Money can fail you, people can fail you, and everything else on this planet can fail you. But, something that won’t ever fail you is the mighty strawberry.
If you were out on a search for the best strawberry growing tips, you’ve landed in the right place! Let’s go over 12 solid tips used by professional gardeners to grow those big and juicy strawberries you probably dream of.
12 Pro Tips For Growing Big, Juicy Strawberries At Home
1: Choose The Right Variety For You
There are tons and tons of different strawberry varieties out there ranging from basic to strange and extremely interesting. To make things simple, just understand these 3 different categories:
Also, it’s super important to choose a variety that suits your growing zone. Different strawberries thrive in different climates, so picking the right one can make all the difference.
If you’re unsure which variety is best for your area, this guide breaks it down perfectly: The Best Strawberry Varieties For Every Growing Zone!
2: Plant In Full Sun
Strawberries love a good sunbath. Unfortunately, they don’t do very well in full or partial shade and need to be planted in a spot that receives at least 6-8 hours of sunlight on a daily basis. The best fruiting is achieved this way.
3: Used Raised Beds Or Containers
Using raised garden beds helps strawberry plants stay protected from certain diseases and have better drainage. These two factors combined are essential for maintaining good yields in the long run and keeping the plants healthy.
4: Start With Quality Soil
Instead of using store-bought potting mix or some kind of pre-made formula, make your own soil. This DIY soil will be rich in beneficial nutrients and have improved texture and drainage thanks to the sand.
And, making your own seed-starting mix gives you full control over the ingredients, ensuring your plants get the best possible start. This guide walks you through the process step by step: Homemade Seed Starting Soil!
5: Mulch With Straw Or Pine Needles
Mulching your strawberry plants helps with retaining moisture and keeping the berries fresh and healthy. If consistent watering is an issue for you, you can mulch with straw or pine needles to keep your strawberry plants from drying out completely.
6: Cut Off The Runners
This is probably one of the most important tips of this whole post!
If you want healthy and productive strawberry plants, make sure to cut off the runners (also called suckers). These long, vine-like stems take energy away from the main plant, leading to smaller berries. So, trim the runners regularly so the plant can focus on fruit production.
If you’d like to learn more about it, this guide explains exactly: Why Cutting Strawberry Runners Boosts Fruit Yield!
But, if you want to propagate new plants, you can let a few runners root in small pots before cutting them from the mother plant!
7: Water Consistently!
When it comes to water, strawberries need a lot of it…consistently. There’s nothing wrong with long gaps between watering sessions, but make sure you keep things consistent in the long run. Deep, infrequent watering prevents dry fruit.
8: Pinch First-Year Flowers
Pinching is a practice that has been overly diluted by the gardening community and, now, nobody talks about it. However, it’s super useful and can improve fruit yields drastically if done the right way.
Pinching flowers from the first year is generally the best way to go about it, and it should lead to stronger plants and improved yields in no time.
9: Feed With Organic Fertilizer
Whether you have fertilization issues and nutrient deficiencies or not, it’s still very important to feed your strawberry plants with fertilizer, especially in the growing season to support growth and overall crop health.
Rich, nutrient-packed soil is more likely to lead to rich, flavorful berries than poor, neglected soil. A balanced organic fertilizer should typically work well for this as long as you keep feedings consistent.
I recommend you try some of these fertilizers:
10: Protect From Birds
Apart from pests, birds can be a real danger to your strawberry plants. I’ve had whole strawberries ripped out by birds once, which led to complete havoc in my backyard garden.
I’ve found that the best way to keep birds away is to hang reflective CDs around the garden. It does require some degree of effort, but, trust me, it will be worth it. If you just want to protect your fruit, netting is the ideal way to do so.
11: Rotate Plants Every 3 Years
Crop rotation is something I encourage all gardeners to practice. By not planting the same crops in the same area every year, you keep the nutrients in the soil from being fully depleted and fungal or bacterial diseases at bay.
After growing strawberries, you can rotate with beans or peas to restore nitrogen, carrots or beets to improve soil structure, or garlic or onions to deter pests and maintain soil health
If you’re new to crop rotation or want to learn more about how to do it effectively, this guide covers everything you need to know: Crop Rotation 101: The Key To Sustainable & Productive Gardening!
12: Harvest At Peak Ripeness
Many growers make the mistake of diligently growing their strawberries but harvesting them too early, which often results in inconsistent ripeness and some very unpleasant tasting berries.
For the sweetest taste, pick your strawberries only when they’re fully red.
