Growing your own strawberries is a rewarding experience that offers a superior flavor compared to most store-bought fruit. The process begins not with tiny seeds, but by sourcing healthy plants, typically as dormant crowns or actively growing runners. These plants are essentially small clones of a mature, fruit-producing plant, ensuring the variety you select will yield the expected fruit quality. Knowing where to find the best quality stock and what format to buy is the first step toward a successful harvest.
Local Garden Centers and Retail Stores
Purchasing strawberry plants from a physical location allows for immediate planting and a direct visual inspection of the stock. Large retail chains and big box stores offer convenience and often the lowest prices, especially for common June-bearing varieties. However, plants at these locations may have been sitting on shelves longer, potentially leading to drier roots or reduced vigor. Inventory is usually limited to a few popular, broadly adapted varieties.
Independent garden centers and local nurseries are more likely to offer plants better suited to the specific regional climate and soil conditions. These smaller operations often source their stock from local growers, meaning the plants are accustomed to the area’s growing cycle. While the per-plant cost may be slightly higher, the staff typically possesses greater specialized knowledge regarding the best varieties for your garden. Shopping locally also allows you to purchase actively growing potted plants later into the season.
Specialized Online Nurseries and Mail Order
Online nurseries provide access to a significantly wider selection of strawberry cultivars than any single local store can offer. This is the best source for finding specialized varieties, such as day-neutral types that fruit all season or heirloom kinds prized for their unique flavor profiles. You can easily find the three main types: June-bearing, everbearing, and day-neutral, with many specific named cultivars available. Most mail-order plants are shipped as bare-root stock during the dormant season, which is the optimal time for spring planting.
Ordering from a specialized vendor allows you to select a specific ship date that aligns with the ideal planting window for your climate zone. This advance ordering ensures the plants arrive when the ground is ready to be worked in early spring. It is prudent to check customer reviews and the vendor’s shipping policies, as the quality of the delicate bare-root stock depends heavily on proper handling and transit speed. Reputable online nurseries often guarantee the health and viability of their plants upon arrival.
Choosing Between Bare Root and Potted Plants
The choice between bare-root and potted strawberry plants dictates the planting timeline and establishment success. Bare-root plants are dormant crowns harvested from the field, appearing as a compact central stem with exposed roots and no active leaves. They are significantly cheaper to purchase and ship because they are lighter and lack heavy soil. These dormant plants must be planted in early spring as soon as the soil is workable to allow them to break dormancy naturally.
Potted plants, sometimes called plugs, are actively growing plants sold in small containers with soil. These plants have a higher initial survival rate because they experience less transplant shock, as their roots remain undisturbed. They can be planted later in the season than bare-root stock, offering more flexibility for gardeners who miss the early spring window. The trade-off is a higher purchase price per plant and the potential for the plant to be root-bound if it has been growing in the small pot for too long.
Bare-root stock is typically stored in cold conditions (vernalization), which helps stimulate future fruit production. Because they are dormant, their immediate focus after planting is establishing a robust root system before expending energy on leaf and fruit production. Potted plants, conversely, are already focused on above-ground growth, making them ideal for container gardening or when immediate visual growth is desired. For large-scale planting and long-term yield, the cost-effectiveness and strong root establishment of bare-root crowns are preferred.
Assessing Plant Health and Immediate Care
Regardless of the source, a thorough inspection of your new strawberry plants upon arrival is necessary to ensure their health. For bare-root crowns, the roots should appear light-colored (straw-yellow or tan), not dark or black, which could indicate root rot. The crown itself should feel firm to the touch and show no signs of mold or fungal spots. If planting must be delayed, bare-root plants should be kept cool and slightly moist, often by storing them in a refrigerator.
If the roots of the bare-root crowns feel dry, they should be soaked in water for two to four hours before planting, ensuring they are not left submerged for longer periods. Potted plants require a different inspection, focusing on the root structure within the container. Gently slide the plant out of its pot to check that the roots are not tightly circling the container (root-bound). If the roots are matted, gently teasing them apart before planting will encourage them to spread into the surrounding garden soil.
For all plants, look closely at the leaves and stems for evidence of pests, such as small insects, or signs of disease like yellowing, leaf spots, or unusual growths. Immediate planting is highly recommended to minimize stress, but if the plants must wait, keep them in a well-ventilated, shaded area. Proper handling and timely planting of healthy stock directly contributes to the plant’s ability to establish quickly and produce fruit in the following season.