Can I plant strawberries in November in Seattle?
November 2, 2015 9:58 PM Subscribe
I would love to be able to give my plants an early start and maybe get some fruit next year!
If this is possible, how do I do it?
I will be growing them in a raised bed on the southwest side of my house -- it gets 8-10 hours of sunlight during the summer months. Could I plant directly into that bed this month?
The raised bed doesn't have any soil in it yet. What kind of soil should I use? Can I use something like Miracle-Gro straight out of the bag or do I need to mix up some custom soil for my berries?
I am a total noob at this kind of thing so I appreciate any advice you have to offer!
If this is possible, how do I do it?
I will be growing them in a raised bed on the southwest side of my house -- it gets 8-10 hours of sunlight during the summer months. Could I plant directly into that bed this month?
The raised bed doesn't have any soil in it yet. What kind of soil should I use? Can I use something like Miracle-Gro straight out of the bag or do I need to mix up some custom soil for my berries?
I am a total noob at this kind of thing so I appreciate any advice you have to offer!
A couple types of strawberries you'll likely find at nurseries around Seattle are everbearing and Rainier. The everbearing will bear fruit throughout late spring and early summer to early fall, while Rainiers only bear fruit for a few weeks, around early- or mid-June to early July.
IMO the Rainiers taste better than the everbearing, but you have to get them in season. You'll get more fruit with the everbearing.
I've had no problems using regular potting soil to grow berries. Full sun is good. Water is good, but try to watch out for rotten fruit.
Strawberries will grow shoots that will try to spread out to other pots, so you may want to keep an eye out for that.
A good nursery to go to is Swansons. A bit pricey, but they have lots of options and generally knowledgeable staff. Their planters are in pretty good shape, too, which I've found is not often the case at the big box hardware/garden stores.
posted by a lungful of dragon at 11:11 PM on November 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
IMO the Rainiers taste better than the everbearing, but you have to get them in season. You'll get more fruit with the everbearing.
I've had no problems using regular potting soil to grow berries. Full sun is good. Water is good, but try to watch out for rotten fruit.
Strawberries will grow shoots that will try to spread out to other pots, so you may want to keep an eye out for that.
A good nursery to go to is Swansons. A bit pricey, but they have lots of options and generally knowledgeable staff. Their planters are in pretty good shape, too, which I've found is not often the case at the big box hardware/garden stores.
posted by a lungful of dragon at 11:11 PM on November 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
Fashion some "tents" to pop on with a see through plastic wrapped over a form, wire teepee type things. Makes the cold less of a risk and allows the plants to root better, then come spring be ready to not only train the new shoots to root local to the original starts but have some pots ready to allow those extra shoots to grow. Use small stones or wire "staples" to encourage rooting into those pots and then when matured you can cut the tendril and use those potted plants to better spread your patch out to fill in the space. Plant those starts and replant the container to allow those plants to continue making new ones. Get differing varieties for the fun of finding a great performer for your space. Consider containers. Seconding Swansons.
posted by Freedomboy at 7:26 AM on November 3, 2015
posted by Freedomboy at 7:26 AM on November 3, 2015
Last time I went out to Molbak's in Woodinville the woman there very helpfully explained all the different types of strawberries they had: when they should be planted, when they should flower and fruit, how long they will do so, etc. I would suspect Swansons is just as knowledgeable and useful. It's free to talk to them, and I've never felt pressure to buy anything at a plant nursery, so just go and bask in their knowledge. As I recall there is at least one variety that would still be producing fruit right now, but I'm not sure on the planting.
posted by jeffamaphone at 10:25 AM on November 3, 2015
posted by jeffamaphone at 10:25 AM on November 3, 2015
I'm on the eastern side of WA and planted 25 seascape strawberry plants in raised beds in March and had strawberries to eat from June until the middle of October. I had never grown a thing in my life before this. I ordered my strawberry plants online. They were just little dead looking roots but they grew in a hurry.
posted by ilovewinter at 11:35 AM on November 3, 2015
posted by ilovewinter at 11:35 AM on November 3, 2015
Best answer: Check out Seattle Tilth's Maritime Northwest Garden Guide, magazine shaped, often on magazine racks. It's organized month by month to plan garden tasks, and - November... - "Plant perennials, berries and bare-root plants"! Go for it.
posted by clew at 8:33 PM on November 3, 2015
posted by clew at 8:33 PM on November 3, 2015
Response by poster: Oooh, following clew's link leads me to The Seattle Garden Hotline
A free gardening phone advice hotline will be very handy!
posted by Sauce Trough at 6:01 PM on November 4, 2015
A free gardening phone advice hotline will be very handy!
posted by Sauce Trough at 6:01 PM on November 4, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
Spend the winter reading up on soil and care for strawberries. There is a pretty big wealth of information for new gardeners on line.
posted by HMSSM at 10:38 PM on November 2, 2015