Strawberry Growers Guide for Year-Round Strawberry Care

December 11, 2025

Strawberries are among the most profitable crops when managed correctly, but they require careful attention to detail throughout the growing season. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know for successful strawberry production, from field preparation to harvest and beyond.

Preparing the Fields for Strawberries

If you are truly looking to grow the best possible strawberries, then you must start well before planting. Healthy strawberries are derived from healthy soil, so let’s start there! 

Choosing the Right Field

Field selection is critical for strawberry success. Avoid planting in fields that recently grew peppers, eggplants, tomatoes, potatoes, or strawberries. These crops share similar diseases and pests that can devastate your strawberry plants.

Soil Testing and Amendments

Take a soil test well in advance of planting. Be prepared to apply a customized dry blend fertilizer according to your soil test results just before laying plastic mulch.

We recommend applying a biological such as BioQuest Foundation to give the soil the natural microbes needed to fend off disease and grow stronger roots without the need for excessive fertilizers later in the season. We have also found that adding algae to your soil pre-planting has tremendous nutritional benefits. 

Cover Cropping Strategy

Consider planting two cover crops before strawberries for optimal soil health. At minimum, plant a mustard cover crop to suppress nematodes, phytophthora, and other soil-borne diseases. This step is essential for disease management.

Variety Selection: Matching Plants to Your Goals

Most of our recommendations will be relevant across different varieties of strawberries, but each type of strawberry plant does have different nutritonal and care requirements, so take that into consideration going forward as you read this article.

Choosing the Best Strawberry Variety

Select varieties based on your specific needs and market. Consider these factors:

• Production timing: Do you want early season berries, late season, or continuous production?
• Market requirements: Some varieties ship and store exceptionally well but have moderate flavor, while others offer outstanding taste but limited shelf life
• Disease resistance: Factor in your local disease pressure

Popular varieties include Galletta, which performs well in Lancaster County but may have limited availability. Chandler offers excellent productivity and flavor but shows higher disease susceptibility.

Bare Root vs. Plug Strawberry Plants

Bare root plants are the most economical option but must be planted in spring for best results. Never plant bare roots during summer heat unless you can provide misting irrigation for the first week.

Plug plants are the recommended choice for most growers. Plant plugs in mid-August to take advantage of the disease-suppressing mustard cover crop planted just before strawberries. Quality plugs establish quickly and reliably, while bare roots often struggle.

Pro tip: Order plants early for the best selection and availability.

Field Preparation for Strawberries

Now that we have our field selected and covered, and we know what variety of strawberry we want to grow, let’s get your field set for planting. 

Cover Crop Termination

Terminate your mustard cover crop 5 to 6 days after bloom and at least 2 weeks before planting. Work the cover crop thoroughly into the soil.

Nutrient Management

Spread compost or mushroom mulch according to your soil test recommendations. Strawberries have high nitrogen requirements, though Flavorfest needs less than Chandler. A good nitrogen supplement is Conductor 16 which provides amino acid nitrogen during the Spring. Potassium is equally important. A humus compost is a good option here as it provides earlier potassium release compared to slow-release potassium sulfate (0-0-50).

Plastic Mulch vs. Matted Row Systems

Matted row is the traditional method where strawberries are planted and mulched with wheat straw. Runners must be controlled to prevent overcrowding.

Plastic mulch is the modern, preferred approach offering several advantages:

• Faster plant and fruit maturation due to increased soil warmth
• Runners cannot root through plastic, eliminating volunteer plants
• Better weed control

Plastic color selection: Black plastic is standard, but white plastic can extend your harvest season by slowing fruit maturation.

Plastic width options: Standard 4-foot plastic works well for raised beds. Alternatively, use 3-foot plastic (similar to sweet potato production) to prevent water pooling. Note that the higher beds may make straw retention more challenging during winter.

Irrigation Setup

Install one drip line for each strawberry row (two drip tapes for double staggered rows on one plastic sheet).

After laying plastic, maintain soil moisture. Run a biological stimulator through the drip system 1 to 2 weeks before planting. Recommended products include Rejuvenate, SeaShield, and Santerra.

Planting: Getting Strawberry Plants Established

When planting into black plastic, choose a cool day, wait until evening, or run overhead misters to help plants establish. Water thoroughly after planting to encourage root development.

Add BioCoat Gold through your drip system to inoculate roots at planting.

Row Configuration

A double row system is standard for black plastic production, with 12 to 18 inches between plants within the row. Wider spacing (18 inches) promotes better air circulation and disease control. Tighter spacing (12 inches) works for compact varieties like Camino Real and Galletta.

Stagger the two rows as shown in proper planting diagrams for optimal spacing and air flow.

Plant Spacing Guide

Managing Strawberries in the Fall

Now that our strawberry plants are in the ground, the maintenance process begins to ensure we are doing everything in our power to bring plump fruit to market in the summer. 

Focus on Root Development

Early root development dramatically impacts nutrient uptake and overall plant health. Support root growth with natural fertilizers and supplements designed for strawberries such as:

• SeaShield applications
• Seaweed products like SeaStim
• Calcium and boron supplements

Weekly Drip Irrigation Schedule

Run your drip system weekly until plants enter dormancy. Fall nutrition priorities:

1. Calcium and nitrogen: Most important for developing strong crowns that produce abundant spring berries
2. Potassium: Apply in late fall to fill crowns with energy reserves

Crown filling is critical as this becomes your energy reserve for spring production.

