Growing strawberries in Florida isn’t as tricky as you may think. They’re particular with planting times and freezing temperatures, but otherwise follow this guide for a successful strawberry harvest.
| Strawberry | Fragaria spp. |
| Season (FL) | Fall, Winter, Spring |
| Soil type | Rich & well-draining |
| Light | Full sun, 8+ hours |
| Water | Moderate |
| Mature plant size | 6-8” tall, 12” wide |
| Harvest in | 90-110 days |
Growing strawberries in Florida
Strawberries grow well in full sun (8+ hours) and with good drainage. Add plenty of organic material to make the microbes happy, as happy soil equals happy plants.
Recommended varieties for Florida
- ‘Sweet Charlie’
- ‘Camarosa’
- ‘Chandler’
- ‘Oso Grande’
- ‘Selva’
- ‘Festival’
When to grow strawberries in Florida
Strawberries can be particular with their planting times. Plant your transplants as follows.
North Florida: September 15–October 15 (best variety is ‘Camarosa’)
Central Florida: September 25–October 25 (best variety is ‘Festival’)
South Florida: October 1 – December 1
What you’ll need
You can buy seeds online or, better yet, save some time by purchasing plugs or bareroot transplants from a local nursery or garden center.
How to plant strawberries
Space strawberries 10-18 inches apart if planting in the ground. Mulching around the plants is a good idea to avoid any disease as a result of mud splash.
Growing strawberries in containers
Strawberries grow great in containers. Tending to hang delicately over the edges, they’ll add an aesthetic touch to any container or balcony garden. Additionally, container growing makes for easy relocation in the event of a freeze.
3 tips on caring for your strawberries
- Cover strawberry plants when temperatures dip below freezing, as cold temperatures will damage the fruit. The plants, however, are quite hardy and can tolerate down to 22°F.
- Mulch to retain water and suppress weed growth.
- Monitor for pests or disease to combat these issues before things get out of hand.
When to harvest strawberries
Flowering and fruiting can continue through April or May.
Fruit is ready for harvest when three quarters of the fruit surface is red.
Harvest regularly before the critters steal your berries or they rot away.
Suggested recipe for strawberries
Strawberry banana smoothies and strawberry shortcake. Need I say more?