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Family | Container Size | Good Companions | Bad Companions | Soil Conditions | Germination | Sun | Water | Temperature Range | Height | Lifespan | Reproduction | Yield Per Plant | Ingestibility | Further Reading
What Family Do Strawberries Belong To?
Strawberries (Fragaria spp.) belong to the Rosaceae family, also known as the rose family.
Some of their relatives include roses, cherries, and blackberries.
What Size Container Should I Use for Growing Strawberries?
The minimum container size recommended for strawberries is 6 inches deep by 8 inches wide.
What Are Good Companion Plants for Strawberries?
Some of strawberries' best companions are as follows:
- Borage, which improves strawberries' flavor
- Lettuce
- Spinach
- Orach
- Onion
- Garlic
- Beans, including green beans, wax beans, and other beans
- Pea
- Blueberry
- Blackberry
- Sage
- Thyme
What Are Bad Companion Plants for Strawberries?
Strawberries are not compatible with every plant. Some things to avoid planting with strawberries are as follows:
- Broccoli, cauliflower, and other Brassicas
- Tomato
- Peppermint, spearmint, and other mints. Strawberries have fragile roots that are easily stunted or otherwise harmed by the root mat created by mints.
- Rosemary
- Fennel
What Soil Conditions Do Strawberries Need?
Strawberries prefer well-draining, non-compacted soil.How Long Do Strawberries Take to Germinate?
Strawberries take 1-6 weeks to germinate at a temperature of 40-75°F.
How Much Sun Do Strawberries Need?
Strawberries need full sun, preferably 8 hours or more of sun per day. They will not set fruit in shade.
How Much Water Do Strawberries Need?
Strawberries need 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week in cooler weather such as spring temperatures in most areas.
But in hot, dry summer weather, strawberries may need up to 2.5 inches of water per week.
What Is the Ideal Temperature Range for Growing Strawberries?
Strawberries grow fastest in temperatures of 50-80°F.
This is its ideal temperature range. Although it will grow in temperatures both cooler and warmer than this range, the growth could be slower or even stunted.
Minimum and maximum temperatures will vary by variety. Some strawberry varieties are bred for early spring harvests and others for warmer climates.
How Tall Do Strawberries Get?
The average height of mature strawberries is 6-8 inches tall.
They are typically about 12 inches wide as well.
Are Strawberries Annual, Biennial, or Perennial?
Strawberries are perennial, meaning that they live for longer than a couple years.
They are usually productive for 4-5 years. The plant may live longer than 5 years, but it is unlikely to set fruit after that point.
How Do Strawberries Reproduce?
Strawberries reproduce both by seed and by runners.
How Many Strawberries Are Produced Per Plant?
For strawberries, how many berries are produced per plant (also called the yield) can depend on the variety.
However, most strawberry plants produce 1.5 to 3 pounds per plant.
This usually equates to 1-2 quarts per plant.
Can Strawberries Be Ingested?
Strawberry berries and leaves are edible.Strawberry leaves have anti-inflammatory, carminative, and liver-supportive properties and can be used in herbal preparations. The most common preparations are tea and tinctures. An herb:solvent weight ratio of 1:3 at 40% alcohol is suggested for a strawberry leaf tincture.
There are no known safety concerns associated with ingesting strawberry leaves.
Further Reading
This article is intended as a quick-reference guide for gardeners. Consult your seed packet or seed catalog for variety-specific information.
When you have a bumper crop of strawberries rolling in, you may not have enough time for long, complicated recipes or many-step preservation procedures. Check out my article on quick, simple uses for strawberries here!
Strawberries are featured in these Plant to Plate articles:
- Simple Uses for Strawberries
- Choosing the Right Planter for Your Container Garden
- Gardening in Full Sun