Spring is in the air, and if you’re like many backyard gardeners, your mind is already dreaming of sweet, homegrown strawberries. But let’s get real—what’s the best way to actually grow them?
As someone who’s tested just about every method available, let me walk you through the real-world, science-backed approach that works for most home gardeners—without wasting time or money.
First, Let’s Talk Options
There are three ways to grow strawberries:
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From seed – Sounds romantic, but painfully slow and inefficient.
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From live, potted plants – Convenient, sure... but pricey and often not worth it.
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From bare root plants – Affordable, fast to establish, and surprisingly reliable.
Unless you’re running a commercial greenhouse, skip the seeds. And live plants? Often just repackaged bare roots, marked up 500%. Bare roots, on the other hand, are typically under a dollar each and wake up within days of planting. In 2–4 weeks, you’ll have actively growing plants—at a fraction of the cost.
But How Should You Plant Them?
This is where it gets interesting. I did a side-by-side experiment with bare root strawberries:
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Some were started indoors in containers.
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Others were planted directly in the ground beneath my fruit trees.
Both methods had a 100% success rate. Yep, 28 out of 28 plants leafed out beautifully.
So what's the catch?
Consider Your Situation
If your outdoor temperatures are already hitting the 50s°F (10–15°C) or warmer, go straight into the ground. It’s less work and just as effective—assuming you water and monitor them properly.
But if you’re still in the freeze zone or don’t have garden space (hi, apartment dwellers!), start in containers indoors or in a greenhouse. You can transplant them outside about a month before your last frost.
Pro Tips from Experience
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Soak bare root strawberries for at least an hour before planting. This rehydrates the roots after shipping or cold storage.
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Don’t bury the crown! That’s the biggest mistake new growers make. Bury the crown, and you’re inviting rot. Keep it slightly above the soil line—yes, even if some roots are exposed.
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Trim large roots before planting. It encourages new growth and helps them fit into containers more easily.
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Use insect netting to protect new plantings. Rabbits and other critters will dig them up if given the chance.
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Hold off on mulch until the plants leaf out. Bare soil warms faster, which helps kickstart growth.
Bonus: Use Strawberries as Ground Cover
This blew my mind: strawberries make amazing living mulch. I planted them under my apple and pawpaw trees, and they:
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Smother weeds
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Cool the soil in summer
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Don’t compete with tree roots
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Give me a bonus harvest!
They spread with runners and eventually form a lush, productive mat—without being overly invasive.
Final Thoughts
You really can’t go wrong with bare root strawberries—just plant them right. Whether you go with containers or direct in-ground planting depends on your weather, space, and lifestyle.
But trust me: get them in early, treat the crowns right, and these little plants will reward you all season long.
