PlantSowGrow
How to plant and care for Strawberry (Cambridge Favourite)
Fragaria × ananassa
A trusted old British June-bearer: reliable crops of sweet, medium-sized berries, tolerant of most soils and easy for beginners.
At a glance: harvest in June.
When to plant and care for it
Timed for a typical UK garden (last frost mid-April). The app uses your own town's frost dates.
Growing Strawberry (Cambridge Favourite): what it needs
- Light
- Full sun · 6+ hours a day
- Watering
- Water well while fruit swells
- Soil
- Fertile, well-drained soil
- Spacing
- 35 cm
- Height
- 20 cm
- In pots
- Grows well in containers
- Feeding
- Sulphate of potash in late winter; mulch with compost
- Hardiness
- USDA zones 4–9
Step by step
- Mid March – late May · 4 weeks before the last spring frost
Plant
Plant 35 cm apart in weed-free, well-prepared soil enriched with compost, and water in well.
- 0–3 days after “Plant” · Mid March
Water Well
Keep new plants moist while they establish.
- 7–21 days after “Water Well” · Late March – early April
Mulch
Spread 5 cm of compost or bark around the plants to keep moisture in and weeds down.
Every year
- MarchSpring Feed
Scatter a high-potash fertiliser around the plants.
- MayTuck Straw Under Plants
As fruits form, tuck straw or mats under them to keep berries clean and dry.
- MayNet Against Birds
Net the plants before the fruit colours.
- JunePick Strawberries
Pick every other day when berries are fully red. Take a photo!
- AugustTidy After Fruiting
Cut off old leaves 10 cm above the crown, remove the straw, pot up a few runners and feed. Replace plants every 3–4 years.
