How to Grow Strawberries from the Seed

Last Updated: August 25, 2021 References Approved

Do you love strawberries? This sweet, delicious fruit is a refreshing treat during the warmer months; plus, you can grow them right at home. While it’s generally easier to grow strawberries from seedlings, you can also grow this fruit directly from a seed. We’ve outlined the process from start to finish, so you can start growing a strawberry crop of your very own!

1

Choose a strawberry variety that meets your needs.

There are 3 main types of strawberries. June-bearing strawberries, also known as Chandler, Earliglow, Jewel, and Cabot, are harvested annually in the early summer. Day-neutral strawberries, or Seascape, Evie, and Albion, are ready to harvest throughout the summer and autumn months. Everbearing strawberries, otherwise known as Tribute and Tristar, can be harvested 2-3 times during the spring, summer, and autumn months.^{[1]
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- There are also woodland strawberries, which are a type of day-neutral berry. This type of strawberry typically grows on bushes, and produces a pretty small fruit crop overall.^{[2]
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- June-bearing strawberries won’t be ready to harvest until the second growing season.^{[3]
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- Ultimately, pick a strawberry type that matches your gardening style. If you’d like to harvest fruit for several weeks and months, everbearing and day-neutral are the best options for you. If you’d rather harvest all your fruit in a really short amount of time, June-bearing might be the best choice.^{[4]
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- If you plan on growing your strawberries in containers, day-neutral or everbearing are the best options.^{[5]
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2

Pick a sunny, outdoor spot to grow your strawberries.

Strawberries thrive in well-drained soil that gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight.^{[6]
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Research source} As you stake out the perfect spot, keep in mind that strawberries need a lot of growing space. Many gardeners space their berries out in rows, and separate those rows by at least 3 ft (0.91 m).^{[7]
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- To check if your soil drains well, dig a large, 12 to 18 in (30 to 46 cm) hole that’s about 12 to 18 in (30 to 46 cm) deep. Then, pour water into the hole. If the drains away in less than 10 minutes, your soil is good to go.^{[8]
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- If your soil doesn’t drain well, add compost, peat moss, or decomposed manure to your planting area.
- It’s okay if you don’t have a lot of growing space—you can grow your plants in containers, instead.

3

Conduct a soil test.

Test the soil to see if it needs any nutrients.^{[9]
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Research source} Look for the recommended NPK ratio on your test results—this lets you know how much nitrogen, phosphate, and potash your soil needs. Then, buy a fertilizer that matches that NPK ratio.^{[10]
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- For instance, if your test results recommended an NPK ratio of 3-1-2, you would use a fertilizer with a 3-1-2 NPK ratio on the label.
- Many experts advise using a balanced fertilizer for your strawberries, like 10-10-10.^{[11]
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4

Adjust the soil pH, if necessary.

Treat the soil so the pH is somewhere between 6.0 and 6.5.^{[12]
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Research source} Check your previous soil test results to see how your current soil is looking. If the soil pH is a little too low, spread granular or pulverized lime over the damp soil, about 2-3 months before you actually plant the seeds. If the soil pH is too high, apply aluminum sulfate or sulfur over your soil instead.^{[13]
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- The amount of aluminum sulfate or sulfur that you use depends on your soil’s current pH. Check out these graphs for reference: https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/changing-the-ph-of-your-soil.

5

Collect seeds from dried strawberries in the winter.

Spot lots of tiny, yellow seeds along the outside of each fruit. ^{[14]
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Research source} Place your whole strawberries in a food dehydrator set to 135 to 140 °F (57 to 60 °C), so you can easily collect the seeds. Space the fruit trays by 1 to 2 in (2.5 to 5.1 cm) and let the fruit dry for around 24 to 36 hours.^{[15]
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Research source} Then, remove the seeds from the dried fruit.^{[16]
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- If you’d like to save some time, slice the berries in half before dehydrating them. Halved berries only take 7 to 15 hours to dry out.^{[17]
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- You can also dehydrate berries in the oven, but this takes twice as long as a traditional dehydrator. Simply space your berries on a cooking tray and place them in a 140 °F (60 °C), leaving the door 2 to 3 in (5.1 to 7.6 cm) open.^{[18]
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  National Center for Home Food Preservation
  Publicly-funded center dedicated to educating consumers about research-backed safety practices for preserving food
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- You can also buy strawberry seeds online or from a gardening supply store, if you’d like.
- Strawberries are best planted in the early spring months. To plan ahead, collect your seeds in the winter.^{[19]
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6

Freeze the seeds in a jar for 1 month.

Strawberry seeds need to be cold-treated before they’re planted. Pour your seeds into a glass jar and tightly seal the lid on top. Then, slip the jar into the freezer for about 1 month.^{[20]
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- If you’re in a rush, freeze the seeds for at least 2 weeks.^{[21]
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- If you don’t chill the seeds ahead of time, they may not germinate properly.

7

Thaw the seeds and place them in a seed tray.

Germinate your seeds in a tray before planting them outside.^{[22]
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Research source} Pick up a bag of seed-raising soil mix from your local garden supply store and pour the soil into a standard-sized seed tray.^{[23]
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Research source} Then, bury the seeds about 6 mm (0.24 in) beneath the soil.^{[24]
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- As a general rule of thumb, bury about 2-3 strawberry seeds in each tray.^{[25]
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- You can buy seed trays online or from your nearest garden supply store.

8

Place the seed tray in a sunny, indoor spot.

