How to Grow Strawberries UK

Strawberry Planting & Harvest Calendar

Choosing a Site and Soil

Strawberries need full sun — at least 6 hours a day — and soil that drains freely; waterlogged roots are one of the most common reasons plants fail or succumb to rot. Work in plenty of well-rotted compost or manure the autumn before planting, and aim for a slightly acidic to neutral soil pH (5.5–6.5). Avoid planting where potatoes, tomatoes or other strawberries have grown in the previous three years, since they share susceptibility to verticillium wilt and other soil-borne diseases.

Raised beds, large containers and growing bags are all excellent choices if your garden soil is heavy clay or poorly drained — strawberries have shallow roots and are one of the easiest fruiting crops to grow successfully in containers.

Planting Strawberries

Space plants 35–45cm apart, in rows 75cm apart, with the crown (the woody base where leaves emerge) sitting exactly at soil level — bury it and the crown can rot; leave it too high and the roots dry out. Water in thoroughly after planting.

For autumn planting (the preferred UK method), use cold-stored runners or pot-grown plants from September to October. The plants root into the soil over autumn and winter and are ready to fruit fully the following June — this is why most UK strawberry growers plant in autumn rather than spring wherever possible.

For spring planting, potted plants go in from March to April once the soil has warmed and workable. It's worth pinching off the first flush of flowers on spring-planted strawberries in their first year — this feels counterintuitive, but it redirects the plant's energy into establishing strong roots and leaves rather than a handful of small fruit, producing a much better crop in year two.

Choosing a Variety

• Early-season: Christine, Honeoye — first fruit from late May/early June.
• Mid-season (the classic UK choice): Cambridge Favourite, Elsanta — reliable, heavy-cropping, widely available.
• Late-season: Florence, Symphony — extends the harvest into late July.
• Perpetual / everbearing: Mara des Bois, Flamenco — smaller flushes of fruit spread from June right through to the first autumn frosts, rather than one concentrated glut.

Growing one early, one mid-season and one perpetual variety together spreads a single strawberry bed's harvest window from late May through to October.

Caring for Strawberries Through the Season

Mulch under developing fruit with straw (the source of the plant's common name) or strawberry mats once flowering finishes — this keeps fruit off damp soil, reducing grey mould and slug damage considerably. Water consistently while fruit is swelling; irregular watering causes fruit to split or turn woody. Net plants against birds once fruit starts to colour — strawberries are one of the most bird-raided crops in a UK garden.

After the main summer harvest, renovate the bed: cut back old, tatty foliage to about 10cm, remove the mulch and any diseased leaves, and lightly feed. This encourages strong new growth for next year's crop. Established beds are usually productive for three to four years before cropping declines and it's time to start a fresh bed — ideally in a different part of the garden — using runners taken from your healthiest plants.

Feeding Strawberries

Strawberries are relatively light feeders compared with hungry crops like tomatoes, but a little feeding at the right moments makes a noticeable difference. Apply a balanced general fertiliser when new growth starts in spring, then switch to a high-potash feed — the same kind used for tomatoes — once flowering begins, to support fruit development rather than excess leaf growth. Avoid high-nitrogen feeds close to flowering, since they tend to produce lush foliage at the expense of fruit.

Common Pests and Diseases

Birds are the most persistent problem for UK strawberry growers — netting from the moment fruit begins to colour is close to essential if you want to actually eat any of the crop yourself. Slugs and snails shelter under foliage and straw mulch and can ruin fruit resting near the soil, so keep an eye on mulched beds and consider wool pellets or nematodes if damage is heavy. Grey mould (botrytis) thrives in damp, poorly ventilated plantings — good air circulation, straw mulch to keep fruit off wet soil, and removing any affected berries promptly all help keep it in check. Vine weevil larvae feed on roots, particularly in containers, and can cause sudden wilting with no obvious above-ground cause; if a potted plant collapses unexpectedly, check the compost for the characteristic C-shaped white grubs.

Growing Strawberries in Containers and Hanging Baskets

Strawberries are one of the most reliable fruiting crops for pots, growing bags, and hanging baskets, thanks to their shallow, compact root systems. Use a peat-free, free-draining multi-purpose compost, and choose containers at least 20cm deep. Container-grown plants dry out faster than those in open ground, so check moisture daily during hot weather and feed slightly more often than an in-ground bed, since nutrients wash through the compost more quickly with regular watering. Hanging baskets have the added benefit of lifting ripening fruit well clear of slugs — one of the more effective non-chemical defences available.