How to grow strawberries (gardens, pots & hanging baskets)

A single strawberry plant in a pot on a sunny doorstep will give you fruit in summer. A basket of six on a south-facing wall will give you fruit from late spring through autumn if you choose the right varieties. And once you have plants, they multiply for free — one bed becomes three within a season through runners.

Types of strawberry: summer-fruiting, everbearing and alpine

Understanding the three main types of strawberry helps you plan what to grow, when to expect fruit, and how to mix varieties for the longest possible harvest season.

• Summer-fruiting strawberries (also called June-bearing in North America): These produce a single, concentrated crop over 3–4 weeks in early to midsummer, triggered by long days and warmth. They typically give the heaviest yield per plant and the largest individual fruits. They're subdivided by timing into early (e.g. 'Honeoye', 'Elsanta'), mid (e.g. 'Cambridge Favourite', 'Korona') and late (e.g. 'Florence', 'Symphony') varieties — growing a mix extends the season considerably. In the UK and Northern Europe the main crop typically falls between late May and early August depending on variety and year.
• Everbearing / perpetual strawberries (day-neutral types): These produce fruit almost continuously from late spring until the first frosts, though individual flushes are smaller than a summer-fruiter's concentrated crop. They're less affected by day length and tolerate a wider range of conditions. Varieties include 'Albion', 'Seascape', 'Mara des Bois' (exceptional flavour) and 'Flamenco'. They produce fewer runners than summer-fruiters. Good for baskets and containers where a few fruits at a time is exactly what you want.
• Alpine strawberries (Fragaria vesca): Small, intensely aromatic fruits throughout the season. They're grown from seed as well as runners, tolerate partial shade better than the others, and are excellent as edging plants or in woodland-style gardens. They don't produce runners (or produce very few), so propagation is by division or seed. Flavour is remarkable — small but complex — though the fruits are tiny.

For most growers, a mix of a mid-season summer-fruiter and an everbearing variety gives the best of both: a dependable peak crop and a trickle of fruit through summer and into autumn.

Buying plants and runners

Strawberry plants are sold as:

• Bare-root runners: Dormant young plants with exposed roots, typically sold in autumn and early spring. They're the cheapest way to buy in quantity and establish well when planted promptly and kept moist. Available by mail order from specialist soft-fruit nurseries.
• Cold-stored runners: Runners that have been chilled to halt growth, allowing them to be sold and planted from late winter through summer for a crop in the same year. More expensive than standard runners but extend the planting window.
• Pot-grown plants: Actively growing plants in small pots, sold from spring through summer. More expensive per plant but establish quickly and are the easiest option for beginners. Available at garden centres and some supermarkets.

Buy from reputable garden suppliers or certified nurseries. As with garlic, plants carrying viruses (several aphid-transmitted viruses affect strawberries, including Strawberry Mottle Virus) show reduced yield over time. Certified stock from registered producers is inspected to minimise this risk. Once you have healthy, certified plants established, you can propagate your own runners indefinitely from your best performers.

Planting in containers, baskets, beds and grow bags

Strawberries are extraordinarily adaptable in terms of growing situation. The consistent requirements are full sun (at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily), good drainage and consistent moisture. For more ideas on making small spaces work, see our guide to growing food in small spaces.

In beds: Prepare the ground by digging in plenty of well-rotted compost. Strawberries prefer a slightly acidic soil (pH 5.5–6.5). Plant 35–45 cm apart in rows 75 cm apart. This spacing allows air circulation (important for disease prevention) and room for runners to be pinned in, or removed cleanly.

In raised beds: Excellent for strawberries — good drainage, easy to cover with netting, and the elevated position makes harvesting and bird-proofing simpler. Plant at 30–35 cm spacing.

In containers and grow bags: A 40–50 litre strawberry grow bag holds 4–6 plants well. Individual pots should be at least 20–25 cm deep and 30 cm wide for 2–3 plants. Strawberry planters with side pockets are popular and work well, but the pockets dry out quickly — check water needs daily in summer. Use good multipurpose compost mixed with slow-release fertiliser granules.

