How to Grow Strawberries in Alaska

Strawberries grow in many of the colder regions of the continental U.S., with hardiness down to USDA growing zone 5 in Illinois and Minnesota. These are, though, fruit plants that require plenty of summer sun and warmth to grow and bloom. Strawberries are also long-lived plants and take almost a full year to begin their fruit production. In areas like Alaska, where winter temperatures drop well below freezing, any winter maintenance becomes difficult. Gardeners in most of this cold state should keep their strawberries in containers for winter protection.

Things You'll Need

Growing trays
Quick-draining potting soil
Organic compost

Garden spade
Fertilizer
Organic mulch

Instructions

- 1
  Plant strawberries depending on your location. In southern Alaska, where zones 7 and 8 fall, plant the seedlings outdoors in a site that gets full sun for at least eight hours every day and complete drainage. If you live anywhere else in the state, plant the seedlings in wide, shallow trays with drainage holes, so you can take them indoors in the winter.
- 2
  Start your strawberry planting in spring when the ground thaws. These plants take nine months to grow to maturity, so a spring planting means winter blooming and spring strawberry harvest. Frost dates fall in early May in Sitka and Seward and late June in Bethel and should always dictate your fruit and vegetable planting.
- 3
  Dig up the top 6 inches of soil in any outdoor planting site, and pull out weeds or rocks. Mix quick-draining soil and organic compost in equal parts, and dig 3 inches of this mixture into your tilled soil. Add a dose of 6-24-24 or organic fertilizer to give the strawberry seedlings a boost.
  
  If you're planting in trays, fill each tray 3/4 full with this same soil and fertilizer mixture.
- 4
  Plant strawberries in shallow holes so that their roots are just covered with soil. Give outdoor strawberries spacing of 15 to 24 inches in the row and 36 to 48 inches between rows. Plant potted strawberries one row per tray, at 10 to 12 inches. The plants put out runners and will quickly fill in the gaps.
- 5
  Spread 3 inches of mulch over the soil to conserve moisture and warmth, even during summer. Water strawberries with 2 inches of water every week and feed them again mid-summer. If you've planted your strawberries in trays, set them outdoors for the summer in spots where they'll get full sun. Move them indoors when temperatures fall to 0 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit. This may occur as early as September in cold areas like Gulkana.

What Is Eating My Strawberry Plants?

Strawberry Plant Holder

Growing Strawberries