Modified: by Mr. Strawberry · This post may contain affiliate links · 90 Comments
Spring brings forth visions of harvest in the minds of home gardeners everywhere as they look at freshly planted gardens. As most gardeners know, everything does best when planted at its optimal time. Planting strawberries is no different. This strawberry planting guide will show you when you should put your strawberry plants in the ground. If you haven’t yet purchased any, you can follow this link to buy strawberry plants.
Strawberry Planting Guide: When to Plant Strawberry Plants
The following table lists the date ranges when you should plant strawberries according to USDA (The United States Department of Agriculture) zones. The higher the number, the closer the zone is to the equator. Each zone has unique climatic properties, and following this strawberry planting schedule will help you maximize your harvest. For more, see the Growing Strawberries reference page.
| USDA Agricultural Zone | Plant Strawberries From: | Plant Strawberries Until: |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 10 | December | February |
| Zone 9 | December | February |
| Zone 8 | December | Middle of March |
| Zone 7 | December | Early April |
| Zone 6 | Early March | Middle of April |
| Zone 5 | Early April | Early May |
| Zone 4 | Early May | Middle of May |
| Zone 3 | Early May | Middle of May |
Strawberry Planting Guide: Conclusion
It is important to remember that planting strawberries during the appropriate time window is only half the battle, and late frosts generally won’t do any significant damage to strawberry plants. It is also important to select a cultivar that is well suited for your area. To learn more about the options, visit the Strawberry Varieties reference page, find out which ones are recommended for your state on the Recommended Strawberry Varieties, or just go with one of the tried and true Popular Strawberry Varieties. And good luck!
Learn everything about growing strawberries from the Strawberry Master Manual, also don't forget to follow me on Pinterest and Facebook to stay updated with everything I post. We also have a Strawberry gardening group on Facebook! Feel free to join.
More Growing Strawberries
- How to Space June-Bearing Strawberries + Arrangement Tips
- How to Space Everbearing Strawberries + Arrangement Tips
- How to Grow a Bumper Crop of Strawberries in A Small Space
- Why Are My Strawberries Misshapen?
Reader Interactions
Comments
Bwambale mumbesa
Am in Uganda. I want to start growing strawberries, I’ve got 200 seedlings from the 5 plants I had bought from a friend in march last year but we all don’t know what variety it is. I do not know how to get the best variety of straw and rusp berry.
Can u get for me market for golden berries please?
Thank you very much!Reply
Barbara Tengarrinha
Hi, I am in Portugal, coastside, frostfree rainy winters (Zone 10a, heat zone 7). Here, normally strawberries are purchased november, bareroot, and planted right away. I have limited space and because of veggie-supply in lockdown I planted in a raised bed (and harvested all winter) Pak Choi and Swiss Chard which are now coming to an end. Yesterday, beginning of March 2021, I bought some strawberry plants in tiny pots, some already with flowers and with fruit forming. I have two questions:
1. Can I plant the strawberries in this site or is it risky because of the Pac Choi before (Brassica…); if it is (risky) , would it be the same problem where I grew Swiss Chard (in the same raised bed but not exactly the same place)?
2. These small potted plants are surely the results of runners, separated from the mother plants probably in last fall. Do I count this year (2021) as year number one (and wait until next year for fruit) or is this already year two? Harvest or not Harvest is the question…
Thanks in advance for advice.Reply
Amanda L
Hi! I just moved from Florida to South Dakota (zone 4b) and was gifted an everbearing strawberry plant and some starts. I have NO EXPERIENCE with winterizing and I don’t want my plants to die next winter! Should I plant them in the ground and read up on winterizing or should I plant them in pots and prepare a space for them inside as it gets colder? According to the map, now is the perfect time for me to plant but I don’t know what to do…
Reply
Mel
I live in zone 6a. We currently Have snow on the ground and are expecting more. It says to plant strawberries in the beginning of March until mid April, however my last frost date is May 1. I ordered 100 bare roots, when should we accept delivery and plant?