In hanging baskets: A basket of 30–35 cm diameter comfortably holds 3 plants, with 2–3 more tucked into the sides if it's a lined basket. Mix water-retaining gel granules into the compost because baskets dry out extremely fast, especially on hot or windy days. Hanging baskets also have the advantage of raising the fruit off the ground, away from slugs.

Planting in a container or hanging basket — step by step

1. Prepare the container. Choose a basket at least 30–35 cm across, or a pot at least 20 cm deep. Line baskets with coir fibre or a moss-and-liner combination. Add drainage material (small stones or broken crocks) to the base of pots.
2. Mix your compost. Combine multipurpose compost with slow-release fertiliser granules and, for baskets, water-retaining gel granules. Fill the container to about 5 cm from the rim.
3. Mound the centre slightly. For each plant position, create a small mound of compost so you can drape the roots down naturally without bending them.
4. Set the plant at crown level. Place the crown exactly at the compost surface — not above, not below. Spread roots out and down over the mound. Backfill around the roots, firming gently.
5. Space correctly. In a basket, plant 3 main plants evenly around the basket. Space pot plants 20–25 cm apart. Add smaller plants to basket side pockets if available.
6. Water thoroughly. Water until it runs from the drainage holes. For baskets, soak until completely saturated — dry spots in the compost are a common problem with new plantings.
7. Position in full sun. Hang baskets on a south- or west-facing wall or fence. Set pots where they'll get maximum direct sunlight through the day.
8. Begin feeding when flowers appear. Switch from general compost nutrition to a weekly liquid high-potassium feed (tomato feed) as soon as the first flower buds form. Continue through the fruiting period.

Sun, watering and feeding when fruiting

Sun: More than almost any other aspect of growing strawberries, sunlight determines both yield and flavour. Plants in full sun produce more and sweeter fruit than those in partial shade. A south-facing or sheltered, sun-trap position is ideal. If your best spot is slightly shaded, choose an everbearing or alpine variety, which are more tolerant.

Watering: Consistent moisture is crucial, particularly during flowering and fruit development. Irregular watering — dry spells followed by heavy rain or irrigation — causes fruit to be misshapen, small or to split. Aim for even soil moisture throughout the season, watering at the base of the plant rather than overhead where possible (wet foliage increases the risk of botrytis grey mould on the fruit). In containers, check daily in warm weather. See our water-wise gardening guide for tips on drip irrigation and mulching to conserve moisture.

Feeding: Strawberries in the ground in well-prepared soil generally need feeding only once the fruits are developing. In containers and baskets, where compost nutrients are depleted faster, weekly liquid feeding with a tomato feed (high in potassium, which promotes fruit production rather than leafy growth) from the time buds appear through to the end of fruiting is important for good yields. After fruiting, switch back to a balanced general fertiliser to build the plant up for next year.

Mulching: Once plants are in the ground and growing actively, spread a mulch of straw, wood chip or a purpose-made strawberry mat around and under the developing fruit. This keeps the fruit clean (off the soil), retains moisture, suppresses weeds, and creates a less hospitable environment for slugs — which will otherwise eat into ripening fruit from underneath.

Protecting fruit from birds, slugs and other problems

Birds are the most persistent predator of ripening strawberries. A hungry blackbird or wood pigeon can clear a row before you realise the fruit was ripe. Fine-mesh netting supported on hoops or a frame is the only reliable solution — drape it over the plants once fruits begin to colour, ensuring it's secured at the base so birds can't get underneath. Remove or lift it when you're harvesting to allow pollinator access while flowers are still present.

Slugs and snails cause ragged damage to ripening fruit, often from underneath. Straw mulch helps by keeping the fruit raised off the soil, but slugs can still navigate through it. Iron phosphate (ferric phosphate) slug pellets are effective and degrade naturally. Nematode treatments (Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita) applied to the soil in warm conditions are a good biological approach. For a broader look at managing these pests across the garden, see our natural pest control guide. Hanging baskets have a natural advantage here — fruit is simply out of reach for ground-dwelling slugs.