Keep the soil moist so the seeds can germinate. Sprinkle the surface of the soil with water, so the dirt is moist to the touch. Then, secure a plastic dome on top of the seed tray, so the soil stays damp. Set your seed in a bright spot, like a windowsill, that gets plenty of sunlight in the morning.^{[26]
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- Your strawberry seeds will start sprouting in about 2-3 weeks.

9

Fertilize your soil before planting the strawberries.

Use 1 lb (0.45 kg) of fertilizer for every 100 sq ft (9.3 m²) of plants. Before planting the strawberries, scatter the fertilizer over the soil. Then, work the soil about 6 to 8 in (15 to 20 cm) into the dirt.^{[27]
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Penn State Extension
Educational organization dedicated to delivering science-based information to people, businesses, and communities
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10

Plant the seedlings when they’re at least 1 in (2.5 cm) tall.

Space out your plants so they have plenty of room to grow. Plant your June-bearing plants in rows, spacing the plants 12 to 24 in (30 to 61 cm) apart. If you’re working with day-neutral strawberries, separate the plants by about 8 to 12 in (20 to 30 cm).^{[28]
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Research source} Space out everbearing plants by 12 in (30 cm).^{[29]
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Research source} As you plant your seeds, only bury the roots and crown beneath the soil.^{[30]
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- The “crown” is the base of the plant. Since strawberries don’t have big root systems, you don’t need to bury them very deep in the soil.
- Experts recommend soaking the roots in water before planting them.^{[31]
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  Trustworthy Source
  Penn State Extension
  Educational organization dedicated to delivering science-based information to people, businesses, and communities
  Go to source}

11

Transplant your seedlings to pots for a more portable option.

Day-neutral and everbearing strawberries can grow in containers.^{[32]
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Research source} There are a lot of different container options out there—if you’d like to grow a big crop, a pop-up trug on legs (a V-shaped planter) or bespoke strawberry planter might work well. If you only plan on growing a few strawberry plants, go for a terracotta plant or window box instead.^{[33]
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Research source} In general, pick a container with a drainage hole, so your strawberries don’t get overwatered.^{[34]
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- A bespoke planter and pop-up trug on legs hold about 8 strawberry plants, while a hanging basket holds 6. A window box holds about 4 strawberry plants, while a terracotta pot only holds 3.^{[35]
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12

Fertilize your plants throughout the growing season.

Take time to fertilize during the spring and summer. If you have June-bearing strawberries, fertilize the plants after you harvest them. Nourish day-neutral and everbearing strawberries once a month in April, May, June, and August.^{[36]
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- Some experts recommend scattering a general fertilizer over your plants in the early spring, and nourishing them with a liquid tomato fertilizer once every 1-2 weeks throughout the growing season.^{[37]
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  Royal Horticultural Society
  Leading gardening charity in the U.K. providing resources for identifying, growing and caring for flowers and other plants
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13

Water your strawberries weekly.

Pour enough water so the soil stays moist. In general, give your plant about 1 to 1 ¹⁄₂ in (2.5 to 3.8 cm) of water each week. Dig your fingers into the soil—ideally, the dirt should be moist for 6 to 8 in (15 to 20 cm) below the surface. Watering your plants about once a week will do the trick.^{[38]
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- If it rains pretty frequently in your area, you don’t need to worry about watering them.

14

Pull out any weeds as you notice them.

Always remove weeds by hand. Strawberries don’t have a deep root system, so a hoe or other tool might hurt the plant. Try to get rid of weeds as soon as you can, so they don’t take away any nutrients from your fruit.^{[39]
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15

Watch for pests and disease throughout the growing and harvest season.

Get rid of pests and disease with fungicide, bait, and other remedies. If you’re worried about mold, spritz your strawberries with fungicide when the flowers are just starting to open up. If you notice slugs hanging around, place bait near your plants. You can also set traps for pests like the spotted wing Drosophila, which is a type of fruit fly.^{[40]
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- Drape a net over your strawberries to prevents birds and other animals from nibbling the fruit.^{[41]
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- Citrus rinds are a great way to lure slugs away from your plants.^{[42]
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- If you notice gray mold developing on your plants, cut off the affected leaves and vines as soon as possible.^{[43]
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  Royal Horticultural Society
  Leading gardening charity in the U.K. providing resources for identifying, growing and caring for flowers and other plants
  Go to source}

16

Harvest strawberries between the spring and summer months.

Pick your strawberries when they’re completely red. Experts suggest collecting berries in the middle of the day, when they’ll taste especially fresh and delicious. Eat or cook with your strawberries as soon as you can; unfortunately, this fruit doesn’t do well in the freezer.^{[44]
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Royal Horticultural Society
Leading gardening charity in the U.K. providing resources for identifying, growing and caring for flowers and other plants
Go to source}

Community Q&A

Question

How long does it take to get strawberries to grow from seeds?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

It depends on the type of strawberry you’re growing! Some varieties, like everbearing and day-neutral, will produce fruit in the first growing season, while others, like June-bearing, won’t be ready to harvest until the second growing season.
Question

In how many weeks are the seeds supposed to germinate under the thin layer of soil?

wikiHow Staff Editor
Staff Answer
This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Strawberries typically germinate in about 2-3 weeks. However, you shouldn’t transplant them until they’re at least 1 in (2.5 cm) tall.
Question

What type of soil conditions are necessary to plant strawberries?

Community Answer

Your soil should be acidic and well-watered.