If you would like to grow strawberries, all you need is a home garden and a few supplies. Strawberries of the day neutral type generate fruit throughout the year, with an especially bountiful growing season between April and October. You can also grow the short-day variety for a strong fall to early spring growing period. This flower will produce fruit within three months after planting.
Temperature
The temperature should be held constant between 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit when attempting to grow strawberries are growing during daylight hours. During the night the temperature should hover around 60 to 65 degrees.
Planting
Strawberries planted in the ground should be placed on raised beds. Don’t use soil that has supported members of the Solanaceae family – eggplants, pepper etc. Use soil that is slightly acidic. If it has a pH between 5.5 and 6.8, it will promote berry growth. Fertilize with a vegetable food fertilizer and add about 6″ of compost. Plant each strawberry plant 10″ apart in rows. The beds should be 6″ in height and up to 12″ wide. You can also align the plants in double rows that extend one to two feet as well.
If you don’t use beds, position the plants about a foot apart and leave upwards of 30″ worth of space in between rows. Plant these even with the ground and always set them so that the roots point down into the soil.
Watering
Strawberries have fairly shallow root levels, so be sure to water them across the duration of the growing season. Drip irrigation is ideal to maintain the proper level of moisture and prevent fruit rot.
Sunlight
Strawberries require a minimum of 8 hours of sun each day.
Everyone can Grow Tasty Strawberries
Follow the advice outlined above and it won’t be long until you have delicious strawberries of your own. Once your strawberries are grown, take a few extra precautions to thwart potential threats. Cover your strawberries with bird netting as they ripen to keep birds at bay. Use a plastic mulch if you find that slugs eat away at your strawberries. Even if you don’t spot the slugs, you’ll be able to identify their presence by the holes you find in your plants. Adhere to these guidelines and you will have some absolutely scrumptious strawberries to share with your friends and family.