Strawberry

• Strawberries prefer acidic soil (5.3-6.5) but will grow outside of this range.
• They like to be kept moist but not wet – ensure water levels are consistent especially when fruiting.
• Mulching will help retain moisture as well as keep their roots cool.
• In the first year, pick off blossoms to prevent fruiting and encourage growth of the plant’s root system: this will pay dividends in the second year as your harvests will be much greater.
• Remove weeds from around plants throughout the season to discourage pests and disease.

Although strawberries are most commonly grown from runners, it is possible to grow from seed. Germinate on the surface of a good free draining, damp seed compost. Do not cover the seed.

Ensure you leave enough space for the plant to sprawl and plant out only when the danger of frosts have passed.

Harvest only fully ripe berries, as they will not ripen after being picked. Harvesting should start roughly 4-6 weeks after blossoming.

Always cut from the stem instead of pulling the berry from the plant to minimise damage to the strawberry plant.

You can store the picked berries in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, but they will taste at their best when first picked.

These plants have been known to grow well alongside Strawberry so consider planting:

Strawberries are a good companion plant, growing well with bush beans, spinach, borage, lettuce and pyrethrum.

• Strawberry loves Onion

  Strawberries are less vulnerable to disease when grown with onions.

• Strawberry loves Borage

  Reputed to increase yield and flavour of strawberries. Attracts pollinators that feed on common strawberry pests.

• Strawberry likes Sweet scabious

• Strawberry likes Feverfew

• Strawberry likes Spinach

• Strawberry loves Lettuce

These plants will not grow well with Strawberry so avoid planting these within close proximity:

Strawberries should not be planted near eggplants, peppers, potatoes, raspberries, or tomatoes have grown because strawberries are susceptible to Tomato ringspot virus, verticillium wilt

• Strawberry hates Tomato

  Both are susceptible to Tomato ringspot virus and verticillium wilt.

• Strawberry dislikes Cabbage

These problems, diseases and pests are known to affect Strawberry plants:

• Verticillium Wilt

  Caused by soil-borne fungi that attacks through the roots and grows upward in...

• Tomato ringspot virus

The name “strawberry” is said to originate from the fact that they were often mulched using straw. Another possible origination of the name is a derivation of ‘strayberries’ in reference to their runners straying from the mother plant. A third possibility is that it is from the word ‘streow’ or hay from the berries ripening at the same time the hay was harvested. ²

Fragaria is latin for strawberry, ananassa means ‘like ananas’ (a genus best known for the species Ananas comosus, the pineapple), referring to the delicious smell of hybrid strawberries.

Misspellings: Strawberries, strabery, Starwberry

¹ Plants for a future

² “USDA history of the strawberry”: http://www.nal.usda.gov/pgdic/Strawberry/book/bokthree.htm