Can Strawberries Be Planted in the Summer?

Spring Planting

• Many people plant strawberries in the spring, but this is not optimal. In order to strengthen the plants, you must pinch off any flower buds and runners. If you do not do this, your plants may be spindly the next year, and they will not produce well. This is an extra step that is not required if you set out plants in the fall.

Summer Planting

• Strawberries can be planted in the summer. They do not require any special care when they are planted in summer; however, they won't grow as vigorously. Most types won't produce the first year. Therefore, it is not important to get strawberry plants started early in the year.

Fall Planting

• Fall planting is perhaps the best timing for strawberries, because they will be able to develop very strong root systems. Additionally, you can avoid the extra work of pinching off runners and buds. Fall-planted strawberries will grow and produce well the next year.

Everbearing Versus June-Bearing

• There are two main types of strawberries: everbearing and June-bearing. June-bearing varieties produce most of their fruit in one big burst during the late spring or early summer. They produce excellent, high-quality berries and generally have large yields. Everbearing varieties often produce inferior fruit, and they produce fewer berries per plant. However, they produce more evenly throughout the season, peaking in the early summer and continuing to produce berries until the middle or end of autumn.

  If your main concern is quality, choose June-bearing varieties. If you prefer not to have a glut of berries all at once, choose everbearing types, which will give you a more even production. Both varieties can be planted in the spring, summer or fall.