Time to Plant

Middle to late August generally is the best time to plant strawberries in all locations. Day-neutral cultivars also can be planted in the fall or in February and March. Where winters are mild, short-day cultivars can be planted in November using green plants--new plants that you dig in October.

When you plant affects fruit production the following year. Short-day cultivars planted in August yield a small crop of fruit in the fall and begin their main fruit production the following spring. You may get better spring fruit production if you remove all the blossoms produced the first fall after planting. Day-neutral cultivars begin fruit production in the fall and continue as long as temperatures are favorable. For both short-day and day-neutral plants, heaviest production is in May and June. Healthy summer plantings yield about 1 quart of berries per plant. Fall plantings yield about 1 pint. Fruit production is usually highest in the first full season after planting and declines after that.