Strawberry plants will ‘produce juicy fruit all year’ if you follow these steps now

Strawberries are considered summer fruits in the UK despite being available all year round in supermarkets.

Their are hard to beat, especially when homegrown, and they are relatively easy to raise from a young plant.

However, not everyone can rear a fruitful and productive strawberry plant outdoors. Luckily, a expert has suggested that these are well-suited to being houseplants.

Jennifer Holston, a garden coach and home hydroponics specialist, recommends everbearing strawberries for those who want to reap the rewards of their plant more than once a year.

She told the Martha Stewart website that overbearing alpine varieties “yield two or more harvests a year” of “smaller” berries but noted that their flavour is “concentrated and bright”.

It is too late to grow strawberries from seed ready for a summer harvest as they need time to grow strong root systems, which is usually done over the winter months. 

Instead, opt for an everbearing variety of strawberries in bare-root form. When they arrive, bare-root plants are dormant, with the roots exposed and any leaves dry.

Growing these red fruits indoors means you’re not dependent on outdoor weather conditions, so you can begin planting strawberries indoors at any time of the year.

However, if you’re purchasing live plants like bare-root strawberries to start your indoor pursuit, you may find that they are only available at certain times. In the UK, this is often between November and March.

Jennifer explained that strawberries can be particular about their soil, but they are excellent for growing in raised beds or containers because you can more easily control their soil needs.

How to grow strawberries indoors

Well-drained soil is important, so avoid anything too clay-like or heavy and opt for something rich, loamy, and almost soft.

Choose a pot at least 12 inches in diameter and 8 inches deep, then fill it with a well-drained, multipurpose compost. Dig a hole deep enough for the roots, then spread them out in the hole.

Place the strawberry plant in the hole so the crown is level with the top of the compost before lightly scooping compost into the hole around the plant. Finally, tap the compost down around the crown to remove air pockets.

Strawberry plants need full sun for maximum yield outdoors in the garden, and light is still extremely important indoors. 

Jennifer said: “Most strawberries are long-day, photoperiod plants. This means the plant has receptors that detect the daylight hours. For these strawberries, 12 hours is the magical amount of light per day to trigger flowering.”

Indoor plants should be supplemented with grow lights to achieve the necessary 12 to 14 hours of light per day.

Watering should be done meticulously when growing strawberries indoors to compensate for weaker airflow and the risk of mildew. 

“Strawberries thrive in well-draining soil and usually need water only once a week”, said Jennifer. She suggests ensuring that the strawberry plant stays dry at all times as “a damp crown rots” and will spell bad news for your harvest.

An easy way to monitor the soil’s moisture is by checking it every few days with your finger and adjusting the watering schedule accordingly.

Outdoor insects work as natural pollinators for your strawberry plants. Inside, though, strawberries have no way of naturally spreading their pollen from flower to flower—thus, no way to produce the berries.

Use a tiny paintbrush to dab pollen from the outer stamens to the centre of the blossom. This will start fruit production.  

Bare-root strawberries planted indoors can take two to three months to start fruiting, and ripening usually occurs about a month after blossoming. Harvest your strawberries gently, plucking or cutting the stem less than half an inch above the berry.