Strawberry
Strawberry is a fruit in the Rosaceae family. It grows best in full sun with medium moisture, and is listed for USDA zones 3-10. Plants reach harvest about 64–420 days after planting and sit about 12 inches apart.
Varieties
5 from True Leaf Market & Seeds Now · sorted by days to maturity▸Berries Galore Hybrid Pink64–86 days
Container; Vegetable
Package of 100 seeds. 75 days. Everbearing runner variety. In full sun, medium-large fruit saturated with sweetness and nutritious goodness; a fast grower; can be harvested every 3 to 4 days. Shiny, deep green leaves; large, early blooms. Hardy to zone 5.
View on True Leaf Market ↗▸Berries Basket White Hybrid72–98 days
Container; Vegetable
Berri Basket White Hyrbid strawberries are ready in 85 days. Strawberry variety is well suited for baskets. Hardy to zone 5, the ever-bearing, runnerless, compact and bushy plants bear large, deep red, full-flavored berries until the first frost. Pick fruit as it ripens conveniently from baskets. This means more fruit will end up in your mouth instead of the birds.
View on True Leaf Market ↗▸Strawberry Roots & Bundles - Jewel310–420 days
This item begin shipping in March. Quick Overview • June Bearing • Produces Large Fruits IMPORTANT: Once they arrive, remoisten the roots. You'll do this by rinsing and dumping all of the water from the bag several times. Once you've done that, leave a small amount of water inside and then place the whole bag (and the contents) inside of a windowsill. Rinse and drain your bare roots at least once a day until new green growth appears and you're ready to plant outdoors. These are bare root strawberries. Plant these in the spring; in a place that gets full sun. They do best if you plant immediately after receiving them. Space plants 18" apart in rows 3' apart. These can also be planted in pots. Before planting, soak the roots for 2 hours to re-hydrate the plant. Plant with root side down and dig deep enough so the root is stretched downward; you do not want the root to be balled up. LEARN MORE! Read How to Grow Organic Strawberry Plants from Bare Roots
View on Seeds Now ↗▸Strawberry Roots & Bundles - San Andreas310–420 days
This item begins shipping in March. Quick Overview This Monterey varety is the old-time favorite. It is an ever-bearing variety that has a spring and fall crop. Large plants make few runners and large, wedge shaped, firm berries. Excellent for fresh eating and dessert. IMPORTANT: Once they arrive, remoisten the roots. You'll do this by rinsing and dumping all of the water from the bag several times. Once you've done that, leave a small amount of water inside and then place the whole bag (and the contents) inside of a windowsill. Rinse and drain your bare roots at least once a day until new green growth appears and you're ready to plant outdoors. These are bare root strawberries. Plant these in the spring; in a place that gets full sun. They do best if you plant immediately after receiving them. Space plants 18" apart in rows 3' apart. These can also be planted in pots. Before planting, soak the roots for 2 hours to re-hydrate the plant. Plant with root side down and dig deep enough so the root is stretched downward; you do not want the root to be balled up. LEARN MORE! Read How to Grow Organic Strawberry Plants from Bare Roots Details This varety is the old-time favorite. It is an ever-bearing variety that has a spring and fall crop. Large plants make few runners and large, wedge shaped, firm berries. Excellent for fresh eating and dessert.
View on Seeds Now ↗▸Strawberry Roots & Bundles - Seascape310–420 days
This item begins shipping in March. Quick Overview • Ever-bearing • Produces Large Fruits IMPORTANT: Once they arrive, remoisten the roots. You'll do this by rinsing and dumping all of the water from the bag several times. Once you've done that, leave a small amount of water inside and then place the whole bag (and the contents) inside of a windowsill. Rinse and drain your bare roots at least once a day until new green growth appears and you're ready to plant outdoors. These are bare root strawberries. Plant these in the spring; in a place that gets full sun. They do best if you plant immediately after receiving them. Space plants 18" apart in rows 3' apart. These can also be planted in pots. Before planting, soak the roots for 2 hours to re-hydrate the plant. Plant with root side down and dig deep enough so the root is stretched downward; you do not want the root to be balled up. LEARN MORE! Read How to Grow Organic Strawberry Plants from Bare Roots Details NEW, everbearing strawberry that produces July until frost. Very large berries with excellent fruit flavor. Good runner production. Tolerant to Leaf Spot and resistant to Powdery Mildew.
View on Seeds Now ↗
Plant spacing
In a square-foot bed, space strawberry about 12 in apart — that fits 1 plant in each 1-foot square (1×1). Wider rows or containers space the same.
Plan your strawberry planting
Add strawberry to a free GardenDraft plan and get sow, transplant, and harvest dates computed for your ZIP code — with a drag-and-drop bed layout and reminders when it’s time to plant.
Start your free plan →At a glance
Storing & preserving
Refrigerate dry and unwashed; use within a few days.
- Freeze: Freezes well raw; spread on a tray first so pieces stay loose.
- Preserve: Make jam or freezer jam; water-bath can high-acid preserves.
