What Do Strawberries Need to Grow?

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• Locate your strawberry patch in full sun. If you try to grow the plants in a partially sunny area, they tend to get leggy and the fruits rot easier. Full sun with good air circulation will produce healthy berries and strong plants. Help keep the berries dry by piling dry straw around the base of the plant when it starts producing.

Soil

• Strawberries don't like to sit in soggy soil. Plant them in a sandy to loamy soil so that water drains away from the surface quickly. If the soil tends to be heavy with clay, try making mounds of soil with added peat moss and vermiculite worked into it to form 6- to 8-inch piles. Other additives like well-rotted compost with lots of organic matter will help feed the strawberry plants as well as aerate the soil.

Water

• Strawberries need moisture to produce new growth and berries. Plan on a consistent supply of 1 1/2 inches of water each week, even during the late summer and early fall when the next year's buds are forming. Piling a layer of straw mulch around the plants will conserve the moisture in the soil by preventing evaporation during warm, dry times.

Fertilizer

• Feed strawberry plants with a suitable fertilizer for your soil needs twice a year -- once a couple of weeks after growth starts and again in August after fruiting is finished. Consider having a soil sample tested if your strawberries seem to be struggling to see if you need specific additions beyond a balanced fertilizer to meet the plants' needs. A common problem is a boron deficiency, which you can remedy by applying 3/4 oz. of borax dissolved in 1 gallon of water over a 100-square foot area.