When should strawberries be sown? How long after planting can they mature and be ready to harvest?

Strawberries have a sweet, tender taste and a compact plant, offering both edible value and ornamental value. So besides professional strawberry growers, many people have also started growing strawberries at home. So when should strawberries be sown? How long after planting can they mature and be ready to harvest?

1. When should strawberries be sown?

In fact, strawberry growers today all buy strawberry seedlings for transplanting, and very few grow their own seedlings from seed. But if you are growing strawberries just to be “self-sufficient”, then you can also try the method of direct sowing to grow strawberries.

1. Sowing time for strawberries

If you are not growing strawberries in a greenhouse, the sowing time for strawberries depends on the climate, and the most important reference factor is temperature. You need to ensure the ambient temperature at sowing time is between 25-30 degrees Celsius, so the best sowing time is from mid-September to the end of October each year. At this time not only is the temperature up to standard, but light, air humidity and other factors are also all favourable for the germination, survival and growth of strawberry seeds.

2. Sowing method for strawberries

However, strawberry seeds are very small, so when sowing you also need to soak the seeds to promote germination.

First prepare warm water at about 60 degrees Celsius, then pour the strawberry seeds you bought into the warm water, stir for about 20 minutes and let stand for 5 hours, then place the strawberry seeds in a warm, ventilated place to drain off the water. Choose a clear early morning and sow the seeds by broadcasting, then scatter a thin layer of soil mixed with fertiliser over them.

2. How long after planting strawberries can they mature and be ready to harvest?

1. Maturity time of strawberries

Usually, 6-8 months after sowing, strawberries will successively flower and bear fruit, meaning that in the second year you can eat strawberries you grew yourself. However, the first year the strawberry yield is relatively small, and in the second year the yield will increase several times over.

Note that after sowing they will go through a winter. If the winter temperature in your area is relatively low, then it is recommended to cover the strawberries with a layer of plastic film and set up a shed to keep them warm.

2. Harvesting method for strawberries

Strawberry fruits are tender, and improper harvesting will damage the flesh, so when harvesting strawberries it is recommended to pay attention to the following points:

(1) “Pinch”: first use your thumb and index finger to pinch up the leaves of the strawberry, and let your remaining fingers support the strawberry fruit.

(2) “Cut”: prepare a small pair of scissors and, with your left hand, cut off the strawberry from the base of its stem.

(3) “Place”: first put a layer of strawberry leaves in the harvesting basket, then gently place the harvested strawberries on the leaves.

(4) “From the inside out”: this means that when harvesting, you should start from the inner layer of each strawberry plant and work outwards, as this helps the strawberries bear fruit a second time.