Growing Strawberries

Strawberries are a perennial crop, meaning they continue to grow year after year by sending out 'runners' from the main plant.  They are best planted in the cooler months. Planted in the cooler months in South East Queensland or a subtropical climate strawberries will establish roots and flourish once warmer weather comes.

Plant strawberries in the ground about 15cm apart, taking care to mulch with sugarcane to keep the developing fruit clean and roots protected.

Terracotta pots as featured above are an excellent way to enjoy strawberries if you have limited space. Great project for kids!

Companion planting

Planting borage next to strawberry plants serves several beneficial functions. Borage acts as a powerful pollinator by attracting an array of bees and insects to it's desirable blue flowers which will then go on to find the strawberry flowers.

With the attraction of pollinators, the borage plants also bring other helpful defenders of strawberry plants: predatory insects. Praying mantis and predatory wasps are frequently drawn to gardens where borage is planted (along with others). Predatory insects cannibalize other insects that would do damage to strawberry plants, given the chance.

Borage also releases trace elements into the soil and can exchange those to strawberries when grown side by side.

Feeding

Strawberries are moderate feeders and would enjoy high potassium fertiliser early the season for sweet fruit. Would also benefit from a feed of blood and bone in the middle of summer.

Picking

Pick fruit as it ripens. Regular picking also encourages more fruiting.