Although they have characteristics of a vine and produce runners, strawberries grow on a bush. Therefore, they can be planted in rows, pots, or raised beds.
You can have strawberries year-round with varieties that produce twice a year and others that bear fruit spring and fall.
Grown in loamy soil and atop clean straw, the plants produce runners that produce new plants.
Some grow them as perennials, while others as annuals, and you can do either with strawberries.
As potted plants, you will get a specimen that is pretty and fragrant while blooming. And the result, luscious fruit, is your reward for your plant’s care.
So follow along and learn what do strawberries grow on.
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What Do Strawberries Grow On?
Strawberries can be grown on the ground in rows, in pots, or raised beds. They need to be planted in loamy soil that’s compost-amended and drains well. Clean straw is used as mulch to keep the fruit clean and out of direct contact with the ground, which can ruin the fruit.
Where Best To Grow Strawberries
Your plants need to be grown in the sunniest location you have. Ample sun means 10 – 12 hours a day so site your plants well for the best results.
Whether in pots or planted directly in the ground, strawberry plants do best in well-drained soil or pots.
Adding compost to clay or sandy soils in the months before you plant your strawberries will give them a boost when you set your plants out.
Pots explicitly designed for strawberries have holes where separate plants can be planted, allowing runners to trail.
In addition, these pots are designed to drain well, which is a requirement when growing strawberries.
Strawberry plants do well as a companion to asparagus. The roots of the strawberry do not run very deep, and the asparagus has ample room to grow below them.
Both are perennials, and straw mulch is beneficial to their growth.
Strawberries Need Pollinators And Wind Protection
When you are locating your strawberry plants, keep in mind that they are not self-pollinating. Meaning they will need the assistance of insects for pollination and companion plants that draw the insects.
Companion plants to strawberries that attract pollinators include dill, fennel, coriander, and mint. Marigolds, lettuce, spinach, and thyme also do well with strawberries.
Insects have difficulty flying in the wind, so even though your strawberry plants need to be planted in the sun, they also need a windbreak for best results.
A windbreak will also protect your plants from the damage they might get in windy conditions.
Planting Strawberries From Seed: A Possibility
They can be, and it is best to start them indoors about six weeks before the last frost. You can save seeds from the berries you grew in the previous season IF the strawberries were not a hybrid variety.
Plants that come from hybrid seeds aren’t true to the parent plant.
So when you are looking for strawberry plants or seeds, look for heirloom varieties, as their seeds are true to the parent and can be saved for next season.
If you choose not to start your plant from seeds, you can buy seedlings at your local feed and seed supply in the spring and often in the fall.
When Best To Plant Strawberries
Plants can be planted in the spring of the year after the threat of frost has ended. However, if you start your plants from seed, you need to get them going about six weeks before planting.
It will take you strawberry seeds two to four weeks to peek their heads above the soil.
After that, they will need three to four more weeks before they develop full leaves and are ready to set in the place you have prepared for them.
Whether you are planting your strawberries in your garden, a raised bed, or pots, be sure that they get ten to twelve hours of sun a day.
If your plants are in pots and need to move them to follow the sun, do so if you have time.
Potted or planted, it takes a lot of sun power to produce sweet, juicy strawberries.
Types Of Strawberry Plants
Not every variety of strawberries produces fruit at the same time. Types of strawberries include everbearing, day-neutral, and spring or June-bearing plants.
June bearing varieties of the strawberry will produce ripe berries for a few weeks in the spring. However, day-neutral plants have strawberries for the entire growing season.
Finally, yet importantly, everbearing plants produce flowers and fruits three times over the growing season, which is quite unusual.
If you are a motivated gardener who loves strawberries, you can have plants that will provide fruit all summer.
If you can grow enough, then strawberry smoothies in December are possible when you freeze your extra fruit.
Day-neutral and everbearing strawberries produce smaller fruit than other varieties. This variety of strawberries is ideal if you have a limited growing area.
Their plants are compact and can be planted in raised beds, pots, or planters.
Frequently Asked Questions About What Strawberries Grow On
Can strawberries be trellised?
Some varieties of strawberries are climbers, and they will need trellises to support their growth. Planted just as other types of strawberry, you plant them in groupings instead of rows or pots. However, you can grow a singular or pair of strawberry plants in a container and add a trellis to support the plant’s runners.
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.