Strawberry Production from
Bare-root Plants
955 Benton Ave., Winslow, ME 04901  Phone: 1-877-564-6697  Fax: 1-800-738-6314
Email: [email protected]  Web Site: Johnnyseeds.com
STRAWBERRIES (Fragaria spp.)
Check your plants immediately upon receiving them and remove them from their box as soon as
possible. Transplant them outside as soon as possible. If you are not able to transplant them
outside right away, store in a cool place (28–32°F/-2–0°C), and keep roots damp.
Johnny’s offers two types of strawberries: summer fruiting (also known as June-bearing) and day neutral. Each
type bears many of the same cultural requirements, but there are techniques and practices that are specific to
each. The first section of this guide details practices common to both types, while later sections describe
practices specific to each type. Be sure to read both sections before planting. If you are unsure of which fruiting
type you have purchased, please refer to the variety descriptions in our catalog or on our website.
LIFE CYCLE: Perennial. Hardiness varies by
variety; please check our catalog or website
descriptions for more information.
SITE SELECTION: Strawberries grow well in a
variety of well-drained soils in a sunny, weed-free
location. Where there is no natural drainage, plant
them in raised beds. Soil pH for strawberries should
be 6.5–6.8, with added organic matter for the best
growth. We suggest you test your soil before
planting to determine soil pH and native fertility.
Your local Cooperative Extension Service office
can provide information and assistance, or you can
purchase a soil test from Johnny’s.
Select a location that has not had previous crops of
strawberries, raspberries, or vegetables in the
Solanaceae family grown in the soil. Soil pathogens
from these crops can affect strawberry plants and
possibly cause soil-borne disease.
PLANTING: Strawberries should be planted early
in the spring; snow or an occasional frost will not
hurt newly set plants. Natural spring rains aid in
getting your plants off to the best start, but if you
are not able to plant until later, irrigation will help
with late spring plantings. Keeping the soil and
roots moist is key in successfully transplanting the
bare-root plants to the soil. 1–2 inches of rainfall or
the equivalent each week is recommended,
depending on soil type. Fall planting is not
recommended for the majority of the Northeast and
the Midwest.
When planting, two factors are critical: depth of
planting and soil compression. Plants will fail to
flourish if roots are too deep or too shallow, and if
the soil is not packed firmly around the roots.
Space plants 12–18 inches apart in rows 3–4 feet
apart. (If planting day-neutral varieties, consult the
section on day-neutrals for additional spacing
options.) When digging the hole to set the roots in,
be sure that hand tools (or planter shoes, for
commercial growers) penetrate deeply enough to
facilitate proper planting. Set the plants into the soil,
with the roots straight down. Many people use a
garden stake or thin wood slat to tuck the plants
into the soil by folding ½ inch
of the root ends over the
stake end and pushing the
stake and plant straight down
into the soil. Care should be
taken that plants are set with
the middle of the crown
level with the top of the soil
(see illustration), and that no
roots are damaged in the
process of planting.
The crowns should remain free of soil throughout
the season; ensure that soil does not cover the
crowns when hoeing, weeding, and cultivating.
Copyright © 2015 Johnny’s Selected Seeds. All rights reserved.
1
SEED BREEDERS, GROWERS, AND MERCHANTS SINCE 1973
WEED CONTROL: Weed control for strawberries is
very important for successful results. We
recommend preparing your site the year before
planting to remove perennial grasses and to reduce
weed pressure. At planting time, the soil should be
thoroughly prepared and weed free. Remove
weeds while still small with weekly cultivation
during the growing season. Growing on plastic
offers excellent weed control and is gaining in
popularity, but due to the life span of the plastic,
beds may need to be replanted every year.
SOIL NUTRITION: Maintaining optimal soil nutrition
with compost or balanced fertilizer will result in
good, vigorous plant growth. For organic growers,
we recommend annual application of compost; for
non-organic growers, fertilize in small quantities on
a regular basis to encourage adequate growth and
to avoid over-fertilization, which leads to soft,
disease-prone growth and soft berries. To avoid
burning the roots, do not fertilize with conventional
products until the plants are established, about six
weeks after transplanting.
