How to Grow Ozark Strawberries

Choose an area for growing Ozark strawberries that has sandy loam or loamy soil that is well-drained. Select a spot that additionally features full sun to part shade. Also, make sure the site in which you plan to grow your Ozark strawberries was not used during the past two to three years to grow crops such as potatoes, peppers, tomatoes or even other strawberries because these crops are susceptible to Verticillium wilt, a root rot.

Apply 2 lbs. of a 6-24-24 fertilizer per 100 square feet to your outdoor Ozark strawberry planting area. Mix the fertilizer in the top 6 inches of the soil.

Dig a hole that is large enough to accommodate one of your starter Ozark strawberry plants in your outside garden. Position the seedling so that the fleshy part of the plant from which the leaves develop, also known as the crown, is flush with the surface of the soil. Firm the soil back around the roots, and water the soil. Plant all of your other Ozark strawberry seedlings in the same fashion, keeping plants about 15 inches to 24 inches apart in a row and keeping 36 inches to 48 inches of space between rows.

Remove weeds that grow in your outdoor Ozark strawberry planting area, and pinch off flowers that begin to bloom so as to promote early plant growth. Give your strawberry plants at least an inch to 1.5 inches of water each week if an insufficient amount of precipitation occurs. Also, apply an all-purpose fruit spray to your plants, following the manufacturer's instructions, if pests become an issue.

Apply a 2-inch layer of straw mulch or bark chips over your outdoor Ozark strawberry plants when the plants become dormant in the winter. This usually takes place in December.