How to Grow Strawberry Plants: Planting, Care, and Harvesting

Nov 12, 2026by David Schulze

Few garden treats compare with a strawberry picked fully ripe and enjoyed fresh. Starting with Strawberry Plants lets you establish your patch without growing strawberries from seed. The most important planting detail is simple: keep the crown at soil level, with roots covered and the growing point exposed.

This guide covers strawberry transplants, including bare-root plants and potted plants. It does not cover seed germination.

Choose Strawberry Plants for Your Climate

Choose a variety suited to your local growing conditions and the harvest season you want. June-bearing strawberries generally produce a concentrated seasonal crop, although the actual harvest month varies by climate. Day-neutral varieties, including Seascape, can produce over an extended season when temperatures are favorable. Day-neutral does not mean fruit production continues through extreme heat or freezing weather.

Check each product listing for the variety, plant count and form supplied. Bare-root plants and potted transplants need slightly different handling before planting.

When to Plant Strawberry Plants

Plant when temperatures are mild and you can keep new roots evenly moist. In colder regions, spring planting is common once the soil is workable. In mild-winter areas, including parts of Texas, fall planting can help plants establish before spring fruiting. Texas has several distinct growing regions, so do not use one statewide planting date.

Consult your local Extension planting calendar and the variety's instructions. Avoid planting into frozen, saturated or very hot soil. If severe weather is expected, protect plants or delay planting while keeping them appropriately cared for.

Prepare a Sunny, Well-Drained Bed

Sunlight: Aim for at least six hours of direct sun daily. Some afternoon protection can be helpful in very hot climates.
Drainage: Choose a location where water does not stand. Raised beds can help where native soil drains poorly.
Soil: Strawberries generally prefer slightly acidic soil, around pH 5.5–6.5. Use a soil test to guide amendments rather than adding products blindly.
Preparation: Remove weeds and work finished compost into the bed before planting. Avoid placing fresh manure or concentrated fertilizer against roots.
Airflow: Leave room between plants and rows so foliage can dry and fruit remains accessible.

Unpack and Prepare Your Plants

Open the package promptly. Check the roots and follow any care instructions provided with the plants. Keep roots from drying out, but do not leave crowns sitting in water.

Bare-root plants: Keep roots cool and moist until planting. If roots need rehydrating, briefly soak the roots in clean water according to the supplier's instructions. Do not soak the entire plant for extended periods.

Potted plants: Water the root ball before transplanting. If plants were grown under protection, gradually introduce them to outdoor sun and wind over several days before planting in an exposed bed.

How to Plant Strawberry Plants, Step by Step

Mark your spacing. For a closely managed day-neutral planting, approximately 12 inches between plants is a useful starting point. June-bearing matted-row systems need room for runners; follow variety-specific guidance and leave practical walking space between rows.
Dig a wide enough hole. Make room for bare roots to spread downward without curling upward. For potted plants, dig a hole that accommodates the root ball.
Find the crown. The crown is the short, thickened part between the roots and leaves. Position it at the finished soil surface.
Set the plant. Spread bare roots downward and outward, or set the potted root ball so the crown remains at soil level. Do not bury the growing point.
Backfill gently. Cover roots and firm the soil lightly to remove large air pockets. Do not pack it hard.
Water thoroughly. Settle the soil around the roots, then check the crown again. Add or remove soil if watering changes the planting depth.
Add mulch. Place clean straw or another suitable mulch around plants, leaving crowns uncovered.

Remember: Too deep can encourage crown rot. Too shallow can leave roots exposed and vulnerable to drying.

Watering and Feeding Your Strawberry Patch

Check new plants frequently while roots establish. Keep the root zone evenly moist, not waterlogged. Soil, rainfall, wind and container size affect how often you need to water. Check below the surface rather than watering only by the calendar.

Use drip irrigation or water at soil level when practical to keep fruit and leaves drier. Containers may need more frequent checking than garden beds. Apply fertilizer according to a soil test and the product label. Excess nitrogen can encourage leafy growth without improving fruit production.

Flowers, Runners and First-Season Expectations

New plants need time to establish roots. Flower-removal recommendations differ by plant type, planting season and growing system. June-bearing plants established for a perennial patch are often managed differently from fall-planted strawberries grown for the next spring harvest. Follow locally appropriate guidance rather than removing every flower automatically.

For day-neutral plants, removing the earliest blossoms during establishment may help plants build strength. Remove unwanted runners if you want individual plants to focus on growth and fruiting. In a June-bearing matted-row system, selected runners may instead be allowed to establish daughter plants.

Do not promise yourself a fixed harvest date just because you started with plants. Production depends on variety, plant condition, weather and care.

Growing Strawberries in Containers

Choose a container with drainage holes and enough space for the roots and planned number of plants. Use a quality potting mix rather than dense garden soil. Keep crowns at the surface and avoid overcrowding. Check moisture often, especially during hot or windy weather.

Container roots are more exposed to temperature extremes than roots in the ground. Plan for summer heat and winter protection based on your local conditions.

Protect Flowers and Fruit

Cold weather: Protect blossoms during damaging freezes with an appropriate cover, removing or opening it when conditions improve so pollinators can reach flowers.
Pollination: Allow bees and other pollinating insects access to open flowers.
Birds: Use properly supported, securely fastened exclusion netting if needed. Keep it off fruit and check it frequently to avoid trapping wildlife.
Slugs and disease: Keep fruit off wet soil, remove damaged berries and maintain airflow. Identify problems before treating them.
Pesticides: If treatment is needed, use only products labeled for strawberries and the identified problem. Follow all label directions, including harvest intervals and pollinator precautions.

Harvesting and Storing Strawberries

Harvest berries when fully colored and ripe. Strawberries do not become sweeter after picking. Handle gently and pick regularly so overripe fruit does not remain in the patch.

Refrigerate harvested berries promptly and wash them under running water just before using. Discard moldy or spoiled fruit. Enjoy your harvest in yogurt parfaits, fruit salads, shortcakes or homemade preserves made with a tested recipe.

Common Strawberry Planting Questions

Should I bury the crown?

No. Cover the roots but keep the crown at soil level and the growing point exposed.

Do strawberry plants need seed scarification?

No. Scarification and seed-germination instructions do not apply to transplants.

Will strawberry plants come back every year?

Strawberries are perennials, but survival and productivity depend on variety, climate, plant health and care. In some climates they are managed as an annual crop.

Why are my plants growing leaves but no berries?

Possible causes include establishment time, seasonal fruiting habits, extreme temperatures, insufficient sunlight or excessive nitrogen. Check your variety and growing conditions before changing care.