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Lavender companion · grow guide
Strawberry · Fragaria × ananassa
Plant in full sun in fertile, well-drained soil with the crown set exactly at soil level. June-bearing types fruit once; day-neutral and everbearing types fruit through summer.
Check my zone & planting dates
Full sunLight
Moderate waterAverage drainage
pH 5.5–6.5Soil
Zones 4a–8bHardiness
12″ tall25″ wide
SusceptibleDeer · rabbits susceptible
Not known toxicPets
Huckleberry saysTell me where you grow and I’ll check if Tristan will thrive there.
Hardy in zones 4a–8b
Early spring once soil warms; potted plants after frost risk is past.
Your year with Tristan
When it arrives
Plugs arrive in active growth. Water the tray right away, set it in bright light out of harsh wind, and plant within a few days. If you wait, bump them into 3–4" pots. Harden off for a week before planting out, and keep the root ball moist the first 3–4 weeks.
Early spring once soil warms; potted plants after frost risk is past.
Set the middle of the crown exactly at the soil line: roots fully buried, growing tip uncovered. Too deep rots; too shallow dries out.
18–24" apart in rows 3–4 ft apart (matted row); day-neutral types about 12" apart.
Loamy, rich in organic matter · pH 5.5–6.5
Fix-it tip: Get a soil test first. Work in compost; plant in raised rows or beds in heavy soil. Avoid spots where tomatoes, potatoes or peppers grew recently (shared root diseases).
Full sun (tolerates light shade, with less fruit).
Full sun gives the most and sweetest berries.
Don’t give up on it
New leaves appear from the crown within a couple of weeks of spring planting. Established plants green up early in spring once winter straw is pulled back.
Plant early; pull straw back; remove first-year flowers.
Water steadily; pick often; renovate June-bearers after harvest.
Keep watering; weed beds.
Straw mulch after hard frosts.
First season: Water about 1" a week the first season; keep soil evenly moist while roots establish.
After that: Steady moisture, about 1" a week, especially during flowering and fruiting.
Follow a soil test. Light feeding at planting; June-bearers get their main feeding after harvest.
June-bearers: remove flowers the first year so plants build strength. Day-neutral: remove flowers for the first few weeks. Renovate June-bearers right after harvest (before Aug. 1): mow leaves and thin rows.
Replace beds every 3–4 years as yield drops; root runners to make new plants.
After 2–3 hard frosts (often November in Michigan), cover with 4–6" of clean straw. Pull it back in spring as growth starts.
Day-neutral types slow fruiting in hot weather and pick up again as it cools.
Plants rot after plantingLikely cause: Crown set too deep
What to do: Replant with crown middle at soil level
Small, seedy, misshapen berriesLikely cause: Tarnished plant bug or poor pollination
What to do: Keep weeds down; check for bugs
Fuzzy gray rot on fruitLikely cause: Gray mold
What to do: Mulch with straw; pick often; improve air flow
Berries eatenLikely cause: Birds or slugs
What to do: Net plants; trap slugs
Wilting and small berries mean too dry; gray mold and rotting fruit mean too wet or crowded.
ASPCA lists strawberry (Fragaria) as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses.
Deer: susceptible · Rabbits: susceptible
Finnegan saysStill not sure what’s wrong? Ask Plant Health — describe it or add a photo.
Good in pots · 12" pot or strawberry jar+
Day-neutral and everbearing types do best in pots. Protect pots in winter; pots freeze harder than the ground.
Overwinter only
Potted plants can be kept dormant in an unheated garage; not a reliable houseplant.
Needs a cold winter
Strawberries need winter dormancy and chilling to flower and fruit well, especially June-bearers.
Plugs from the tray
3–4 inch pots for 3–5 weeks, until roots hold the soil
Garden bed or a 12" pot or strawberry jar potTime to move up? Slide the plant out: if white roots wrap the outside of the soil, it’s ready for the next size.
Planting with lavender
Give it its own spot
Needs richer soil and more water than lavender. Grow it in its own bed or rows nearby; lavender close by can help draw pollinators.
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