Crop profile

Strawberry crop profile

A low, productive fruiting perennial, best established well and renewed carefully for regular harvests.

Italiano

Starting method

Transplanting

Direct soil

20 °C

Transplant soil

7 °C

Night minimum

0 °C

Frost buffer

-7 days

Heat stop

30 °C

Harvest

60–120 days

Indoor lead

28 days

Key temperatures

0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40 °C

Below 20 °CCold risk: slower growth or cold damage.
20–7 °CMinimum range to start: direct sowing from 20 °C, transplanting from 7 °C.
7–25 °CBest range for growth and production.
25–30 °CPerformance drops and plants move into stress.
Above 30 °CPause transplants: heat stress risk.

Strawberry cycle

1. Start indoors
Average time:
28 days
2. Transplanting
Soil: at least 7 °C
Night minimum: at least 0 °C
3. Growth
Ideal temperatures 7–25 °C
Avoid peaks above 30 °C
4. Harvest
First harvest around:
60–120 days after transplanting

How to start

Recommended method: transplanting.
Prepare seedlings with mild, steady temperatures.
Transplant when soil has reached at least 7 °C and nights stay above 0 °C.

Temperatures to respect

Direct-sowing soil: minimum 20 °C.
Transplant soil: minimum 7 °C.
Night minimum: minimum 0 °C.
Heat stop: 30 °C.
Suggested frost buffer: -7 days.

Harvest timing

Cycle from transplant to first harvest: about 60–120 days.
Harvest gradually as produce reaches maturity.

Seasonal notes

Protect young plants from late frosts and thermal swings.
In summer, avoid water stress and heat peaks above 30 °C.
Steady growth improves development and harvest quality.

FAQ and sources

When should you plant strawberries?

Plant strawberries from young plants or rooted runners. For transplanting, soil around 7 °C and nights above 0 °C are enough, but establishment is best in mild weather. Autumn planting is excellent because roots settle before the following year’s production; spring planting also works. Avoid frost days and heat above 30 °C, which stresses flowers and fruit. Choose full sun, or light partial shade in very hot climates.

How do you plant a strawberry without causing rot?

The key point is the crown, the centre where leaves and roots meet. It must sit at soil level: too deep and it rots, too high and it dries out. Prepare fertile, well-drained soil, water after transplanting, and mulch with straw or a suitable fabric to keep fruit clean. Do not plant where water collects. In pots, use draining containers and never leave the saucer full, especially in cool periods.

How long do strawberries take to harvest?

The first strawberries usually arrive 60-120 days after transplanting, but timing depends strongly on plant type and season. June-bearing varieties give one main concentrated crop; everbearing types give several smaller flushes from spring-summer into autumn in suitable climates. Pick when the fruit is fully coloured, fragrant, and still firm. Remove it with the stalk, without crushing the berry. Eat soon after harvest: strawberries are delicate and do not store for long.

How do you protect strawberries from mould, slugs, and birds?

Keep fruit lifted and clean with straw, fabric, or container growing. Air between plants reduces grey mould, so avoid planting too densely and remove old or diseased leaves. Slugs are best managed with cleanliness, barriers, and evening checks; birds need netting before the fruit turns red. Water at the base, not over the fruit. Pick often: ripe strawberries left on the plant attract pests and rot quickly.

What should you do with strawberry runners?

Runners are the long shoots that produce new young plants. If you want to expand the bed, let the first healthy plantlets root in small pots or in the soil, then separate them from the mother plant. If you want more fruit, remove many runners because producing them costs energy. Strawberry beds perform better when renewed periodically with young, healthy plants. Do not use runners from diseased or unproductive plants. In pots, check runners often because they take space and weaken the main plant.