Growing Strawberries at Home: Containers, Beds, and Runners
Homegrown strawberries are incomparably better than shop-bought. Here's how to grow them in any space — from a garden bed to a hanging basket.
Fresh strawberries from your own garden are one of summer's great pleasures. They're also one of the easiest fruits to grow — even without a garden.
Types of Strawberry
June-bearing (summer-fruiting): Large crop all at once in June/July. 'Elsanta', 'Cambridge Favourite'. Best for jam-making.
Everbearing (perpetual): Smaller harvests across summer and into autumn. 'Mara des Bois', 'Flamenco'. Best for continuous picking.
Alpine strawberries: Tiny, intensely flavoured. Tolerate shade. Self-seeding. 'Alexandria' is a reliable variety.
In the Ground
Plant in well-drained, slightly acidic soil (pH 6.0–6.5) in a sunny position. Space plants 30 cm apart in rows 75 cm apart. Plant so the crown is at soil level — planting too deep rots the crown; too shallow dries it out.
In Containers
Strawberries thrive in containers, hanging baskets, and specially designed strawberry planters. Use good compost with added grit for drainage. Water regularly — containers dry out fast. Feed with liquid potassium fertiliser once flowering begins.
Runners
Most strawberries produce runners — long stems with a new plantlet at the end. Pin these into small pots of compost using bent wire. Once rooted (4–6 weeks), cut the runner from the parent and you have a free new plant.
Remove runners during the first year to let plants establish; allow them in subsequent years.
After Fruiting
Cut back old foliage in late summer. Divide or replace plants every 3–4 years as yields decline with age.
