When you cut your strawberries, what do you do with the scraps? If you’re throwing them away, you’re not taking advantage of how versatile strawberries are.
After all, you can grow fresh strawberries from the scraps they leave behind. So, next time you cut up your strawberries, consider removing the seeds and planting them to grow fresh ones.
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How Do You Grow Strawberries From Scraps?
You can’t just remove the top of a strawberry and plant it into the ground, or it will rot. Instead, there’s a step-by-step process you need to go through to successfully grow your own strawberries.
The process involves removing each seed, planting them, and potting them. It’s a simple process, but we recommend using organic strawberries so you know they haven’t been sprayed with pesticides.
How Do You Choose The Right Strawberries?
You can’t just choose any strawberries you buy to plant; you need organic, locally grown strawberries. We recommend you choose these as they have a proven track record of growing in your area.
That way, you don’t have to look for a specific soil, as it’s likely that you have a similar soil already in your garden. The climates are similar, so you have the perfect conditions for locally-grown organic strawberries.
If you get other types of strawberries, you might notice that they don’t grow successfully. They don’t meet the growing conditions or have chemicals on them you’re unaware of.
After all, you won’t be able to grow the scraps correctly if you don’t have the right type of strawberries.
Let Them Ripen First
Before removing the seeds, you must let your strawberries ripen first. You don’t need to leave all of them aside, only a few.
Leave these in a sunny spot so they’re close to over-ripe but aren’t there yet. Ideally, get to them before they start growing mold.
How To Harvest Strawberry Seeds?
Some people prefer to gently pick each seed from a strawberry with a pair of tweezers. If you’ve seen the number of strawberry seeds in each fruit, we’re here to reassure you there’s an easier way.
Instead of tweezers, we recommend putting your strawberries in a blender and adding a liter of water. You only need to turn your blender on for up to 20 seconds and then let it settle.
Once you’ve left it for 10 minutes, you must scoop your seeds as they float to the top. However, you won’t be planting these ones; you can discard any that float upwards.
You should pour the remaining liquid from your blender into a sieve and run cold water through it. It won’t take long for the pulp to be removed.
After all, you don’t want to plant the seeds with too much flesh still attached, or they won’t grow. Instead, they’ll rot.
Planting Your Strawberry Seeds
Now that you know which seeds are viable, it’s time to spread them on a large tray. You should get a peat-free blend of seed-starting compost like the popular Ribbon Organics OMRI Certified Organic Compost and fill a seed tray with it.
Moisten your compost and spread your seeds over it, ensuring plenty of space for each one to grow. You must cover it with a fine compost layer without too much pressure. Then, water your strawberry seeds with a mister.
Once you plant your strawberry seeds, you must keep the tray warm and sunny. If it’s warm, put them in your greenhouse, but you can also put them on a windowsill.
All you need to do is pay attention to when they need watering. You don’t want your seeds to dry out, but you also don’t want to water them too much, or they’ll rot.
Transplanting Your Seeds To Pots
The germination process for your strawberry seeds will take roughly two to eight weeks. It might take a little more time if you don’t see results immediately. You’ll know when they start growing.
You can handle them when they shoot and develop their first pairs of leaves. That means you can move them to larger pots.
However, be gentle with them when transplanting, as strawberry seedlings are still fragile, and you don’t want to ruin the progress you’ve already made.
Planting Them In Their Final Position
If you buy them in season, your strawberry seeds won’t produce fruit until next year. So, until early spring, you should keep them in pots. You don’t want to put them out too soon, or they’ll be in danger of getting frosty.
Once the sun is out, you should plant them in their final position. This will be where you pick them. Ideally, you should choose a warm, sheltered area. Ensure that it has a little shade, but they should have access to sunlight for the most part.
You should also ensure the soil where you plant them is rich and has decent drainage. If you can, use homemade fertilizer while in the growing season to ensure you get the best fruit possible.
Ensuring you have well-fertilized and optimal soil is also crucial for your strawberry’s health.
*For our detailed and tested organic fertilizer recommendations, please see the article Best Organic Fertilizers for Strawberries: Boost Your Crop Yield Naturally.
Potting Strawberry Runners
Unless your strawberries are alpine, any healthy strawberries should get multiple runners. Several new plants should be on each one, so you won’t have to worry about running out.
You’ll have your strawberry plant fruits on average for about four years when you should consider replacing them. Your runners will root wherever the conditions suit, so you’ll always have enough strawberries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Grow Strawberries From Cut-Off Tops?
Unfortunately, you can’t regrow your strawberries from your cut-off tops, as they can’t propagate.
Can You Plant A Whole Strawberry To Get A Plant?
If you plant a whole strawberry, it will rot or get eaten by insects before the seeds can sprout.
Final Thoughts
When you see the results, you’ll be relieved that you didn’t throw away your strawberry scraps. Planting the seeds from your scraps can lead to a good supply of strawberries you won’t have to buy again for another few years.
You can have your own supply, with endless possibilities for what you can do with them until they stop growing.
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