How to Grow Strawberries
Strawberries are probably the most popular of all Summer berries. They are easy to grow and will reward a little care and attention with bumper crops all through summer.
When to Plant
Strawberries are best planted from early autumn through to spring.
Where to Plant
Plant in a sunny position in well drained soil that has had top quality compost dug through it.
Strawberries can be grown in strawberry pots or other containers.
How to Plant
Raise rows into mounds above the surrounding soil and cover in black polythene, pea straw or geo wool cloth. This helps suppress weeds and keeps fruit clean in summer.
Place a handful of Dried Blood under each plant and top dress with Strawberry fertiliser. Water well.
Feeding
Strawberries respond well to regular feeding. In the garden top dress with strawberry fertiliser every 6-8 weeks or liquid feed more regularly with Thrive Strawberry Liquid Food.
If growing in pots and containers use a slow release fertiliser such as Novatec, and liquid feed every 7-10 days.
Water regularly during the growing period.
Pests and Diseases
If strawberries are well fed and watered they shouldn’t be troubled by many pests or diseases.
The most common disease is botrytis or grey mould, which appears as a grey fur on the fruit. Avoid watering directly onto fruit and spray with FreeFlo Copper for bad attacks.
Other things to watch for are leaf spot (spray with FreeFlo Copper), and birds, for which bird netting is the best cure!
Short Day vs Day Neutral
What does it mean? Best way to remember the difference is to think in terms of day-light hours. Short day varieties require less day-light to flower, while day neutral varieties flower when the number of light vs dark hours are about the same. We recommend you plant both varieties, that way you'll be picking fruit earlier and for longer through the season. In the 2025 season, we've planted Monterey and Ventana as our crop of strawberries to use in the Cafe.
Popular Varieties
All these varieties produce good sized, flavoursome fruit - Ventana (similar but more vigourous fruiter than Camarosa), Pajaro, Aromas, Sunset, San Andreas, Monterey.
Check out our reel on planting strawberries here