Why Homegrown Strawberries Are Worth It
Fresh-picked strawberries offer a flavor and texture that’s hard to match. Many strawberries sold in grocery stores are varieties selected to hold up well during shipping and handling, which can sometimes mean sacrificing some of the sweetness, tenderness, and just-picked taste you get from berries grown at home.
One might say if you’ve never had a homegrown strawberry, then you’ve never really had a strawberry at all!
Strawberries Are Easier to Grow Than You Think
Growing strawberries can be surprisingly easy when you give them the right conditions.
Strawberries grow best in full sun and well-drained soil. They can be planted directly in the garden or grown in raised beds and containers, making them a great option even when garden space is limited.
Consistent moisture is important, especially while plants are flowering and developing fruit. Container-grown strawberries may need more frequent watering and fertilizing because soil in containers dries out and loses nutrients more quickly.
What Are the Best Strawberries to Grow?
Before choosing strawberry plants, there’s one important question to ask:
Before you buy strawberry plants, there’s one important decision to make:
How will you use your berries?
How Will You Use Your Strawberries?
The best type depends on how you want to enjoy your harvest.
Do you want a large crop that ripens around the same time for jams, preserves, pies, and desserts? Or would you rather pick smaller amounts of fresh berries over a longer period for snacking, breakfast, or topping a bowl of ice cream?
Knowing how you plan to use your berries will help you choose the right strawberry plants for your garden.
How Will I Know the Difference?
Strawberry varieties are commonly grouped by when and how they produce fruit. June-bearing varieties produce one main crop, while everbearing and day-neutral varieties can provide additional harvests over a longer portion of the growing season.
Strawberries fall into two categories: ever-bearing and june-bearing.
Junebearing
June-Bearing Strawberries
June-bearing strawberries produce their largest crop over a relatively short period, typically in late spring to early summer in our area.
They’re a great choice if you want plenty of strawberries at one time for making jam, preserves, pies, freezing, or sharing with family and friends.
After the main harvest, the plants invest more energy in growing and producing runners that can help expand the strawberry patch in future seasons.
June-bearing varieties we may carry include:
- Allstar
- Earliglow
- Jewel
Variety availability may vary by location and season.
Everbearing
Everbearing Strawberries
Everbearing strawberries are a good choice for gardeners who prefer smaller harvests spread throughout the growing season rather than one large crop.
They typically produce an initial crop followed by additional berries later in the season, making them perfect for picking a handful for breakfast, dessert, or a fresh garden snack.
Everbearing varieties we may carry include:
- Ozark Beauty
- Fort Laramie
- Quinault
Variety availability may vary by location and season.
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