Every year, gardeners and fruit lovers alike count down the days until those first juicy, red berries appear. Let’s be honest: there’s nothing quite like a homegrown strawberry. Store-bought ones out of season just don’t hit the same—they usually lack that signature sweetness we all crave.
When is Strawberry Season?
The big question is always: when can we start picking? Well, it mostly depends on the weather and which strawberry varieties you’ve got in your garden. Generally, peak strawberry season kicks off in May and runs through August. If you plant “everbearing” or “day-neutral” varieties, you can actually keep harvesting those sweet treats well into the fall!
These days, many growers use greenhouses or plastic tunnels to keep the harvest steady even when the weather isn’t cooperating. But at the end of the day, nothing beats good old-fashioned sunshine for developing that perfect, sugary aroma.
Growing Your Own Strawberries
If you’re ready to try your hand at growing your own, timing is everything. You can easily find young starter plants at your local nursery. For most standard varieties, the best time to get them in the ground is actually mid-to-late summer (July or August). This gives them plenty of time to establish roots before winter. Another great window for planting is in late March.
Of course, if you’re up for a little challenge, you can grow strawberries from seed! While starting with nursery plants is definitely the easier route, growing from scratch is totally doable. Start your seeds indoors on a sunny windowsill around January or February. By May, those little seedlings will be ready to move outside. They do great in the ground, but they’re also perfect for raised beds or patio containers. Just a pro tip: keep some garden fabric or a row cover handy to protect your plants from any late spring frosts!