Reply
Jenna Ellsbury
I live in zone 4. I love the idea planting the strawberries in gutters. Do you think they will survive in the gutters over the winter or should I just suck it up and put them in the ground?
Reply
Dave
I’m going to do the same. You can always place the gutters on the ground and cover with straw for over wintering.
Reply
Judi Godwin
I live in Missouri, zone 6.. My plant is in pot similar to hen/chick. Beautiful plant with lots of rooted runners. Anything I can do to save plant through winter. Judi Godwin
Reply
Barry
Border of zones 6 and 7. Is it okay to plant strawberries mid-October or best to wait until spring?
Reply
Corinne
I planted some strawberries at school in late August. I live in Zone 10a. How can I get them to survive until December? Will they survive?
Reply
Chrystal
I’m new to planting and After reading about strawberries i figured I would start with them first. I live in zone 8 so it says to start planting in December. I was wanting to start off growing them in pots (if that’s not a good idea then let me know). Is there anything I need to keep in mind?
Reply
B
Hello Mr. Strawberry,
We live near Brookston, IN, zone 5. This Spring we planned on replanting our strawberry patch, but life, and a busted tiller, got in the way. Can we plant successfully plant roots now or in the fall or is it best to just scrap this year and wait until Spring?
Thanks!Reply
Big Ben
I’m planting Bonnie Strawberries that I bought in a pre-grown 6pack. If I plant them now in zone 7, will I see berries this year?
Reply
Summer
Hi I just bought some everbearing strawberry roots and I’m wondering when will be the best time to plant them and what is the best kind of soil to use. I am in MS my zone is 8. I’m growing them in gutters. We had snow twice this year which is not usual for us. According to the gardeners almanac the last scheduled frost should be around March 15th. Thank you!
Reply
Houston Ball
We live directly on the line of zone.7 and 8. Would this month(September)be to late to plant Bonnies strawberry plants?
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
Houston Ball,
September is a perfect time to plant! Planting in the fall allows the roots to develop so that you don’t have to snip your blooms. You won’t get any strawberries this year, but next spring you can expect a full harvest! Go ahead and get them in the ground, and good luck!Reply
Ashraf
Hi,
I live in Maldives, a tropical country with two seasons, namely Hulhangu Moosun (wet monsoon) which lasts from April 8 to December 9, Iruvai Moosun (dry monsoon) which lasts from December 10 to April 7.
I want to grow strawberries here. So is it possible to grow them here? If so please give some details on how to grow them. Especially when to start from seeds as we don’t have seedlings available here as they’re not grown locally.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.
🙂Reply
Mr. Strawberry
Ashraf,
It is very unlikely that strawberries will survive or produce a crop for you in your climate. I’m sorry!Reply
Kelly
I live in zone 5 and we have decided to start a strawberry patch (for next year or year after’s crop obviously). It is late June here. Is it too late to establish a new patch? Would they grow and be strong enough to survive the winter? Any help is appreciated!
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
Kelly,
No, it isn’t too late. If you are going to be transplanting the strawberries, you may want to even wait a bit longer. Root development happens best in the cooler fall weather, so September should be the ideal time to plant. Good luck!Reply
Yumi
Hi! I’m trying my hand at planting for the first time ever and I wanted to start with strawberries. I live in zone 10 and was wondering, is the window for planting is closed since it’s already May? Additionally, I don’t have a yard or anything of the like but I do have a sunny window. Should I use a container or hanging basket?
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
Yumi,
In Zone 10 it is going to be difficult to grow strawberries in the summer/hot weather. Most growers that far south use day-neutrals for off season production in late winter. You can try either a container for your strawberries, or a hanging basket. However, it might be hard to keep them alive. Good luck!Reply
Joy
Hi,
Could you please recommend some strawberry varieties that would do well in Southern California (zone 10)? Thank you!
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
Joy,
Zone 10 is hot! You might want to try Chandler as they are a bit more heat tolerant than most. Good luck!Reply
Helen
Hi,
I bought some Albion. Not sure if they are barefoot or not as most of them have some small leaves on them but most of them are just long roots. I live in Northern California and now it is Feb. The temperature has been in the 30-40th during the day and 10-20th at night. I planted them right away in a milk crate towel I made with some straws and then covered it with some clear plastic. I left it outside for two nights and now I am not sure if that was stupid or not. So now I have it inside. Please let me know what should I do now. Thank you so much!
