Fundamental's of Planting Bare Root Strawberry Plants

Regardless of when or how you grow bare root strawberries, there are a few fundamentals that need to be followed.

How Deep to Plant Bare Root Strawberries

Bare root strawberry plants are composed of the roots, crown, and growth on them sometimes. It is very important to only bury the roots while leaving the crown exposed. If you bury the crown, you run an incredibly high risk of the crown rotting and your strawberry plant dying. Remember all plants should start to grow in 3 days. If not there is something wrong and you then have to correct or it will just rot and die. 

Grow Strawberries Elevated

When growing strawberries in a pot or the ground, you always want the soil around the strawberry plant to be mounded. You might opt for rows if you are planting many strawberry plants outdoors, or you could create a single mound for one strawberry plant growing in a pot.

The only time you do not do this process is when you can’t. An example would be planting in a tiered planting pot.

Best Soil for Strawberries

The best soil for strawberries is a potting soil and not potting mix or seed starter soil.  Making your own strawberry plant soil. Find a potting soil that you like and then add play sand from your local hardware store. Mix approximately 30% sand (Play Sand) and 70% potting soil and you’re done! What ever container you use. Fill it completely full and then plant your plant. You do not want to plant in a container half full. You do not want to create a wall around the plant. Creates a humidity wall around a plant that hates humidity. Good airflow and sand formula above will create amazing results in just 3 days. 

How Far Apart to Plant Bare Root Strawberries

Plant bare root strawberry plants approximately 8”-10” apart. If you are planting multiple strawberry rows, space the rows approximately 1 ½’ to 2’ apart. 

How Much to Water Bare Root Strawberries

When you water you water not sprinkle a little next the the plant. That is why the 30% sand is so important, it allows you to be able to water thoroughly. After the 3 days when they start to grow, the plant will let you know if it needs something. If the plant starts to show stress, look at the soil. If it is wet it is too wet and if it is dry it is too dry. Every 3 to 4 days inside is probably good. But if it dry out fast then water more and the opposite on moist. It is hard to tell you how to water when every place is different. Your environment and plant will tell you when to to water. 

Watering bare root strawberries outdoors is much harder to predict because everyone's climate is different. Using the rule of thumb above and monitoring temperature will help though! If your temperature rises above 85 degrees Fahrenheit, you will want to water your strawberry plants more frequently.  Water in between the plants. You do not want to crown to stay moist.

Ready to get your plants outside to your outdoor area.

Congratulations! You have successfully started your bare root strawberries indoors and now would like to transition them outdoors. We recommend giving this process about a week if your schedule permits. 

Acclimating bare root strawberries to your climate is about playing with the time of day and observing your strawberries for any negative changes. 

If you started your bare root strawberries indoors due to the heat, place them outdoors in the mornings and/or evenings to start. This will avoid the harsh afternoon sun. Depending on the temperature in the morning and evenings, you can choose to place them in full sun immediately or not. Again, always be observant. There is no perfect rule or climate. 

On the flipside, if you started your bare root strawberries indoors due to the cold, place them outside in early morning to afternoon sun. At first watch them do not leave and come back after work for the first week of alcimation. 

Keep doing this process for a week while exposing them more and more to the elements. If they continue to stay healthy, you can start planting your bare root strawberry plants in the ground!

Planting Bare Root Strawberry Plants Outdoors

We have already covered much of the process for planting bare root strawberries outdoors. Follow the fundamentals you learned above and you will be good to go. However, here is one consideration:

Mulching your Strawberry Beds and Rows

Mulching your strawberries prevents weeds, rotting berries, retains moisture, retains heat and can contribute to a proper pH balance. Use a Hardwood mulch like cedar or any you like from a store. Do not use the following: Pine straw, wheat straw, any straw, grass clippings. You do not want any thing surrounding or covering the crown. It will keep the crown humid and hot and will rotten it.

Growing Bare Root Strawberries

Strawberry plants are very hardy and once planted and established, they will automatically harden to the seasons in most climates. Nutrient rich soil and feeding according to your strawberries growth schedule; such as everbearing strawberry plant varieties, day neutral strawberry plants, and June bearing strawberry plants, is always good practice. 

Pinching Off Strawberry Flowers

You may have heard that you should pinch off the first strawberry flowers. Strawberry plants that bloom early will stop the plant from growing and then start to fruit. It is best to pinch off the first 5 to 8 flowers, you will get more strawberries during your next harvest time! 

Pinching off strawberry flowers essentially keeps the strawberry plants in a vegetative growth stage. This means it will continue to put its efforts into establishing its roots and growing larger, more robust, green growth. 

When your strawberry plants start to produce flowers, the plant has to stop much of this vegetative growth to accommodate for the berry production, thus using its nutrients. This could mitigate your berry production if your strawberry plants have not grown a robust root system and sturdy enough frame!

If you do decide to pinch off flowers, you would do this during your first harvest time. As mentioned above, there are three categories of strawberry plants that will determine when they produce berries. 

For example, if you pinch the flowers off of everbearing bearing strawberry plants, you will have to wait until either late spring/early summer or early fall for your next harvest depending on when you pinched off the flowers. The next harvest will be bigger than it would have been though!

What to do With Your Strawberry Plants in Winter

Strawberry plants will “harden off” as winter sets in, but this doesn’t mean you should leave them unattended too; especially if you commonly see temperatures below 20 degrees. 

Mulching as stated above is your first line of defense. If you are expecting consistent temperatures below 20 degrees, your second step will be to cover your strawberry plants.

To cover your strawberry plants, you can put loose straw about 3”-5” thick over top of them. If you choose this option, it is extremely important you use a mulching material that will not compact and suffocate your strawberry plants.

Other cover options are plastic sheeting or plastic hoops overt

op of your plants, essentially creating a greenhouse effect. 

Planting Bare Root Strawberry Plants Conclusion

Planting bare root strawberry plants is fun and easy with a few simple practices when needed. Strawberry plants are extremely tough plants and will let you know they are not happy. You see a plant struggling, figure out why and fix it. If not it will just die. We are always here to help.

 HAPPY HARVEST!!