A perfectly ripe, sunwarmed strawberry just picked is a summer treat beyondcompare. Too bad strawberry season is so short! Here are your strawberry tips from spring planting through winter protection: 

Site and Soil

When To Plant

In Northern Minnesota, plant strawberries from April 15-July 15. Fall planting is not recommended. Expect two or three years of good berry production with a well-planted and tended strawberry patch. After that, if yields become smaller, replace with new plants and change the location to control disease and insect populations.

How To Plant

Do not let the baby plants dry out! Be sure the root ball is very moist before planting, and don't use fertilizer. Water well after transplanting.

Plant 18 inches apart in rows three feet apart. Set so that the roots goreasonably straight down and spread out for increased feeding area. Press soil firmly against the roots with the crown of the plant just at the surface with no roots showing. If the crown of the plant is covered with soil, the plant will eventually die.

Care For Strawberry Plants

Remove all blossoms for the first year to improve plant growth. Some cultivation and light hoeing may be needed to control weeds. Remember to keep strawberry beds moist.

Renewing Beds At the End of the Season

After harvest in August or September, mow off the leaves well above the plant crowns. Thin the bed with a rake or hoe, leaving four to six inches between plants. If it is dry. water your plants after bed renewal. 

At this time you can do a light application of fertilizer, since fruit beds develop in the fall.

Fertilizer

Approximately four weeks after planting, apply a balanced fertilizer of (10-10-10) sprinkled around the base of the plant without getting on the leaves. Do not apply fertilizer when the leaves are wet. Do not apply fertilizer during the spring on fruiting beds.

Mulching

Sudden very cold temperatures damage the crowns and roots. Protect your strawberry patch with three to four inches of straw to keep the temperature at ground level from dropping suddenly. Mulch also conserves moisture in the spring, delays flowering, makes better picking conditions and reduces rot on the berries. Prepare for rodent inhabitation, and use bait protection.

Control of Disease and Insects

Transplanting from an old bed can cause problems in your new patch. Always keep your patch clean and weed free. Remove overripe fruit that attracts insects. Overcrowded beds tend to have more fruit rot, and bed renewal prevents this problem.