General home-preservation guidance — for tested processing times and safety, follow the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Growing timeline
Care & troubleshooting— extension-sourced, with citations
When to feed, prune & water
Mulch to suppress weeds and retain moisture
Mulch- Routine careApply organic mulch around plantsstrong evidence — extension confidence
Spread a few inches of straw, shredded leaves, or compost around established plants (keeping it off stems) to hold soil moisture, suppress weeds, and moderate soil temperature; wait until soil has warmed for heat-loving crops.
Protect the garden from deer
Protection- Routine careFence the gardenstrong evidence — extension confidence
A fence about 8 feet tall and tight to the ground is the most reliable barrier; an outward-angled or double fence, or monofilament line strung at 30 to 36 inches, can also deter deer on smaller beds.
- Routine careRotate repellents as a supplement· every 2 wksmoderate evidence — extension confidence
Where fencing isn't feasible, apply odor/taste repellents and alternate formulations, reapplying every couple of weeks and after rain; combining repellents with fencing works best.
Renovate strawberries after fruiting
Pruning- Routine careMow/trim old leaves and thin runnersmoderate evidence — extension confidence
After June-bearers finish, mow or shear the old foliage, thin crowded plants and excess runners, and topdress with compost to set up next year's crop.
Thin runners in the matted row
Thinning- Routine careSpace runners and keep rows narrow· every 3 wksstrong evidence — extension confidence
Let runners root to fill the row but keep the matted row about 12 to 18 inches wide, thinning to roughly one plant every 3 to 4 inches. Crowded rows stay wet and invite disease, so remove excess runners as they form.
Clean up debris and sanitize at season end
SanitationUnusual this time of year.
- Routine careRemove spent plants and fallen debrisstrong evidence — extension confidence
Pull and clear old plants, dropped fruit, and leaf litter at season end, since many pests and diseases overwinter in this debris; dispose of diseased material rather than composting it.
- Routine careClean tools, stakes, and cagesmoderate evidence — extension confidence
Wash and sanitize stakes, cages, and tools that touched diseased plants before storing or reusing them to avoid carrying pathogens into next season.
Protect ripening strawberries from birds and slugs
ProtectionUnusual this time of year.
- Routine careDrape bird netting over the bedstrong evidence — extension confidence
Once berries start to color, cover the patch with bird netting on a simple frame and tuck or stake the edges to the ground so birds cannot get underneath. Add it near the end of flowering, before fruit is at risk.
- CulturalUse straw mulch and traps for slugs· every 2 daysmoderate evidence — extension confidence
Keep ripening fruit off bare soil with clean straw, and reduce slugs with shallow beer traps or by hand-picking at dusk; harvest promptly as berries ripen.
Spring feeding for strawberries
FeedingUnusual this time of year.
- Routine careFeed lightly and avoid excess nitrogenstrong evidence — extension confidence
Work in compost or a modest dose of balanced fertilizer (about 4 lb of 10-10-10 per 100 ft of row) as growth begins. Go easy on nitrogen in early spring, since lush soft growth invites fruit rots and reduces airflow.
Winter straw mulch for strawberries
MulchUnusual this time of year.
- Routine careCover dormant plants with clean strawstrong evidence — extension confidence
Once plants are dormant and soil has held at or below 40F for a few days, apply 3 to 5 inches of weed-free straw over the crowns. Mulching too early, while plants are still green, weakens them, so wait for dormancy. Pull the straw aside in spring as new growth begins.
Something looks wrong?
Describe what you see on your strawberryand we'll rank the likely causes — most likely first, least-invasive fix first.
Botrytis gray mold
Diseasemoderate- CulturalRemove infected tissue and old blossomsstrong evidence — extension confidence
Prune out moldy leaves, stems, and fruit and clear fallen blossoms and debris where the fungus gets started, disposing of them rather than composting.
- CulturalImprove airflow and reduce leaf wetnessstrong evidence — extension confidence
Space and stake plants for good air movement, water at the base in the morning, and harvest ripe fruit promptly so botrytis has fewer cool, humid, wet surfaces to colonize.
Gray mold (Botrytis) on strawberries
Diseasemoderate- CulturalPick clean, mulch, and improve airflowstrong evidence — extension confidence
Harvest ripe berries promptly, remove rotting ones, mulch with straw to keep fruit off soil, and space for airflow. Dry conditions stop it.
Japanese beetles
Pestmoderate- CulturalHandpick into soapy water· every 1 days · ~4 wksstrong evidence — extension confidence
In early morning when beetles are sluggish, knock them into a bucket of soapy water; daily removal also reduces the scent that draws in more beetles. Skip the lure traps, which tend to attract more beetles than they catch.
- CulturalCover plants past bloommoderate evidence — extension confidence
On crops that have finished flowering and set fruit, drape a row cover or netting to keep beetles off without blocking pollination during bloom.
