How Much Sun Do Strawberries Need?

Sun Needs

• Strawberries, like most plants that produce fruit, require full sun -- at least eight hours per day. In part shade, strawberries produce more foliage, but fewer berries. In full shade, the plants become spindly and the leaves yellow. Strawberry plants growing in full shade produce few, if any, berries.

Options

• If you lack a sunny plot of ground, you can still grow strawberries in containers. Any wooden, plastic, glass or ceramic pot will work as long as it has adequate drainage holes. Set the pot in a sunny location and move it, if necessary, to ensure that the strawberry plants get enough sun. Grow plants in pots as annuals, replacing them every year, and water them frequently because they dry out more quickly than in-ground plants.

Considerations

• In addition to full sunlight, strawberries need well-draining, light, fertile soil and at least one inch of water weekly. Select a variety well-suited to your climate. June-bearing produce a large crop of fruit early in the summer, but don't produce well in areas with late spring frosts. Everbearing and day-neutral types tend to putter out in hot climates, but bear fruit all summer long in areas with mild, but sunny summers. Renovate strawberries annually, removing runners and smaller plants after the harvest, and replace strawberry plants every three to five years.

Selecting a Location

• When choosing a site for strawberries, select a location that is in full sun most of the day. Avoid spots where grass recently grew, because grubs quickly infest a strawberry patch. Choose a site close to a water source to keep plants well-irrigated and install netting, if necessary, to ward off birds and squirrels.