Guide to Cultivating Strawberries: In-Home and Outdoor Gardening
Growing strawberries indoors? You betcha! Indulge in juicy berries in your cozy abode, even with minimal space. Learn how to plant, maintain, and harvest these luscious fruits for your very own indoor garden.
Who doesn't love a mouthwatering slice of strawberry shortcake with strawberries plucked fresh from your personal backyard?
Treat yourself to the delight of fresh, hand-picked strawberries in a myriad of delicious ways - cook them up, turn them into jam, shake them in cocktails, or simply devour them right off the vine!
You might be skeptical, thinking there's no room for homemade strawberries. But fret not! Strawberries are easy-peasy to grow indoors and out – whether you're a country farm dweller or an urban apartment dweller.
Here's your lowdown on how to plant, grow, care for, and reap strawberries in the comfort of your humble abode:
Go shopping for plants
The quickest way to plant strawberries – especially for beginners – is to buy starter plants from a nearby nursery or home improvement store. You can also score live strawberry plants and seedlings online from merchants like Bonnie Plants or Burpee.
When browsing for strawberry plants, you'll be blown away by the number of choices! The staff at your nursery can guide you to the right variety, tailored to your location, or help you choose a hardy and versatile strain like Surecrop.
If you're super keen on germinating strawberries from seed, go ahead, but remember it's a slower process. For starting seeds, containers fitted with seedling heat mats can help ensure germination, and your plants should be big enough for transplanting into a garden or container by springtime.
Pick a planter for your patio or grow strawberries indoors
Once you have your plants, it's go-time to set them up in their comfy digs.
No green thumb-friendly garden? No worries! Strawberries plant themselves quite well in containers due to their shallow roots. Opt for pots with good drainage and fill a pot with a blend of high-quality potting mix and compost.
You can find special terra cotta strawberry pots that can be used both inside and out, with holes on the sides for planting multiple plants. They're tricky to water, though, with terra cotta tending to dry out soil rather quickly, so keep that in mind.
Stacking planters are another popular choice for strawberries, veggies, and flowers. Just make sure they're protected from the wind to prevent them from toppling over. Strawberries will also flourish in a hanging basket, window box, or regular planter. Hanging baskets can also help deter unwanted pests like slugs and aphids.
Got garden space? Set up a raised bed for outdoor strawberries
If you want to maximize your harvest and let runners grow, an outdoor raised bed is your best bet. You can build a raised bed from scratch, or buy pre-made raised bed kits for quick assembly.
For runners varieties, space plants about 18 inches apart. On the flip side, if you opt for runnerless varieties, place plants 6 inches apart. Be sure to expose plant crowns above the soil to avoid rot.
Also, consider investing in a garden net to protect your outdoor plant babies from feathered foragers.
Cultivate a sun-kissed, watered, and fertilized environment
Once your strawberry plants find their forever homes, cater to their needs with sunlight, water, and fertilizer:
- Sunlight: Strawberries crave 8 hours of direct sunlight daily. Don't fret if they only get 6 hours – the results won't be as impressive, though.
- Water: No strict watering schedule exists for strawberries – it depends on where they're planted and the weather. Containers need more frequent watering than their ground-dwelling relatives, and be extra generous on hot, dry days. Outdoor plants generally need less watering if it's rained recently. The golden rule? Err on the side of slightly drier than soggy soil.
- Fertilization: Feed your strawberries an organic fertilizer formulated for fruit-bearing plants.
Enjoy the fruits of your labor and repeat as needed
Strawberries start ripening around 30 days after flowering, and there's the thrilling bit – harvesting and indulging! Pick ripe, red berries daily, and gobble them up, keeping unblemished ones in the fridge for storage.
When it comes to cleaning berries, wash them only just before using, as washing and storing them previously can cause mold and spoilage.
Strangely Picky about preserving your strawberry picks? Check out this video tip for a hack that extends their shelf life. Happy picking, you garden virtuoso!
- With the right climate conditions and care, you can have starter plants of strawberries delivered right to your doorstep from merchants like Bonnie Plants or Burpee, making it easy for both urban apartment dwellers and country farm dwellers to grow their own indoor garden.
- If you're growing strawberries indoors, choose a planter with good drainage, such as a terra cotta strawberry pot or a container filled with a blend of high-quality potting mix and compost. For added convenience, try a self-watering planter to ensure your strawberries receive enough hydration.
- forumbers who are more seasoned in gardening may prefer to germinate strawberries from seed, but keep in mind this is a slower process compared to using starter plants. Invest in containers fitted with seedling heat mats for best results when growing strawberries from seed.
