How To Grow Everbearing Strawberry Plants
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The everbearing strawberry plant is perfect for strawberry lovers—it bears fruit two to three times per year, giving you plenty of strawberries for recipes like strawberry smoothies and strawberry shortcake.
Although this plant produces juicy and sweet fruit throughout the year, it isn’t the easiest to grow. Explore our guide on everbearing strawberry plants to help you with the planting and growing process.
Everbearing Strawberry Plant Specifications
| Characteristic | Description |
|---|---|
|
Fruit size |
1 to 2 inches long |
|
Fruit uses |
Eat raw or in a recipe |
|
Fruit color |
Red with yellow seeds |
|
Fruit texture and flavor |
Juicy texture, sweet flavor |
|
Region |
Most regions, except parts of the North, Midwest, Alaska, and Hawaii |
|
Hardiness Zones |
4–9 |
|
Growing season |
Pick in late spring, late summer or early fall, and late fall |
|
Susceptibility |
Gray mold, anthracnose fruit rot, common leaf spot, angular leaf spot, phytophthora crown rot, anthracnose crown rot |
What Does an Everbearing Strawberry Plant Look Like?
The leaves on an everbearing strawberry plant are green, and the flowers that will eventually produce strawberries are white. The strawberries themselves are 1 to 2 inches in length, red with yellow seeds, and juicy and sweet in flavor.
There are several varieties of everbearing strawberry plants, and each of them have slightly different dimensions. As a general rule of thumb, you can expect your plant to be 8 to 12 inches tall and 1 to 2 feet wide.
Growing Conditions for an Everbearing Strawberry Plant
To learn how to properly care for your everbearing strawberry plant, make sure you can accommodate these growing conditions.
Sun and shade
Strawberries require at least six hours of full sun every day. Place your container on an uncovered deck or plant the strawberries in a part of your yard that doesn’t have shade.
Soil
Everbearing strawberry plants grow best in rich, well-drained soil with a lot of organic matter. The pH of the soil should be between 5.5 and 6.5, which is slightly acidic.
Fertilizer
Everbearing strawberries need a steady amount of 10-10-10 fertilizer throughout the growing season because they continuously blossom and bear fruit. 10-10-10 fertilizer contains nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which are the three main nutrients needed for plants to grow.
During the first year, use 1 1/2 pounds of fertilizer per 100 feet of growing space. Break this amount into three feedings—two weeks after planting, one month after planting, and two months after planting. In the following years, use 1 pound of fertilizer per 100 square feet in three or four installments spread out evenly from early spring through early August.
Watering
Everbearing strawberries require regular watering and need 1 to 2 inches of water per week during the growing season. It’s best to use drip irrigation or a soaker hose so that you avoid getting the fruit wet and causing rot. During the off-season, you can water twice per week to keep the soil moist.
It’s best to water the strawberries earlier in the day so that the sun can absorb some of the excess water from the plant.
Hardiness Zones
Everbearing strawberries can grow in Hardiness Zones 4–9, which means almost every state in the country can grow them. However, certain parts of the North, Midwest, Alaska, and Hawaii can be too cold or too hot for ideal growing conditions.
How to Plant an Everbearing Strawberry Plant
The best time to plant your everbearing strawberry plant is in the early spring, as long as the soil isn’t too muddy. You can test the soil by squeezing some in your hand—if the soil falls apart, you can go ahead and plant your strawberry plant, but if the clump stays together, you may want to try again in a few days.
When it’s time to plant, follow this growing procedure:
- Dig a 6-by-6-inch hole for the shallow rooted strawberry plant.
- Mix in 10-10-10 fertilizer at the rate of 1 pound per 100 square feet and 3 inches of compost.
- Build a 5-inch-high cone of soil in the center of the hole.
- Place the plant in the center of the hole with the crown of the plant at soil level and the roots draped over the cone.
- Fill in soil around the base of the plant and water it.
- Spread 1 to 2 inches of straw around the plant to keep it weed-free.
If you’re planting more than one everbearing strawberry plant, make sure the holes are 12 inches apart.
You can also plant the strawberries in containers or raised beds. If you choose this method, mix potting soil and compost together and place the plant in a hole in the center. When your first batch of flowers bloom, cut them off and allow the plant to focus on creating a strong root system, which will help produce better strawberries in the future.
You should see your first strawberries in the first year of planting. You will get two strawberry harvests—one in the late spring and one in the late summer or early fall. You may also get a third harvest in late fall.
How to Harvest an Everbearing Strawberry Plant
Harvest the strawberries once they’re ripe and red all over. To pick by hand, grasp the stem with your thumb and forefinger and gently twist while pulling the berry away. Another option is to cut by the stem to avoid damaging the plant. Harvest frequently to reduce the likelihood of fruit rots and mold.
Unwashed everbearing strawberries should be stored in the refrigerator for three to five days. To extend their shelf life, store them in the freezer for around two months.
Tolerance and Susceptibility
Everbearing strawberry plants are susceptible to a variety of diseases. In this section, we break down common diseases and categorize them by the part of the plant they affect.
Wildlife Threats
Several insects and animals will attack the strawberry plant, including mites, slugs, nematodes, birds, and squirrels. To prevent pests, use an epsom salt spray or insecticidal soap and wrap bird nets around the plant during the growing season. Once you have harvested the strawberries, pull off the netting and allow the birds and squirrels to eat insects on the plant.
Overwintering
Some plants may be hardy enough to withstand winters in colder climates, but you’ll still need to provide winter protection to ensure crowns survive the winter. You can either take cuttings, pot them and bring them inside, or you can mulch the overbearing strawberry plant after the plants go dormant. The best mulch for strawberries is clean wheat straw, which should be weed-free and dry.
Our Conclusion
Everbearing strawberry plants require specific planting and care compared to other fruit plants, but they produce a few strawberry yields every harvesting season. Whether you want a June-bearing plant or everbearing strawberry variety, you can purchase your strawberry plant online or from your local home improvement store.
FAQ About Everbearing Strawberry Plants
What are the different types of strawberries?
There are three types of strawberry varieties—June-bearing strawberries, everbearing strawberries, and day-neutral strawberries.
June-bearers get their name because they produce one harvest of strawberries around the month of June. Everbearing varieties generally have two harvesting seasons—late spring or early summer and late summer or early fall. Day-neutral strawberries continuously flower and grow strawberries as long as the temperature is between 35 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
What are some everbearing strawberry varieties?
Popular varieties of the everbearing strawberry include Ozark Beauty, Everest, Seascape, Albion, and Quinalt.
Do everbearing strawberries go dormant?
During cooler months, everbearing strawberry plants will go dormant, but they will return the following spring when it’s time to blossom and bear fruit again.
How long do strawberry plants last?
Strawberry plants can produce fruit for up to four or five years. However, the crop yield may reduce dramatically after the first two or three years due to disease, so we recommend buying a new plant at that time.
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