How to Grow Strawberries

Having strawberry plants in your garden is definitely a wonderful feature in your property. Doing so enhances the appearance of your area. It also lets you enjoy one of the most beloved fruits in the world. And you can have all these once you learn how to grow strawberries.

Steps to Grow Strawberries

1. Purchase new strawberry plants. You can buy these from local nurseries. You can also order them from a plant catalog. Before buying the strawberry plants, you need to be certain that the plants are free of diseases. Diseased strawberry plants will destroy any output you want to have. They can even spread the disease around your garden.
2. Select an area in your property with soil having good drainage. The location should also receive much sunlight and it should warm up easily during springtime. This will prevent the blossoms from being destroyed by late frosts. Ideally, you should choose a south-facing slope.
3. Work on the planting bed. You should till the bed to a depth of around 12 inches. Remove all weeds and grass you would find. Dig in a generous amount of compost to make the soil fertile. The bed should be small enough so you could easily reach into it.
4. Create a hole for each strawberry plant. Each hole should be 5 to 7 inches wide and should be deep enough to accommodate the roots of the plants. The holes should be 18 inches apart in rows. Set each plant in each hole. The crown of the plants should be just above ground. The roots should be completely covered with soil.
5. Once the newer plants appear, carefully remove the mother plants. Cut off the runners as soon as you notice them appearing. This will make the plants direct their energy in the production of fruits. This in turn results in years of ample harvests.
6. Provide one inch of water to the young plants every week. Mulch the plants to conserve the right amount of moisture and prevent weeds from overtaking the plants. At the first year, pick all blossoms as soon as they appear. You can then pick the strawberries once they ripen.