Strawberry
Fragaria × ananassa
📖 About this plant
The most popular berry fruit worldwide, strawberries produce sweet, juicy red fruits high in vitamin C, antioxidants, and fiber. Available in three main types: June-bearing (large crop over 2-3 weeks), everbearing (2-3 smaller crops per season), and day-neutral (continuous fruiting throughout the season). Strawberries are versatile in the garden, thriving in beds, containers, hanging baskets, and even as edible groundcovers.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
Full sun (6-8 hrs)
Every 1-2 days
Moderate (50-65%)
15-26°C
Well-draining, slightly acidic sandy loam rich in organic matter; pH 5.5-6.5. Must have excellent drainage to prevent crown and root rot
Balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) at planting; side-dress with nitrogen fertilizer after first harvest; calcium foliar spray improves fruit firmness; avoid excess nitrogen which promotes runners over fruit
🌐 Common Names
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- Europe (Fragaria virginiana from Americas × Fragaria chiloensis from Chile — hybridized in France in 1750)
- 📏 Max height
- 15-30 cm
- 📐 Spread
- 30-60 cm
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Spring - Summer
- 🎨 Bloom color
- White
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Green
- ⏳ Lifespan
- Perennial
- 📈 Growth rate
- Moderate
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Non-toxic; fruits and leaves are safe and edible. Strawberries are one of the most allergenic fruits — some people experience oral allergy syndrome
- 🌱 Propagation
- Allow runners to root and produce daughter plants; detach and transplant rooted runners in late summer; divide established crowns; purchase certified disease-free nursery plants — never propagate from diseased stock
🛡️ Health & Safety
Non-toxic; fruits and leaves are safe and edible. Strawberries are one of the most allergenic fruits — some people experience oral allergy syndrome
Common issues
- Slugs and snails damaging ripe fruit
- Spider mites in hot dry conditions
- Gray mold (Botrytis) on ripening fruit in wet weather
- Crown rot from overwatering or planting too deep
- Birds eating ripe berries
💡 Care tips
- Mulch with straw to keep fruit off the soil
- Remove runners to direct energy into fruit production
- Net plants to protect berries from birds
- Replace plants every 3-4 years for best yields
