Why Grow Strawberries

Strawberries are one of those foods that simply weren’t meant to be on grocery store shelves. What we find in clamshell cases in the produce department may look like strawberries, but these are varieties that have been cultivated to withstand more handling and bumping around during transportation.  This increased “toughness” comes at the cost of flavor and texture.

One might say if you’ve had a homegrown strawberry, then you’ve never really had a strawberry at all.

Is it difficult to grow strawberries?

Strawberries are very easy to grow. They can be grown in containers, hanging baskets, or in-ground but wherever they are, they need full sun. Fertilizing is especially important if growing in containers, but in-ground strawberries will also benefit from the nutrient boost. They’re relatively forgiving if getting too much (or too little) water every once in a while.

What's the best strawberry to grow?

Before you buy strawberry plants, there’s one important decision to make:

How will you use your berries?

Strawberries fall into two categories: ever-bearing and june-bearing.

June-bearing strawberries will produce a large amount of berries all at once in early summer. This category is best for anyone wanting to make pies, jams, or anything else which needs a lot of strawberries at the same time.  After the initial crop, the plants won’t produce much more. Sometimes, a smaller fall crop comes along, but that depends on the care they receive throughout the summer months.

Ever-bearing strawberries will produce fruit throughout the summer, but they won’t provide a large crop all at once. This category is perfect if you’re looking to add some fresh fruit to your morning breakfast or to top your ice cream on a hot day.