Strawberries are a rewarding crop for home gardeners across Kentucky, which is largely covered by USDA Hardiness Zones 6 and 7. Successfully cultivating these perennial favorites hinges on understanding the local climate and preparing the plants for a strong start. Focusing on proper timing and technique during the first year establishes a healthy patch. This initial effort translates directly into the vigor and productivity of the strawberry bed in later years.
Optimal Planting Seasons and Cultivar Selection
The optimal window for planting strawberries in Kentucky is early spring, starting as soon as the soil is workable, typically from mid-March through mid-April. Planting during this time allows the roots to establish well before the stress of summer heat arrives. Fall planting is discouraged in this region because alternating freeze-thaw cycles can lead to “heaving,” which pushes plants out of the ground and damages their roots.
Most Kentucky home gardeners choose June-bearing varieties, such as ‘Earliglow’ or ‘Allstar.’ These varieties produce a single, large harvest over a few weeks in late spring or early summer. June-bearing plants require the first year to focus solely on vegetative growth and runner production, meaning they will not produce a harvest until the following spring. Everbearing and day-neutral types, which produce smaller, continuous crops, are less commonly recommended due to issues with pests like the spotted wing drosophila.
Preparing the Planting Site
Selecting the right location is the first step toward a successful strawberry patch, which requires a minimum of six hours of direct sunlight daily. The site must offer good surface water and internal soil drainage because strawberry roots will not tolerate being water-soaked. Planting on slightly higher ground can help prevent spring frost damage to early blooms, as cold air tends to pool in low-lying areas.
Strawberries prefer a slightly acidic soil environment, with an ideal pH range between 5.5 and 6.5. A soil test should be conducted months before planting, as amending the soil pH with lime or sulfur can take up to a year to fully adjust the chemistry. Incorporating well-decomposed organic matter, such as compost, before planting improves the soil’s structure and fertility. Strawberries should not be planted where tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, or peppers have grown recently, as these solanaceous crops can harbor diseases like Verticillium wilt.
Step-by-Step Planting Technique
Most home gardeners plant dormant, bare-root strawberry crowns. These crowns should be soaked in water for 30 minutes to two hours before planting to rehydrate the roots. Before planting, excessively long roots can be trimmed to about four to five inches so they fit comfortably in the planting hole. The most crucial part of the process is setting the crown, which is the thickened central stem where the leaves and roots meet.
The crown must be placed precisely at the soil line, ensuring the roots are fully buried but that the entire crown remains exposed to the air. Planting too deeply can lead to crown rot, while planting too shallowly can cause the roots to dry out. After spreading the roots out in the hole and backfilling with soil, gently firm the soil around the plant to remove any air pockets.
For June-bearing varieties, the “matted row” system requires planting the initial crowns 18 to 24 inches apart in rows spaced three to four feet apart. This spacing allows the mother plants to send out runners that will root and form a dense, productive row over the first season. Day-neutral or everbearing types are often planted in a “hill system” with closer spacing, which involves actively removing all runners to focus energy on continuous fruit production. Newly planted crowns should be thoroughly watered immediately after they are set in the ground.
Essential Care for Establishment
The first season’s care focuses on building a strong root system and robust crown for the following year’s harvest. For June-bearing strawberries, remove all flower buds and blooms that appear throughout the first growing season. This practice redirects the plant’s energy away from fruit production and into developing an extensive root structure and producing healthy runners.
A layer of mulch, ideally clean straw, should be applied around the plants to conserve soil moisture, regulate soil temperature, and suppress weed growth. Consistent watering is important for the first six weeks to ensure the young plants establish their roots. For those using the matted row system, manage the runners by allowing them to root and fill in the row. Thin runners as needed to prevent the row from becoming overly dense, which can lead to poor air circulation and disease issues.