Planting advice for the USA & Canada, Zone 8a

January: Do not grow.

February: Start undercover in seed trays.

March: Transplant 4-6 week old seedlings.

April: Plant seed directly into garden.

May: Plant seed directly into garden.

June: Do not grow.

July: Do not grow.

August: Do not grow.

September: Do not grow.

October: Do not grow.

November: Do not grow.

December: Do not grow.

Space Plants: 45cm (18") apart.

Harvest In: Minimum 3-4 months.

Grows Best With: Green Beans, Lettuce, Onions, Thyme.

Avoid Growing With: Arugula, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Collard Greens, Kale.

Planting Strawberries

Strawberries will have more success when grown from started from cuttings or seedlings, and these should be prioritised over growing from seed.

Start seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before your last frost date. Sprinkle seeds over moist soil and lightly cover with soil, allowing light to reach them, and keep covered. Ensure the seeds have access to light and adequate airflow, and keep the soil moist. Once the seeds have germinated, remove the cover to improve airflow.

Growing Strawberries

Once the seedlings have 3-4 sets of leaves they can be planted out into the garden. Space plants 45cm (18") apart, with the same distance between rows. Strawberries have shallow roots, so frequent watering is required to keep the soil moist. As such, keep the beds weed-free and well-mulched to aid with moisture retention.

Strawberry plants put out runner shoots which will grow into daughter plants that will also produce fruit. These will take energy away from the main plant, so be sure to trim any that you don't want to develop. The first and second generation of runner plants will produce the best fruit, and try to keep all runner plants 25cm (10") apart.

Harvesting Strawberries

During the first year, fruiting should be discouraged by removing flowers as they form. This will give the root system time to develop, which will make for a larger crop of juicier fruit the next season.

Fruit is ready for harvest about 5 weeks after blossoming, and plants should be checked every 3 days. The fruit should be fully red, but may have white shoulders if the plant leaves have blocked access to light.

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