How to Trim Strawberry Plants & Flowers

Strawberries are an excellent and tasty crop for home gardens. With the proper care, strawberry plants produce berries after one year and continue for about five years. Plants should be purchased from a reputable nursery and planted in the early spring. The three basic types of strawberry plants are June-bearers, the ever-bearing strawberry and the day-neutral varieties. Each variety can provide a good crop of fruit with trimming and simple care.

Things You'll Need

Fertilizer
Mulch

Pruning scissors or shears
Mower

Instructions

- 1
  
  Strawberry plants need full sun and well-drained soils.
  
  Plant your strawberries in early spring. Trim the older leaves and place the roots in water for an hour before planting. Place each plant in the ground so the crown is even with the soil surface. Apply a starter fertilizer such as 5-10-5 to each plant.
- 2
  
  Pinch off the blossoms the first year.
  
  Remove blossoms from June bearing plants during the first growing season by pinching or cutting them from the plant. This will increase fruit production the following year.
- 3
  
  Strawberry plants need one year to produce a good crop.
  
  Remove all blossoms on ever-bearing and day-neutral strawberries for a period of six weeks after planting. Flowers that develop after this should be allowed to develop into fruit. The following year fruit production will increase.
- 4
  
  Mulching keeps the bed weed free.
  
  Mow the leaves from the plants at the end of the fruit bearing season and apply mulch for the coming winter. The leaves should be cut 1 1/2 inches above the crowns. Mulching will reduce the weeds in the coming fruit bearing spring.

How to Plant Strawberries Indoors

How to Grow Strawberry Plants on a Porch

Growing Strawberries