Botrytis (grey mould): A fungal disease that causes soft brown patches and grey fuzzy mould on fruit, especially in wet or humid conditions. Good air circulation between plants (correct spacing matters), avoiding overhead watering, removing damaged or overripe fruit promptly, and straw mulching to keep fruit off wet soil all reduce incidence. Badly affected fruits should be removed and disposed of, not composted.

Vine weevil: The larvae (small, c-shaped white grubs) eat strawberry roots and crowns, causing plants to suddenly wilt and die, typically in late summer or autumn. Most common in containers. Nematode treatment (Heterorhabditis bacteriophora or Steinernema kraussei, depending on soil temperature) applied in late summer or early autumn is effective. Check container compost for grubs when repotting.

Propagating from runners for free plants

One of the great pleasures of growing strawberries is that the plants do your propagation work for you. From midsummer onward, summer-fruiting varieties in particular send out long, arching stems called runners. At intervals along each runner, a small plantlet develops at a node, complete with a tiny crown and developing roots. These can be encouraged to root into the soil or a pot and will become full-sized, fruit-bearing plants the following year.

• Select the healthiest runners from your most productive plants. The first plantlet on each runner (closest to the parent) is typically the most vigorous — choose this one and pinch off any subsequent plantlets on the same runner.
• Pin the plantlet into a small pot of compost placed beside the parent plant, using a bent piece of wire or a hairpin staple to hold the node firmly against the compost surface. Don't sever the runner from the parent yet.
• Keep the pot moist. Within 3–4 weeks the plantlet will have rooted into the pot. You can confirm this by tugging very gently on the plantlet — if there's resistance, it's rooted.
• Sever the runner from the parent plant using a clean pair of scissors or secateurs. The new plant can now grow independently.
• Grow on in a sheltered spot until you're ready to plant into its final position — usually in late summer or early autumn for the strongest plants, allowing them to establish before winter.

If you don't want runners in the current season (for instance, to maximise fruiting energy in the current year), remove them as they appear by cutting them cleanly at the base. You can propagate runners selectively — allowing just enough for next year's replacements — while still having a generous crop.

Renewing plants and overwintering

When to renew: Strawberry plants are most productive in years two and three after planting (or years one and two if you removed flowers in the first season to establish the plant). After 3–4 years, yields typically decline as the plants age and pathogen load accumulates in the soil. The standard practice is to renew beds every 3–4 years using rooted runners from your best plants, planted in a different part of the garden to break any disease cycle.

Post-harvest renovation: After the main summer crop is over, summer-fruiting strawberries benefit from a tidy-up. Cut back the old foliage to about 10 cm above the crown (don't cut into the crown itself), remove straw mulch and old leaves, and clear any runners you don't want to keep. This allows fresh foliage to grow before autumn and reduces disease carryover. A light feed with a balanced fertiliser at this stage sets the plant up well for next year.

Overwintering: Established strawberry plants in beds are generally hardy through temperate winters and need no special protection. In containers, however, the roots are more exposed to frost than they would be in the ground — very cold winters can freeze a pot solid and kill the roots. Move containers into an unheated greenhouse, shed or garage during hard frost, or wrap the pot in horticultural fleece. Hanging baskets should come down in autumn, be cut back, and be stored similarly — they can go back outside in spring. Everbearing varieties may continue to produce small amounts of fruit until the first hard frost; remove any remaining fruit after this and tidy the plant for winter.

• Choose a mix of summer-fruiting and everbearing varieties for the longest harvest.
• Plant the crown exactly at soil level — not buried, not raised.
• Place in the sunniest available spot — at least 6 hours of direct sun daily.
• Mulch with straw once plants are established to keep fruit clean and deter slugs.
• Feed weekly with a high-potassium liquid fertiliser from bud formation through fruiting.
• Net against birds as soon as fruits begin to colour.
• Pin runners into small pots to get free replacement plants.
• Renew beds every 3–4 years using your best runners in a fresh location.