How to Grow Strawberries in Raised Trenches

Measure the growing space and mark the garden by inserting wooden stakes in each of the four corners. Place wooden stakes every 36 inches on both ends of the rows so you can line up the rows. Use the fishing line to make straight rows every 36 inches by attaching the line to one wooden stake and walking the length of the row and attaching it to a stake on the opposite end.

Add soil and fertilizer to raise each row approximately 12 inches from surrounding ground. The raised trenches should also be about 12 inches wide -- leave spaces to walk between each row. Strawberries grow best if the soil has been amended with nitrogen, so incorporate a 10-10-10 fertilizer into the mounded rows with a garden rake. Use a fertilizer that contains at least 50 percent slow-release nutrients so you will not have to later remove the landscape fabric and reapply.

Install soaker hoses along each row by digging a slight trench about two inches deep and placing the hose inside. Connect the hoses to a main line once all the hoses have been laid in the rows. Drip or soaker hoses will reduce the time required to tend to the strawberries while ensuring the plants get sufficient water to produce berries.

Stretch landscape fabric tautly over each mound and securing with metal stakes. The black plastic landscape material is sold at home improvement and garden centers and is used to prevent pests from damaging the plant roots and also helps the plant retain moisture. Once the fabric is secured, use garden shears to cut small slits every 12 inches where the plants will be inserted.

Purchase plant varieties designed to grow in your specific gardening zone as not all strawberry plants grow well in all regions. Place the root ball through the slit in the material and press firmly so the seedling is upright. The depth of each plant will vary depending on how big the root ball is and how tall the stems are. When you plant, make sure the root ball is completely covered but the first set of leaves should be above soil level.

Monitor your plants throughout the growing season and once the berries begin to grow, watch them daily. The plants may mature over a period of several weeks, so constant harvesting is required to pick the ripe berries at their individual peaks. If you do not plan to consume the berries immediately, place the unwashed berries in the refrigerator for up to one week.