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
Helen,
Moving back and forth from inside to outside can be traumatic on plants when they are getting established. If you have a greenhouse-like set up (with the plastic), I would wait for some warm nights and then move them outside again the morning before the warmer nights begin. Giving them extra protection for the first few nights will help also, but staying outside is probably the best option as soon as they can be moved back out safely. Good luck!Reply
Jennifer Stubblefield
I planted strawberry plants I a big outdoor container. I mixed about a third sand in with the potting soil. Mom always told me that strawberries love sand. Anyway, I have been told that they ate perinial. Is that correct? Also, I live in zone 6 (Missouri) when should I expect to see the first berries coming in? Thank you!
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
Jennifer Stubblefield,
Strawberry plants do love a sandy loam soil rich in organic matter. And, yes, they are perennial. You will likely see the first berries coming in by April or May, depending on the weather. Good luck!Reply
Joe
Hi I just purchased strawberry roots, its early feb. how do I keep them till early April. (zone 5)
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
Joe,
This should help. Good luck!Reply
Meghan
I just received blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries in the mail. Can I plant now in zone 8? I have them moist and in sand per the companies recommendations but not sure when to plant in ground. We have raised beds. Thanks!
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
Meghan,
In zone 8, I would go ahead and plant personally, however, that does come with some risk. If you do go ahead and plant, be sure to monitor the temperature and provide extra protection if the temperature drops into the low twenties or cooler. Also, if the plants do suffer cold injury, you might void your ability to get a refund by not following the company’s recommendations. Either way, good luck!Reply
Summer
I live in zone 8 as well and I am wanting to plant my strawberry roots I just bought. Did you try yours early last year? If so do you have any tips lol. #Trying to get some advise:)
Reply
LeAnn
Mr. Strawberry,
We planted strawberry plants in
plastic pots. Would like to transplant
to ground for next year. What should we
do for the winter? Can we transplant now
or wait till spring? (zone 5)Reply
Mr. Strawberry
LeAnn,
If the ground isn’t yet frozen where you live (it shouldn’t be), go ahead and transplant them carefully. Good luck!Reply
ann hole
Hi I live in Bulgaria and have just had some strawberry plugs Sweet Colossus delivered, should i plant them directly into the ground or overwinter them, it gets very cold here in the winter down to -30.
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
ann hole,
I am not familiar with the Sweet Colossus variety. I am assuming that it is suitably hardy for your climate, so I would recommend planting in-ground and mulching very heavily to protect them through the winter. To make certain that is the best course of action, you might want to contact the seller and get his recommendation for your situation/variety. Good luck!Reply
phil. wright
hi, we also live in Bulgaria. could i ask where you bought them? we live in Varna area, cheers
Reply
Chris
Where did you get the Sweet Colossus plugs? I am in the US and cannot find them anywhere online.
Reply
karen
I just had strawberry plants shipped. We live in zone 6. can I still plant them outside. We should still have about 2 weeks of 40-60 degree weather till we get a freeze. Or should I plant them in our greenhouse until spring? Thank you
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
karen,
Go ahead and plant them outside as soon as possible. Good luck!Reply
cece cececamp
I am a teacher and starting a school garden this Fall. Due to limited space on the playground I am going to use a plastic kiddie pool. Can I grow strawberries in there and what types would do well in zone 7. Thanks for your help.
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
cece cececamp,
Yes, you can do that, just be sure to put drainage holes in the bottom of the pool so it is well-drained. Chandler and Surecrop should both work well. Good luck!Reply
Amanda McDonald
I am trying to grow strawberries in PVC French drain. (Saw it on Pinterest) Zone 8
I have well drainage but my question is…how long after planting should I see green? We purchased the “root systems” from Lowes…?Reply
Mr. Strawberry
Amanda McDonald,
If you haven’t seen new green growth within two weeks, the crowns have probably died. I’d recommend taking them back to Lowe’s for a replacement or refund. Good luck!