Enhancing Calcium Uptake

Epsom salts significantly improve calcium uptake. Apply 10 pounds per acre through drip at week 2 as a rooting stimulant, then continue weekly or bi-weekly applications. 

Critical September Bud Formation

Flower buds for next spring’s crop form in September. This period determines your maximum yield potential. Plants need abundant water during bud initiation. Some varieties may benefit from bloom stimulants like Accelerate, though most plants produce more blooms than they can support. Base Accelerate applications on your farm’s specific experience.

Monitoring Plant Health

Sap testing schedule: Take a sap test in mid-September to determine nutrient levels, then repeat in early October.

Runner removal: Remove runners at least twice during fall. If using bare roots, remove any summer berries as they drain energy from plant establishment.

Crown health checks: Periodically inspect for crown plugging and diseases. Dig a representative plant and split the crown with a knife. The interior should be white. Brown discoloration indicates a clogged vascular system that prevents water and nutrient absorption. Seek consultant advice if you discover this problem.

Achieving Ideal Fall Growth

The goal is very vigorous fall growth followed by complete dormancy. Calcium and Epsom salts promote healthy, robust growth, while excess nitrogen causes weak, spindly plants. Maintain a balanced calcium-to-nitrogen ratio.

Winter Protection

Keeping strawberry plants not just alive, but thriving during the winter can be one of the most challenging aspects of a strawberry grower. Be very diligent with your process starting when temperatures start to drop. 

Cover Crops Between Rows

Establish cover crops or mulch between plastic rows when possible. Research continues on best practices.

Turf Star: This slow-growing perennial works well in fall but may cause issues in spring when grass clippings contaminate fruit during mowing.

Oats: Can be sown in fall to winter-kill, then topped with straw or ground covers in spring. Warning: oats may not winter-kill if protected by straw or row covers. Test this method before full-scale implementation.

Sorghum sudan: Late-fall sowing provides good winter-kill. Despite shading concerns, plants remain healthy.

Winter Mulching

After plants reach dormancy (usually November or early December), cover with heavy row covers or 4 inches of wheat straw. This protection prevents:

• Sudden temperature fluctuations
• Frost heaving that breaks roots
• Crown exposure to frost damage

Winter damage substantially reduces yield and increases disease pressure.

Improving Winter Hardiness

Elevated calcium and silica levels produce healthier crowns with less winter damage. Zinc, copper, potassium, and high brix content also significantly improve winter hardiness.

Freeze Protection Strategies

After plants resume growth, provide freeze protection:

• Row covers: Effective for nights above 34 to 35°F
• Misting: Required when temperatures drop to 34 to 35°F or below. Continue misting until 8:00 to 9:00 AM

Spring Growth Tips

If you made it through winter successfully, which you know you would have if you followed the guidance above, then we can focus on growing our strawberries to harvest these final few months. 

Removing Winter Protection

Remove straw or covers in March or when soil temperature reaches 40°F at four-inch depth. This timing prevents premature dormancy break and potential freeze damage to early flowers.

Bloom Period Care

Maintain adequate soil moisture during bloom for proper calcium movement, which produces higher quality berries. Consider foliar calcium applications every 24 to 48 hours during this critical stage.

Pest Monitoring

Watch for tarnished plant bugs and thrips, which cause significant fruit damage during bloom.

Crown Check

Ensure plastic mulch is not constricting newly developing crowns.

Strawberry Harvest Tips

We made it to harvest! However, there are still some actions that can and should be taken to ensure your berries are at maximum potential for harvest.

Disease Prevention

Low tunnels effectively prevent anthracnose, gray mold, and other diseases that thrive in wet conditions.

Irrigation Timing for Better Flavor

Irrigate once or twice weekly immediately after harvest. Post-harvest watering produces better flavor than pre-harvest irrigation. Adjust frequency based on your soil type.

Emergency Measures

If root rots or crown plugging occur during harvest, frequent foliar applications may help save the planting.

Renovating for Year Two Production

With proper renovation, second-year yields typically exceed first-year production, though berries may be smaller. Do not renovate if disease pressure is excessive.

Renovation Guidelines

1. Mow or weed-eat plant tops, leaving several inches of growth
2. Remove all leftover runners
3. Thin to 3 to 5 crowns per planting hole
4. Summer nutrition: Drip 20 pounds of 16-0-0 twice (or 20 pounds urea twice for organic production)
5. Replant any missing holes by mid-August
6. August feeding: Apply 20 pounds of 7-7-7 with 5 pounds Epsom salt, followed one to two weeks later by 10 pounds ProCal (20% calcium) with 10 pounds Epsom salt through drip irrigation
7. Take sap test and adjust nutrition accordingly

Consult Strawberry Growth Experts

At Keystone Bio-Ag, we pride ourselves in our knowledge and experience with strawberries. Not only do we support growers across the country, we do so with natural, regenerative agriculture best practices to keep our soil healthy for the following season. If you are looking to grow healthier, larger strawberries, or are simply struggling with an aspect of your growing season, then contact our team and we will evaluate your process, and put together a plan that works for your goals.