MULCHING: To prepare for winter, apply a mulch
to prevent rapid freezing and thawing. This
maintains a steady temperature, promoting plant
survival and higher crop yields. In early to late
November, after 6–10 hard frosts when the plants
have started to go dormant, mulch with salt hay,
straw, or any other loose, acid-free and weed-free
material. Heavy row cover, such as AG-70, is
another winter mulch option, especially if the plants
are growing on plastic. Decayed or wet leaves will
mat down and smother the plants; such materials
should be avoided.
In the spring, when the plants begin to develop new
growth, remove mulch from the top of the crowns. If
you move the mulch (with exception of row cover
type mulches) into the paths between the beds, it
will suppress weeds and cover mud that arises
from spring rains, leading to cleaner fruits.
SUMMER-FRUITING TYPES:
Establishment Year: Encourage the plant to put its energy into becoming established by removing all of
the flower buds during the first year of growth. By doing so, the plant will yield a larger crop the following
— or first bearing — year. As the plant becomes established, the runners will set small daughter plants.
Press 2 or 3 daughter plants per main plant into the soil in mid- to late July to fill in your rows or beds.
Allowing any more of the small plants to take root will cause the bed to become too crowded. To prevent
this, cut off any additional runners that form during the season.
Fertilizer: Conventional recommendations are ½–1 pound of 10-10-10 fertilizer per 100 square feet, to
be worked into the soil before planting, with an additional application of ½ pound per 100 square feet as
a side dressing during July, followed by another in August.
Organic recommendations are an initial 2 inches of worked-in compost. Additional applications of
compost are not necessary, since the nitrogen in compost leaches less than nitrogen in chemical
fertilizer. When using granular fertilizer, you should be prepared to compensate for wet, rainy periods —
which tend to accelerate nutrient leaching — with additional fertilizer applications.
Subsequent Years: Work in 1–1½ pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer per 100 square feet — or 2 inches of
compost if growing organically. If using 10-10-10 fertilizer, apply additional side-dressings in July and
August, the same as during the establishment year. Maintain adequate moisture throughout the entire
growing season. We recommend the equivalent of 1–2 inches per week, depending on rains and soil
type.
Copyright © 2015 Johnny’s Selected Seeds. All rights reserved.
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SEED BREEDERS, GROWERS, AND MERCHANTS SINCE 1973
Renovation: You can expect a well-managed strawberry bed to last 3–5 years. Renovation is a process
performed on beds of summer-fruiting varieties to maintain plant health and production. Follow these
simple steps:
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

Summer-fruiting varieties will produce berries all at once as a single crop in June, or earlier in
warmer climates. Once the berries are harvested, mow the leaves to a height of 3 inches. A lawn
mower set at the highest setting will accomplish this quickly, but for smaller plantings, the leaves
may simply be clipped with scissors or pruners. Take care not to cut or injure the crowns.
Narrow the bed with a rototiller to a width of 12–18 inches. Each plant should have 3–5 inches
around it. It will be necessary to remove excess, weaker plants.
Incorporate 1–1½ pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer per 100 square feet — or 2 inches of compost if
growing organically — and water well until leaves regrow.
DAY-NEUTRAL TYPES:
Day-neutral varieties have the same cultural requirements as summer-fruiting varieties except for during
the establishment year and the need for periodic renovation. Do not renovate day-neutral varieties. Dayneutral beds will last for one to two growing seasons once established.
It is important to note that production and berry size in day neutrals can sometimes decline during the
hottest part of summer. The size and number of berries will return to the expected amounts once
temperatures begin to cool in the fall.
Establishment Year: Encourage the plant to put its energy into becoming established by removing all of
the flower buds for the first 6 weeks after setting out your plants. We also recommend that you remove
all of the runners during the first year. Some growers prefer to plant the crowns with closer spacing (5–9
inches in-row spacing for single rows or staggered double rows with 10–20 inches in-row spacing), and
to remove all runners during the entire life span of the bed. Once established, the plants will set fruit from
midsummer through October.
HARVEST:
Select firm, fully red berries. Gently place the harvested berries into a shallow container, no more than 5 inches
deep, to avoid squishing and damaging the fruit. If possible, place berries in a cool, shaded location while
continuing to harvest.
Note: Heavy rains often damage berry skin and greatly reduce marketable yields. Harvest berries before any
expected rain events.
REV 12/28/2015 LS, rc
Copyright © 2015 Johnny’s Selected Seeds. All rights reserved.
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SEED BREEDERS, GROWERS, AND MERCHANTS SINCE 1973