Growing Strawberry Plants

Fragaria : Rosaceae / the rose family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
                P P P  

(Best months for growing Strawberry Plants in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

  • P = Plant out (transplant) seedlings

September: Protect from frost

  • Easy to grow. Plant with crown (of roots) just covered.. Best planted at soil temperatures between 50°F and 68°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 12 - 39 inches apart
  • Harvest in approximately 11 weeks. Strawberries bruise easily when ripe, handle carefully. Pick with a small piece of stem attached..
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Better in a bed on their own to allow good sun and air circulation
  • Avoid growing close to: If you are using rotation beds, avoid putting strawberries where you have grown tomatoes, potatoes, peppers or eggplant
  • Ripening fruit
  • Strawberry plants

Strawberries are low-growing leafy plants which grow 12 - 15 cm (about 6 inches) tall and will spread to about 50 - 100 cm (20 - 40 inches). They have five petalled white or pink flowers. The flowers are followed by the delicious red fruits (which have their seeds on the outside).

Later in the season the plants send out runners like thin stems across the garden which will take root to form new plants. Cut them off and leave the parent growing. You can transplant the runners or let them grow where they rooted to produce new plants.

At the end of fruiting, trim off old yellow leaves and clean up any mouldy fruit still attached.

Strawberries like well drained soil with plenty of humus. To prepare your bed, dig in some compost before planting and possibly use a liquid fertiliser during the growing season. Well fed strawberries taste better.

To protect the fruit from moulds and mildew use some form of mulch around the plants. Straw, pine needles, or black plastic are all suitable. Mulch will also help suppress weeds.

Protect your plants with some sort of netting or bird scarer or you will lose most of your crop!

Strawberry plants often need replacing after a few years as they get affected by viruses and stop producing well.

Culinary hints - cooking and eating Strawberry Plants

Pick strawberries and eat them straight from the garden warm from the sunshine - delicious!

Strawberries can be used in any dessert needing soft fruit or berries. Summer pudding (which also has raspberries and blackberries or boysenberries), mousse, trifle, dipped in melted chocolate or just with cream.

Sprinkle a bowl of strawberries with balsamic vinegar and a little sugar to enhance the flavour and colour.

A quick jam of diced strawberries cooked in the microwave with an equal weight of sugar until completely soft won't keep but can be used right away.

Your comments and tips

26 Jul 13, Rob (New Zealand - temperate climate)
I find growing strawberries in hanging baskets under the veranda to be best results.They are least likely to get frost and also least likely to be eaten by birds.
08 Mar 18, Julie (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
How long do you keep strawberry plants growing. Mine are about three years old now, do they need replacing?
23 May 20, Allan (New Zealand - cool/mountain climate)
Yes, second season is always best crop, third season is ok. Replace with runners and plantlets from your current bed as they are tuned to your area. Past three years plants don’t produce as well.
28 Oct 18, Caroline Burnell (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Do I cut off the leaves on my strawberries that are growing in a raised garden and covered with netting so that the sun can ripen them? Thanks Caroline
30 Oct 18, Mike (New Zealand - temperate climate)
NO - strawberries take about 4 weeks from flowering to ripe fruit. Keep cutting the leaves and the plant will probably die. Plants need leaves to take in the sunlight.
16 Jan 20, Suzanne (New Zealand - temperate climate)
I live in central auckland and grow strawberries in a large concrete trough approx 340 mm deep and wide. I had the opportunity to get a number of strawberry plants a few days ago, and want to know if I plant them now, protect them will they winter ok?
20 Jan 20, Another gardener (New Zealand - temperate climate)
I live sub-tropical Queensland Australia, strawberry plants here send out runners from early summer. These runners develop new plants along the runner. These new plants are transplanted out early April, they grow and produce fruit from May to Sept. IF those plants offered to you have soil all around the roots and has not been disturbed much then they may keep growing. My suggestion is to find new plants around the time you normally plant strawberries in your area. Read up about growing strawberries in NZ.
01 Jun 20, Donna (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Hi. I have flowers in late May/June just going into winter on my Camarosas. I planted in summer last year and got very little fruit. The plants are now in their second year. Should II pick those flowers off? Thanks
02 Jun 20, Anonymous (New Zealand - sub-tropical climate)
I wouldn't - maybe read or research when to grow strawberries in your area. In sub tropical Qld Australia - they plant early April and start picking June. I don't know anything about your variety.
13 Oct 20, Meredyth Anderson (New Zealand - temperate climate)
Hi my strawberries leaves are turning creamy white, though still green as well and plant looks healthy. What could be the problem please. From Meredyth.
Showing 1 - 10 of 18 comments

Hi my strawberries leaves are turning creamy white, though still green as well and plant looks healthy. What could be the problem please. From Meredyth.

- Meredyth Anderson

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