Powdery mildew
Diseasemoderate- CulturalImprove airflow + remove worst leavesstrong evidence — extension confidence
Cut out the most heavily coated leaves and thin for airflow; avoid wetting foliage late in the day.
- OrganicPotassium-bicarbonate or sulfur - label use only· every 1 wk · ~4 wksmoderate evidence — extension confidence
Apply a labeled potassium-bicarbonate or sulfur fungicide weekly per the label. No sulfur within 2 weeks of oil or in high heat.
Spider mites
Pestmoderate- CulturalHose down and raise humidity· every 3 days · ~2 wksstrong evidence — extension confidence
Mites thrive in hot, dry, dusty conditions. Spray foliage (especially undersides) with water to dislodge them and reduce dust.
- OrganicInsecticidal soap or horticultural oil - label use only· every 5 days · ~2 wksmoderate evidence — extension confidence
Apply to undersides per label; mites resist many products, so soaps/oils are preferred. Not in extreme heat.
Spider mites on strawberry
Pestmoderate- CulturalRinse plants and keep them vigorous· every 3 days · ~2 wksstrong evidence — extension confidence
Spray the undersides of leaves with a strong jet of water to knock mites down, and keep plants well watered, since drought-stressed plants are most prone to mite buildup. Scout leaf undersides in early spring to catch infestations early.
- OrganicRelease predatory mites or use soap/oil· every 1 wkstrong evidence — extension confidence
For home beds, releasing predatory mites such as Phytoseiulus persimilis or Neoseiulus californicus is the safest effective option; alternatively apply a labeled insecticidal soap or horticultural oil to leaf undersides. Avoid pyrethroids, which kill predators and worsen mite outbreaks.
Tarnished plant bug / lygus
Pestmoderate- CulturalManage surrounding weedsstrong evidence — extension confidence
Keep broadleaf weeds mowed or removed around the garden, since lygus build up on flowering weeds and move to crops as those weeds dry down; avoid mowing large weedy areas right beside fruiting crops at bloom.
- CulturalVacuum or shake plants to monitor and reduce· every 5 daysmoderate evidence — extension confidence
Tap plants over a light-colored tray to check for nymphs; a handheld vacuum used once or twice weekly can hold low to moderate numbers down on small plantings.
- OrganicTreat nymphs if damage is building· every 1 wkmoderate evidence — extension confidence
For active nymph infestations, azadirachtin or a Beauveria bassiana product can give some control per the label; preserve the parasitic wasps and other natural enemies that help suppress lygus.
Thrips on fruiting vegetables
Pestmoderate- CulturalRemove weed and crop reservoirsstrong evidence — extension confidence
Control flowering weeds in and around the garden and remove spent host crops promptly, since thrips build up on these and move onto fruiting vegetables; avoid planting next to onions, garlic, or cereals where thrips numbers spike.
- CulturalKeep plants vigorous and rinse foliagemoderate evidence — extension confidence
Water and feed adequately so plants tolerate feeding, and a forceful water spray can knock down populations; reflective mulch can also deter thrips from settling on young plants.
- OrganicTreat with spinosad or oil if needed· every 1 wkmoderate evidence — extension confidence
If thrips are damaging growing points or fruit, spinosad or insecticidal soap/oil can help per the label; rotate modes of action and avoid spraying open blooms to protect pollinators and natural enemies.
Aphids
Pestlow- CulturalBlast off with water· every 3 days · ~2 wksstrong evidence — extension confidence
Knock colonies off with a strong jet of water in the morning; repeat every few days. Light infestations rarely need more.
- OrganicInsecticidal soap - label use only· every 1 wk · ~3 wksmoderate evidence — extension confidence
For persistent colonies apply insecticidal soap to undersides per label. Avoid open flowers.
Earwigs
Pestlow- CulturalTrap and remove· every 1 days · ~2 wksstrong evidence — extension confidence
Set rolled damp newspaper, low tuna-style cans of oil, or short tubes near plants at dusk, then dump trapped earwigs into soapy water each morning; reduce mulch and damp hiding spots near vulnerable seedlings.
- OrganicApply a bait only if damage persists· every 1 wkmoderate evidence — extension confidence
Established plants usually tolerate earwigs, which also eat aphids; if seedlings are being destroyed, a spinosad-based bait labeled for earwigs can help per the label.
Strawberry common leaf spot
Diseaselow- CulturalRemove infected leaves and improve airflow· every 2 wksstrong evidence — extension confidence
Pick off and discard heavily spotted leaves, and thin crowded rows so foliage dries quickly after rain or dew. Use overhead watering sparingly since the spores spread by splashing water.
- CulturalChoose resistant varieties next plantingstrong evidence — extension confidence
When starting a new bed, favor June-bearers rated resistant to leaf spot and scorch such as Allstar, Earliglow, or Jewel; most home plantings never need a spray.
- ChemicalProtectant fungicide only if severe· every 10 daysmoderate evidence — extension confidence
On highly susceptible varieties with heavy early-season infection, apply a labeled copper fungicide per the label; this is rarely warranted in home gardens.