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Strawberry Growing Guide

Planting Schedule By Zone

Zone 7 – Mid September – Mid October

Zone 8 – Month of October
Zone 9 – Mid October – Mid November

 

Need help finding your zone? Click Here to find it!

Soil & Fertilizer Requirements

  • Retains water but is also well-draining. Sandy loam soil is the best option.
  • pH between 6.0 and 6.5.
  • Rich in organic materials
  • Good quality compost added to the soil

HOSS always recommends getting a soil sample to your local extension office several weeks before planting. Once you get your results, you will  need plenty of time to adjust your soil accordingly and make sure your strawberry plants are getting the best nutrients possible as soon as they hit the ground.
Click Here to find your local extension office.

Raised Bed Strawberry Fertilizer Schedule

Several Weeks Before Planting

Test your soil at your local extension office.

1 Week Before Planting

After adjusting soil pH to 6.0 – 6.5, mix 1 1/2 cups per 10 ft. of row of Hoss Complete Organic Fertilizer with your soil.

2 Weeks After Planting

Mix 1 cup Hoss Premium 20-20-20 Fertilizer– AND – 1 cup Hoss Micro-Boost Micronutrient Supplementwith 5 gallons of water. Each plant gets 1 quart of the solution next to the plant stem. Repeat every 2-3 weeks.

Once Plant Produces Flower

Reduce 20-20-20 Fertilizer to 1/4 cup. Micro-Boost will remain at 1 cup per 5 gallons of water.

3-4 Weeks Before Harvest

Discontinue fertilizing

In-Ground Strawberry Fertilizer Schedule

Several Weeks Before Planting

Test your soil at your local extension office.

1 Week Before Planting

After adjusting soil pH to 6.0 – 6.5, mix 1 1/2 cups per 10 ft. of row of Hoss Complete Organic Fertilizer with your soil.

2 Weeks After Planting

Using the Hoss Fertilizer Injector, Mix 1-2 lbs Hoss Premium 20-20-20 Fertilizer –AND –1-2 cups Hoss Micro-Boost Micronutrient Supplement per 1,000 sq ft of garden.

Every 2-3 Weeks

Alternate 2-4 lbs. Hoss Calcium Nitrate –AND –1-2 cups Hoss Micro-Boost Micronutrient Supplement per 1,000 sq ft of garden.

Once Plant Produces Flowers

Reduce 20-20-20 Fertilizer to 1/4 – 1/2 lb. and reduce Calcium Nitrate to 1/2 – 1 lbs. Micro-Boost will remain at 1-2 cups per 1,000 sq ft of garden.

3-4 Weeks Before Harvest

Discontinue fertilizing

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Proper Strawberry Planting Techniques

In-Ground Planting

Row Spacing – 3 feet
Plant Spacing – 12 to 18 inches

Raised Bed Planting

Row Spacing – 2 feet
Plant Spacing – 12 inches

When planting strawberry plants, be sure the crown is out of the soil but the roots aren’t exposed. Plant them too deep and they will rot. Plant them too shallow and the exposed roots will cause the plant to die. Be sure the roots are pointing down and not curved and mound your soil around the plant and firm up the soil around the crown.

Strawberry Pest & Disease Protection

Insects & Diseases

The most common pests for Strawberry plants in Zones 7-9 are aphids, thrips, spider mites, tarnished plant bugs, slugs, and, of course, birds. The most common diseases present in strawberry plants are crown rot , powdery mildew, red stele, leather rot, leaf blight and leaf spot. 

Use Garden Phos -AND- Garden Insect Spray together. On next application, use Take Down Garden Spray and Fungi Max together. Rotate and apply every 14-21 days.

Slugs & Birds

Slugs

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Birds

Stake down bird netting with 6-8 inch stakes around the plant every 2 feet. Be sure to keep the net under the stakes so that birds can’t climb under your net.

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Harvesting Your Strawberry Plants

After all the love and care you’ve taken through the fall and winter months, your strawberry plants have finally begun to bear fruit! During this 2-3 weeks period, you should have lots of berries to tend and harvest. Because strawberries don’t continue to ripen after they’re picked, knowing when to harvest is important.
Generally, once your strawberries are at least 3/4 of the way red, they are ripe enough to pick. Different varieties have different flavor profiles depending on when you decide to harvest. Try them at different stages and see what you like best.

  • Cut the stem when harvesting. Pulling the berry could result in damage to the plant.
  • Squeeze the berry to check for softness. Ripe berries should be slightly soft but not mushy.
  • Inspect the berries to make sure they’re red all the way through.
  • Wait 2-3 days between harvests to keep from stressing the plant.

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Strawberry Tips & Tricks

Lots of Sunshine = Happy Strawberries

Strawberry plants absolutely LOVE the sun and need no less than 8-10 hours of direct sunlight during the day. As long as you take care to shade them if temperatures reach over 85°F, your plants should be just fine when hot weather comes around.

Trim Your Blooms and Runners

June bearing strawberry plants usually produce a lot of runners and blooms that you’ll want to remove until at least January. Crowded runners can promote disease in the crop and daughter plants will take away much-needed sustenance from the mother plant.

Irrigation Is Key

After you plant your strawberries, taking great care to irrigate them properly is arguably the most important step in the process. Strawberries need 1”-1.5” per week regardless of whether or not you are planting in-ground or in a raised bed.
Our drip irrigation system installed under whichever mulch you choose keeps the moisture away from the fruit and leaves and conserves water by making sure it only waters exactly what needs it.

HOW TO PLANT STRAWBERRIES IN THE FALL

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