Types of Strawberry Beds

Ornamental Ground Cover

• Gardeners sometimes plant strawberries as ornamental ground cover. Planting them alongside walkways or as a border will produce attractive foliage and flowers. Alpine strawberries are often used as ornamental plants. The University of Minnesota Extension Service recommends using day-neutral varieties like Alpine because they produce fewer runners. The Alpine strawberry produces tiny sweet berries. When planting strawberries as an ornamental or border plant, it is not necessary to plant them in beds. Incorporate them into the landscape or plant them as a border around trees and porches.

Row Bedding

• When planting strawberries for fruit production, preparing the soil properly is important. Strawberries like a slightly acid soil with lots of organic matter and good drainage. Work the soil well and if the soil is clayey add some sand or vermiculite to improve drainage. The University of Minnesota Extension Service states that plants should be planted so that the midpoint of the crown is even with the soil. Space the plants 18 to 24 inches apart and space the rows at least 3 feet apart. The plants send out runners, so you will need to thin the daughter plants. The goal is to have plants no closer than 6 inches together.

Raised Bed

• If your soil is not suitable for strawberry cultivation, you can build a raised bed to grow them in. A framework of logs or boards encloses the growing area. Fill the enclosed area with 6 to 8 inches of soil and organic matter. The Purdue University Extension Service recommends that gardeners choose disease-resistant strawberry types and avoid planting strawberries near tomatoes or in soil where tomatoes have previously been planted.