When I first started planting strawberries, I had young seedlings and seeds. I had no idea how long it would take for my strawberry plants to grow and produce fruit.
Does the growth rate of a strawberry plant depend on what kind of strawberry I planted? Are there other factors that influence how (well) strawberries grow?
Table of Contents
How Long Does It Take for Strawberries to Grow?
In general, the strawberry seeds germinate 5-21 days after being planted and you’ll start to see leaves forming. After blossoming, you can harvest strawberries in 4-6 weeks.
The Strawberry Growth Phases
When I plant the strawberry seeds, it takes 5-21 days for them to germinate in the soil. I never let first-year strawberries produce fruit as I want them to grow healthy. Thus, I remove the flowers.
I’ve found that the fruit the strawberry plants produce are much sweeter when I harvest them from 2-year-old or 3-year-old plants and my plants yield more fruit too.
After three years, strawberries generally start producing fewer fruits, and then I transplant the runners and remove the old plants.
The different growth phases of the strawberry plant reveal more about how these plants grow.
The whole process, from when I first start seeing leaves until I can harvest the strawberries, takes around three months if I don’t pick the flowers.
I do recommend removing the flowers in the first growing season and only harvesting strawberries from the second and third growing seasons.
How well strawberry plants grow depends on the variety of strawberry planted, growing conditions, whether the climate is cold or warm, and when the strawberries were planted.
Phase 1: Leaves
When my strawberry plants start making leaves and flowers, I know this is the first growth phase.
You will first see leaves when it is late fall and early spring as the weather warms up, or within 2-3 weeks after being planted. The leaves soak up the sunlight to help them convert carbon dioxide and water into food.
The strawberry plants will continue to grow, and soon, I see flower buds.
Phase 2: Flowers
The strawberries on strawberry plants grow whenever there are flowers.
In the second phase of growth, the cute, pretty white flowers start blooming. This happens once the leaves have photosynthesized enough for the flowers to grow.
Once the strawberries begin to flower, pollination happens, and I will have to wait about 4 weeks, and then the berries are ripe and ready to be picked.
Phase 3: Pollination
During the third phase, flying insects, birds, and bees pollinate the strawberry flowers so they can grow into the berry fruit.
Once the flowers are pollinated, strawberries start growing as tiny pale green buds.
Phase 4: Strawberry Fruit
In the fourth phase, the strawberry fruit grows quite quickly. It sometimes feels like I blink an eye, and then my yummy red berries are ready to be harvested.
Growth Rates for Different Strawberries
While the growth rate for strawberries depends on the conditions in which they grow, another important factor is the type of strawberry.
June Bearers
If you live in a cold climate and plant June-bearing strawberries in spring, then you can expect to harvest fruit in the same year during summer.
However, I generally remove the flowers of the plants in the first year so the strawberries can focus their energy on growing rather than bearing fruit.
I see flowers blooming again the following spring and I can start harvesting late in spring or during summer.
For a warm climate, I recommend planting the June bearer strawberry variety during fall or late summer. The plants will produce berries when spring and summer arrive, but to promote plant growth, pick the flowers and harvest the fruit the next year.
June-bearing strawberries generally start bearing fruit over a period of 3 weeks or all at once. I usually see buds forming in fall and the flowers and fruits around June.
Everbearers
Whether you live in a cold climate (like me) or a warm climate, ever-bearing strawberries should be planted in spring.
As soon as the weather starts warming, the flowers bloom and the berries are ready to be harvested in about 4-6 weeks after the flowers appear.
Similar to June-bearing strawberries, also pick the flowers of everbearers in the first growing season until July. If strawberries are then produced, you can pick and eat these.
Frequently Asked Questions about Strawberry Growth
How long do strawberry plants produce fruits?
It takes 4-6 weeks after the plants have begun to flower for both June-bearing and everbearing strawberries to produce fruit that is ready to be harvested.
How do you hasten your strawberry plant’s growth?
You can ensure optimal growth for your strawberry plants by ensuring that they grow in conditions that are suitable for them. This means that these plants should get 6-10 hours of direct sunlight and they should be planted in a deep, sandy loam soil that has a pH of 5.5-7 and is rich in organic matter, and is well-draining. Add mulch to the strawberry beds to reduce weed invasion and water regularly. Ensure you don’t plant strawberries in garden beds where tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, or potatoes have been grown and practice crop rotation.
Do strawberries grow in the first year?
Strawberries do grow and bear fruit during the first year; however, it is best to remove the flowers of June-bearing and everbearing strawberries in this period so the plants can focus on growing strong. In the second year, you’ll find that the plants yield a better and bigger crop.
The Final Growth
Understanding how long it takes for strawberries to grow helps you know when to expect to see leaves, flowers, fruit buds, and ripe fruit that is ready to be harvested and enjoyed.
To ensure your strawberries grow optimally, plant everbearers and June-bearers in spring if you live in a cold climate and you can expect to harvest your berries in summer, or 4-6 weeks after the plants have blossomed.
For June-bearing strawberries, plant them in later summer or fall. When they start to flower, pick these and harvest the fruit in summer the next year.
Happy strawberry growing!
Daniel has been a plant enthusiast for over 20 years. He owns hundreds of houseplants and prepares for the chili growing seasons yearly with great anticipation. His favorite plants are plant species in the Araceae family, such as Monstera, Philodendron, and Anthurium. He also loves gardening and is growing hot peppers, tomatoes, and many more vegetables.