Growing your own strawberries can be easy and fun! Strawberries can be grown in gardens or in containers. If you would like to learn more about how to grow strawberries, read on.

• Are you looking for a fairly easy fruit to add to your growing garden? Strawberries could be the answer. Strawberries can be grown from seeds or from existing plants. Strawberries are high in vitamin C, manganese and fiber and can be used in a variety of recipes, or eaten on their own. Strawberries should be planted in early spring, in March or April.

(Creative Commons photo by jon gos)

• You will need to decide several things before you can plant your strawberries. First, what type of strawberry would you like to grow? There are three kinds of strawberries:

1. June-bearers
2. Everbearing
3. Day-neutral varieties

• You must also decide whether to grow your strawberries from seeds or to start with an existing plant. In either case, you will want to order your seeds or purchase your plants in early spring, so they are ready to plant.

• If you will be planting strawberries in your garden, be sure to:

1. Select an area that gets full sun
2. Pick a spot with well-drained soil

• While strawberries are highly sensitive to drought, they develop diseases if exposed to poorly drained, wet soil.

• The most commonly planted type of strawberry, the June-bearer, should be planted 18 to 30 inches apart in rows spaced three to four feet apart. Place the strawberry plant in the soil so that it barely covers the top of the plant's roots. Water your newly planted strawberries thoroughly.

• There are two key things to remember when growing strawberries:

1. They require at least six hours of full sun each day
2. They need a lot of water

• Be sure to water your strawberry plants regularly—they will need about one inch of water each week.

• Since strawberries grow best in cooler soil, consider adding mulch to prevent the plants from growing too warm.

• By taking some simple steps, you can add strawberries to your home garden. Be sure to allow for plenty of sunlight, and do not plant in low-lying areas that are not prone to standing water. If you take the time to carefully plant and cultivate the plants, you'll have mounds of delicious strawberries for all to enjoy.

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