Planting strawberries in raised beds – New plants can be planted in your strawberry bed anytime from early spring through early summer. If your new plants are growing in small pots, be sure to gently loosen the roots before planting them into the raised bed, especially if they were pot bound (roots circling around inside the pot).
If the plants are bare-root, spread the roots out into the planting hole and make sure the plant is positioned so the crown is above the soil line and the roots below. Space strawberry plants about 8 to 10 inches apart. Stagger the rows to give each plant plenty of room to grow. Get the growing season off to a good start by providing regular irrigation through the first year after planting, especially during times of drought.
When growing strawberries in raised beds, the soil may dry out faster than when growing in the ground. Monitor soil moisture carefully and water deeply whenever necessary. Avoid shallowly watering plants; a good, thorough soaking is always better than a light sprinkle. Space strawberry plants 8 to 10 inches apart on center. Ample room provides good air circulation and cuts down on disease.
Contents
Should you cut strawberry runners?
Strawberry Runners – Established strawberry plants will send out multiple runners over the soil surface. Each runner has a tiny plant at its end and these can be rooted and grown on to produce new plants. Runners take a lot of the plant’s energy to produce, so in the first two years of life they should be cut off from where they emerge to concentrate the plant’s efforts on fruit production.
What is best to put around strawberry plants?
Apply straw mulch in the fall – Apply straw mulch over strawberry plants in the late fall to prevent winter injury. Mulch saves the plants from drying out or being killed by cold winter temperatures. It also retains soil moisture the following spring and summer. If strawberries are left uncovered in the winter, their crowns can be damaged or killed by temperatures below 12°F.
Apply mulch once soil temperatures have been 40°F or below for 3 consecutive days, which is the threshold at which the plants enter dormancy. In Minnesota, this occurs between November and December. Do not apply mulch until the plants are dormant. Spread straw at a rate of 2.5 to 3.0 tons per acre, covering the plants by 2 to 3 inches. Very small operations can hand-apply straw, but most farms are large enough that they need to use a mechanical mulcher that grinds (“fluffs”) and blows the straw over the rows.
Can you leave strawberry runners attached?
Yes you can remove the runners now, or you can leave them on the plant, it won’t affect fruiting. When you remove the runners, plant them out to become your strawberry plants for next season. If you leave your existing strawberry plants in, next season the crop and fruit size will be reduced, therefore you will get a more abundant crop next season if you plant out the runners. Be sure to feed your strawberry plants if they are still fruiting. Follow our guide to removing runners here >
What do you put under strawberries?
Mulching – Mulching the soil surface helps to deter weed growth, hold in moisture and keep the fruit off damp ground, so they stay clean and dry and are less likely to rot. Not surprisingly, the traditional mulch for strawberry beds is straw – simply spread a thick layer around the plants before they start fruiting. Wheat straw is fine, although barley straw is softer. Alternatively place biodegradable mulch mats around individual plants or plant through biodegradable membrane.
What protects strawberry plants?
Apply straw mulch in the fall – Apply straw mulch over strawberry plants in the late fall to prevent winter injury. Mulch saves the plants from drying out or being killed by cold winter temperatures. It also retains soil moisture the following spring and summer. If strawberries are left uncovered in the winter, their crowns can be damaged or killed by temperatures below 12°F.
Apply mulch once soil temperatures have been 40°F or below for 3 consecutive days, which is the threshold at which the plants enter dormancy. In Minnesota, this occurs between November and December. Do not apply mulch until the plants are dormant. Spread straw at a rate of 2.5 to 3.0 tons per acre, covering the plants by 2 to 3 inches. Very small operations can hand-apply straw, but most farms are large enough that they need to use a mechanical mulcher that grinds (“fluffs”) and blows the straw over the rows.