If you hope to plant and grow strawberries in Georgia, you’ve come to the right place! Here, you will learn how to grow a successful harvest in the peach state.
While growing strawberries can be quite a long process, the outcome is worth it, and when you have your own juicy fruits, you’ll be glad you put the work in!
To grow strawberries in Georgia, you must choose a sunny spot and ensure the plants are placed in well-draining soil. In this article, we will give you a complete rundown on how to grow strawberries in Georgia.
Read on to learn all about when to plant and how to grow strawberry plants in the state for a successful crop! Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
How To Grow And When To Plant Your Strawberry Plant In Georgia?
So, let’s look at when to plant and how to grow your strawberries in Georgia!
When To Plant Your Strawberries?
The best time to plant strawberries in Georgia is in the fall or early spring. This is because you need to plant your strawberries in workable soil, not wet soil.
If you plant the strawberries early, they will become established before the hot weather arrives. In Georgia, the climate is perfect for growing strawberries.
With its mild winters and warm summers, strawberries will flourish if they are planted just before the last frost. As the average last frost in the state is mid-April, you can plant your strawberries as early as mid-March!
Where To Plant Your Strawberries?
Where you plant your strawberries is very important as it will need to be in full sunlight with well-drained soil. Your strawberries will need a minimum of 6 hours of sunlight to flourish.
The recommended amount of sunlight is between 8 and 10 hours; however, more sunlight will not harm the strawberries! Strawberry plants should not be placed in the shade.
While the plants grow in shade, you will see reduced fruit production. As well as this, in the shade, your plants will be much more vulnerable to disease. For strawberry plants to flourish, you must also have good air circulation.
Ensure the area is not sheltered by other garden plants or a fence. You should not plant strawberries where peppers, tomatoes, or potatoes have grown in the last 5 years, as they are susceptible to verticillium wilt.
How To Plant Strawberries In Georgia?
After you have chosen when and where to plant your strawberries, you will need to plant them. To do this, follow the steps below:
Plant Them In Rows
Once you have chosen your location and picked a time to plant the strawberries, it’s time to get your hands dirty! To plant your strawberries, you must first dig holes in the soil to place your plants.
You need to ensure that there is room for the plant’s roots to fit inside. Next, place the roots deep into the bed and fill them with soil.
When you have done this, you should water the plants until the soil surrounding the strawberry plants is moist. Ensure you don’t overwater at this stage, as you don’t want the roots to rot.
Each plant should be around 18 inches apart in a line to give the plant space to grow.
Protect Your Strawberries From Pests
It is a very good idea to protect your strawberry plants from birds and insects. To do this, you can either use floating row covers or bird nettings.
However, you should not complete this step until after your strawberry plants have started to flower, as they will need to be pollinated for them to produce fruit. Once they have bloomed, you can place this protection on the plants.
If the animals do manage to access your plants, there is no need to worry! Just cut that section of the fruit off and move on!
Water Your Strawberries
You will need to make sure to keep your strawberries well-watered. The soil should be kept moist but not too wet.
Fertilize Your Strawberry Plants
Your strawberries will benefit from some fertilizer about once a month. Any common fertilizer will work well if it contains phosphorus, nitrogen, and potassium.
The nitrogen in the fertilizer ensures that your plant has new, leafy growth, while the phosphorus means that your plant will grow more flowers and fruit. Potassium will boost your plant’s general health.
A highly recommended fertilizer is Espoma Organic Berry-Tone Natural & Organic Fertilizer and Plant Food, which will promote healthy and enjoyable strawberries.
*For our detailed and tested organic fertilizer recommendations, please see the article Best Organic Fertilizers for Strawberries: Boost Your Crop Yield Naturally.
When Are Strawberries Ready To Harvest In Georgia?
Strawberries are ready to harvest when they have grown to a good size and are evenly red all over. You should look out for the following to know whether your strawberries are ready to be picked.
- Color – If your strawberries are evenly red all over, they are ready to be picked.
- Size – Your strawberries should be between 1 and 1 ½ inches in size.
- Texture – The strawberries should be firm to the touch but not hard. They should not contain any soft spots.
- Flavor – Strawberries should be sweet and juicy, not sour. If the strawberries taste sour, they are not ready to be picked.
- Stem – If the strawberries are difficult to pull off the plant, they may not be fully ripe.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Does It Take For Strawberries To Grow In Georgia?
Strawberries will take around three months to start to fruit. However, this can vary depending on the type of strawberry and the weather.
How Much Sunlight Do Strawberries Need?
Strawberries need a minimum of 6 hours of sunlight to flourish. The more sunlight they get, the better the crop will be!
Final Thoughts
So, there you have it! Georgia is a great place to grow strawberries if you choose when to plant the fruit.
This article has provided all the information you need to successfully grow juicy strawberries in Georgia, and we hope that you’ll get to it! Follow the instructions in this article, and you’re sure to grow a successful crop!
Further Recommendations:
- Do Strawberries grow on trees?
- Golden Kiwi vs Green Kiwi – which is the best?
- The ultimate guide to growing Serrano Peppers in pots
- How to grow mushrooms in Georgia
- Can Dogs Eat Kiwi Fruit?
Leave a Reply