How to grow strawberries in the UK
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Types
June-bearers give one main flush (often June–July in the UK). Perpetuals / everbearers crop in flushes through summer into early autumn. For a first bed, a mix of an early June-bearer and a perpetual covers more of the season.
UK month-by-month
| Month | What to do |
|---|---|
| Mar–Apr | Plant cold-stored runners as soon as soil is workable; pot-grown plants anytime frost-free. |
| May | Flowering — protect from late frost with fleece on cold nights; begin strawing when fruit sets. |
| Jun–Jul | Main harvest for June-bearers; net against birds; water consistently. |
| Aug–Sep | Plant new runners for next year’s crop (ideal window); tidy foliage after summer fruiting. |
| Oct–Feb | Mulch bare soil; order bare-root runners; protect pots from repeated freeze–thaw if possible. |
Best planting window: Late summer runners establish for a strong crop the following year. Spring planting still works but often yields less in year one.
Planting
Choose a sunny spot with free-draining soil. Set the crown level with the soil surface — too deep and it rots; too high and roots dry. Space ~30–40 cm apart. In pots and grow bags use peat-free multipurpose compost and do not let containers dry out at flowering.
Care
- Tuck straw or strawberry mats under developing fruit to keep berries clean.
- Net before fruit colours or birds will strip the bed.
- Remove surplus runners unless you are propagating; they weaken fruiting plants.
- Replace plants every 3–4 years as yields decline; rotate the bed if you can.
Harvest
Pick fully red fruit in the cool of the morning. Eat or freeze promptly — home-grown berries rarely store long at room temperature.