Planting seasons may vary depending on your planting zone. Because the Poe Center is located in central North Carolina, we plant in Zone 8B. To find your planting zone, go to https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/

In NC, it is best to plant strawberries in the early fall and harvest in the spring. Planting in rows can help ease plant maintenance, but it’s not necessary. Choose a planting location that gets a lot of sunlight, is well-draining, and has ready access to water.

Strawberry Maintenance

Fall

If you already have plants established, it’s best to maintain them in early fall when growth has slowed.

• Thin or remove older strawberry plants to give room for younger “daughter” plants to thrive. This will phase out older, less-productive plants and improve conditions for young plants: increased production, access to sunlight, air flow, and disease resistance. 
• Remove any weeds and consider cutting off the tops of plants to promote growth. To do this, cut 2”-3″ above the base/crown of the plant. 
• Fertilize to add nutrients back to the soil. 
• Consider mulching to help with water retention.

Spring

Though strawberries are normally planted in the fall, you may also plant in the spring. 

• Be sure the plant has time to establish, or its roots have fully integrated in the soil and the plant has grown strong enough to withstand weather conditions. Comment end

• Maintain the plant by pinching off the flowers in the first growing season. This will help the plant establish and have a more fruitful yield the following spring. 
• Remove any additional “daughter” plant growth to reduce crowding in the pot.