Bridget M Gawel
I just planted grapes, blackberries rasberries and strawberries it is early fall. Is that ok I heard to get the roots in before winter for hopefully spring blooming…..zone 5
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
Bridget M Gawel,
Yes, it is absolutely a great idea to plant strawberries when you did. They should have plenty of time to establish their root systems prior to winter, and you can expect a yummy harvest of strawberries next spring if all goes well! Good luck!Reply
susie
I oxygenate water in a tub I add blood meal bone meal, Epson salt,malasses,fish fertalizer, then I feed my strawberries this is how my ozark berries are growing beautiful is there anything I am missing some berries just wilt what do I do?
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
susie,
See here for more! Good luck!Reply
Donna
I live on Long Island I believe I’m zone 6 or 7 I wanted to know if it’s to late to start my seeds and weather I should keep them indoors or out?
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
Donna,
It isn’t too late to start them if you do it right away. You’ll need to protect them well over the winter months, however. Good luck!Reply
Dave
Because of the cold harsh winter here in upstate New York I could not set out my first year strawberry plants until mid May. They did not start any buds until mid May. I have read that the buds should be pulled up to July first. Now I have an over abundance of buds. What should I be doing? Also, I am in zone 5
Also, I have no real Idea as to what kind of strawberry plants I have. bought all my plants from Lowes.
Any advice?Reply
Mr. Strawberry
Dave,
If I am not mistaken, Lowes sells potted plants. If that is the case (you bought already-green and growing plants), I’d recommend just letting the fruit set. There is little enough disruption when re-planting fully potted plants that you shouldn’t diminish the next year’s harvest significantly by allowing the plants to set their fruit. So, enjoy your harvest! Good luck!Reply
Shayne
Hi new to strawberries, I have 49 bare root ever bearing sitting in the crisper drawer of my fridge. They seem to be okay as I took one out two weeks ago and put it in water, and it started to grow. My question is this do you think it is to late to get them into the ground this late in the game? I live in zone 5 southern Indiana.
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
Shayne,
No, I’d plant them this weekend! Good luck!Reply
marcy
i want to plant my strawberry in dirt with lots of goat poop the soil looks like potting soil it is so rich would it be too much for the strawberrys
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
marcy,
As long as the goat poop has been aged appropriately, it should be fine. Good luck!Reply
Kelly
Hello! I see that for zone 6 I should plant, but is this true for plants in pots that already have leaves? I bought some plants online assuming they were bare root but they are not 🙂 Any help appreciated!
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
Kelly,
Yes, you should go ahead and plant your plants now, if you haven’t already. Good luck!Reply
Ken
I have a newly made raised bed approximately 1.5 sq yard and 14″ deep. I would like to plant an everbearing stawberry. We live in zone 7a and the bed is partially shaded during the morning. The soil is a 80/10/10 mix of black dirt with spagnum moss and bagged cow manure. Do you have suggested varieties of berries that would thrive in this zone?
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
Ken,
This should help: Recommended Varieties by State. Good luck!Reply
Tawnya
Please exuse if this is a stupid question. We are making mounds and covering with black plastic. Will the plastic keep my plants from spreading ? Do you even think the plastic is a wise idea ? I have tons of mulch, keeping them with mulch is no problem. Thank you again for your time.
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
Tawnya,
The black plastic is mainly used by commercial growers who treat the strawberry plants as annuals instead of perennials. The black plastic will keep your plants from spreading via runners as the runners won’t be able root through the plastic and will die. If you have mulch, I’d go with that. Good luck!Reply
Carol
I live in zone 2 when us the best time to cover strawberries with straw
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
Carol,
As soon as the plants enter dormancy, which is usually when the evening temperatures have dropped into the mid-twenties for several nights in a row. Good luck!Reply
Tawnya
I live in N.E. Mississippi, day time temps are now in the 50’s &60’s, night time are mostly 30’s with a few nights still dropping to the 20’s. Do I need to hold off on planting my plants ? Thank you
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
Tawnya,
The chances are good that the worst of the cold weather is behind us. If you bought bare-root plants, I would go ahead and plant them. Good luck!Reply
Ted
I live in the middle of Iowa what would be the best kind of strawberry plants to plant?
