiting ones, so new plants often have to be bought. RHS
After the harvest
After a summer-fruiting crop, cut the old leaves off about 10cm (4in) above the crown so fresh leaves can grow. RHS
A strawberry bed usually stays healthy for up to four years. Replant every three or four years, in a different place. RHS
Next: types and varieties →