How to Grow Alaskan Strawberries

As of August 2010, Alaska's growing season, though lengthening each year, is 123 days. Along the coast of Alaska, it is possible to grow garden strawberries and wild beach strawberries, which are native to the coast, but anywhere else and you'll have to grow strawberries indoors in containers. The benefit to container gardening with strawberries in Alaska is the possibility of enjoying them as perennials instead of annuals.

Instructions

- 1
  Fill planter boxes with a 50/50 mixture of garden soil and compost. Mix the soil components well. Wet the soil mixture.
- 2
  Dig holes to accommodate the transplants' root balls, but slightly less shallow than the depth of the root ball to ensure that the plant's crown doesn't sit below the soil level after it's been watered.
- 3
  Space plants 10 to 14 inches apart, depending on the size the plant will reach at maturity. Enough space between plants ensures good air circulation, which is important to reduce the risk of disease.
- 4
  Place the planter box in a window that receives full sun or on a sunny porch during the summer, bringing it indoors when nighttime temperatures start to hover at 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep the soil moist.
- 5
  Prune out all runners the first season and remove the first flowers if the plants haven't grown much. If the plants have grown, you can leave the flowers alone. Expect fruit three months from the planting date.

Strawberry Plant Holder

How to Plant Strawberries in Compost Only

Growing Strawberries