Plant strawberries for next year’s harvest

Choose the new planting site

Start with healthy young plants and a place that suits strawberries. Remove perennial root weeds before planting and avoid using tired, unsuitable soil without consideration. Give plants enough room for light and air movement as they grow rather than squeezing them together while they are still small.

Keep the crown at the right level

The crown, or heart, should not be buried beneath the soil. Deep planting can encourage crown problems, while roots exposed too high above ground may dry out. Set the plant carefully, settle the soil around the roots and check the final level after watering.

Support establishment

Water thoroughly after planting. In the weeks that follow, keep the root area evenly moist without leaving it saturated. Fresh transplants may be particularly vulnerable during hot, dry weather, so check them more closely than established plants. Observe new growth and remove obviously unhealthy material.

Be selective when propagating

If you make new plants from runners, choose healthy parent plants rather than multiplying a problem. Label the planting year so you can compare growth and yield over time. Notes about site conditions and plant health will help you decide when a planting should be renewed.

Avoid familiar mistakes

The combination of excessively deep planting, dry exposed roots and poor aftercare accounts for many avoidable setbacks. Do not rely on a calendar promise for every region; soil condition, rainfall and weather during establishment are more useful guides.

Keep the advice in context

These practical recommendations follow the German Gartenjahr guide. They are not fixed dates or guarantees: climate, soil, plant variety and local weather conditions all affect the best decision. Check original plant information and your own growing conditions before acting.

Read the corresponding detailed German article.