Hi! Great article… thank you! So much to learn!!! A couple of weeks back when starting my garden, I noticed a runner had grown from the potted strawberry plant given to me (mind you, I’m brand new to gardening) I thought cool, they spread, and cut it off, leaning the running plant in the nearby ground. Here are my questions: can I dig up the runner and pot it? What size container per 2 new plants? Would VERY OLD rich horse manure be useful to mix with the soli for planting?
Thank you so much!
Hi Keri! 😊 Thank you! You’re off to a great start already just by noticing that runner. Yes, you can dig up that little runner and pot it, as long as it’s developed some roots where it touched the ground, it should do just fine. For potting, aim for a container that’s at least 8–10 inches wide per 2 plants to give their roots room to grow.
And yes, VERY old, well-composted horse manure can be wonderful for strawberries! Just make sure it’s fully broken down and not fresh (which can be too strong). Mix it lightly with your soil for rich nutrients and happy berries. 🍓🌿 Let me know how it goes!
Hello. I have been growing strawberries in a pot and seems to be doing well. My problem is the strawberries grow and then turn brown quickly. And tips. Thanks in advance
Hi Lou! 😊 Brown strawberries can be frustrating. It could be from too much direct sun causing sunscald, inconsistent watering (either too dry or soggy), or fungal issues like gray mold.
Try keeping your strawberries in a spot with morning sun and afternoon shade, water evenly to keep soil moist but not wet, and remove any damaged fruit promptly. Also, good airflow around the plant helps prevent disease. Hope that helps your berries stay bright and tasty! 😊
My strawberries take over the large raised bed they are in. How could you rotate the crop?
Hi Amber! 😊 Strawberries do love to take over! Since they’re perennials, true crop rotation can be tricky, but here’s a workaround: every 3–4 years, move your strawberries to a different raised bed (or large container), and plant a new crop like beans or lettuce in the old one.
You can also thin out runners each year to keep them from crowding and exhausting the soil. Keeps your harvest healthy and the bed productive!
Love this page!
Hi Cathy! Thank you so much! 😊 So glad you’re enjoying our page, wishing you loads of sweet, juicy strawberries this season!
Hi when is the best time to thin out to thin out strawberries and how do you thin them??
Hi Vicky! 😊 I usually thin out my strawberry plants right after the harvest or in early fall. I just remove the older, woody crowns and any overcrowded runners, leaving the healthiest plants with space to breathe and grow.
Thank you for all the good tips great information God bless
Hi Michelle!😊 You’re so welcome. Wishing you loads of sweet, juicy strawberries, and thank you for the kind words! God bless!
😇🙏🤠👍 thank you for everything God bless I hope you add me to your list I would love more information about any gardening thank you again
Aw, thank you again Michelle! You can subscribe to our newsletter for more gardening tips, we’d love to have you! Just head to our website and there’s a spot to sign up 😊
I have a problem with snails but mostly with slugs… always making gross little holes in my berries any suggestions
Hi Melania 🙂 Slugs and snails love strawberries, especially when the fruit sits close to damp soil. Try straw mulch, lifting berries off the ground, hand-picking in the evening, and using shallow beer traps or iron phosphate slug bait if needed.
Hi,
This page is a breath of fresh air re information. Thank you so much. I have a problem though – I have ants and tiny little white worms causing havoc. Any natural remedies for that?
Thank you
Hi 🙂 Thank you, I’m glad it helped! For ants and tiny white worms, I’d first check if the soil is staying too wet or if there’s decaying fruit or plant debris nearby. Removing old berries, improving drainage, and refreshing the top layer of soil can help naturally.
I was given two pots of strawberries and then winter and spring came and they never lost last years leaves. Do I keep them or remove?
Hi Cherry 🙂 If the old leaves are still green and healthy, you can leave them. If they’re brown, spotted, or tired-looking, trim those off so the plant can put energy into fresh spring growth.
Thanx for the wonderful tips and care for growing strawberry, i now understand why my strawberry produce small fruits, i was sold a bad and bush vareity, pls can u tell me how a person can sport a good variety of strawberry fr a bad one? Hw can i tell fr the seedlings?
Hi 🙂 Variety can make a big difference, but small fruit can also come from too little sun, crowded plants, inconsistent water, or too many runners. When buying, I’d look for named varieties from a reputable nursery, not unlabeled seedlings, and choose ones suited to your climate.
Love this
Hi Joellen 🙂 Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
Just read this piece and thought I would share a story.. last year I noticed some debris in my potted strawberry plant. Upon checking I discovered a tiny nest all snuggled under the leaves. That was a loving mother planning ahead. I let it be but she never came back. 🥰
Hi 🙂 That’s such a sweet little garden story. Sometimes potted plants become the perfect hiding spot, even when we’re just trying to grow strawberries.