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
Ted,
Honeoye strawberries should do excellently there. Good luck!Reply
matt
i live in Louisiana, what strawberry plant would be best for me?
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
matt,
See the recommendations for Louisiana. Good luck!Reply
billy
my strawberrys are growing to the size of watermelons and eating my children what should I do
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
billy,
Have more children.Reply
Kathy
My Strawberries have gotten smaller over the years and my patch is crowded. Should I dig them up and replant the same ones or buy new plants. I only like large berries.
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
Kathy,
Each plant needs enough soil and space to flourish in order to produce larger berries. You can dig up the younger plants (1-2 years old) and replant them. Good luck!Reply
curt
I live in zone 9 Florida. What plants would be good for container and in the garden?
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
curt,
See here: Zone 9 Strawberries. Good luck!Reply
Jean
Live in upstate New York. Still averaging 40 degrees in daytime. Rec’d my strawberry plants but think it’s too cold to plant as they’ll freeze. How do I keep them alive?
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
Jean,
Just don’t let the roots get completely dried out. If you ordered bare root plants, you should have gotten instructions with them. If not, you can get some sand and moisten it and keep the roots in the moist sand until you are ready to plant. If you got plugs or potted plants, just keep them inside and watered until you are ready to plant them outside. Good luck!Reply
Dee
I live in SC..I have had my strawberries in the ground since last season. Can I safely seperate some of the plants? THey look crowded..multiple plants came in ea.container last yr.
Reply
Straw Berry
Dee,
Yes, you can separate or transplant them. See the Transplanting Strawberries page for help. Good luck!Reply
jess
hi i want to plant strawberries here is phoenix arizona! what’s the best type to plant and do i plant them in the sun or shade? also what time should i plant them?
i saw some sequoia strawberry plants at the farmers market today, is that a good one?Reply
Straw Berry
jess,
Chandler does better in hot climates than many others do, but Phoenix isn’t the ideal place to grow them. For help there, see here: growing strawberries. Good luck!Reply
tim hawkins
hello
could you tell me what brand strawberry plant will do best in zone 10 sw florida sandy soil?
thx timReply
Straw Berry
tim hawkins,
You will likely have some trouble with heat and sandy soil. You’ll need to amend the soil to add more organic matter. See the Growing Strawberries Guide for more information. You might have the best results with Chandler. Good luck!Reply
Hamilton King
Hello, I live in tenn so growing here is easy enough, but I live in a very shaded mountain with pretty poor, rocky soil. Would you recommend a raised bed or should i look more into co opting land?
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
Hamilton King,
I would recommend using raised beds filled with higher-quality soil. Of course, if you have land that can be co-opted for growing strawberries, that is an acceptable solution also. Good luck!Reply
Javier Alvarez
I’m hoping to grow strawberries in puerto rico. Can you recommend some varieties?
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
Javier Alvarez,
Unfortunately, Puerto Rico does not have a climate that is conducive to growing strawberries. You might want to try growing strawberries during the shorter days when it is cooler, but for that you’ll need a short-day variety (use the search box at the top of this page to find more information on those). If you are going to try to grow them during the summer, you might have difficulty. Chandler is one of the more heat-tolerant varieties, so you might want to try that one. Good luck!Reply
mike
hi i live in hawaii and i wanted to grow strawberries, could you help me with choosing the right type. it rains allot where i live and it does get warm too. any help would be appreciated. mahalo mike
Reply
Mr. Strawberry
mike,
If you are set on growing strawberries in Hawaii, you may want to try one of the following varieties: Eversweet, Quinault, Seascape. Although strawberries are grown commercially on the Islands, and the Fragaria chiloensis species of strawberries grow at elevation there, they are more difficult to grow in the tropical environment and not highly recommended. The three varieties I just listed are sold in nurseries on Hawaii, so they may do better than most. Good luck!Reply
