When to Transplant Strawberries: The Best Timing

Meta Description: When to transplant strawberries is a matter that depends on your hardiness zone, but the best times are spring and autumn.

See more content for enlightenment.

When to Transplant Strawberries: The Best Timing

When to transplant strawberries is a question that will mostly depend on the planting season for your hardiness zone. Gardeners usually plant strawberries in early spring or autumn to give them time to grow before the next winter season.

Others prefer transplanting during fall. This article will explain everything about the best time for transplanting strawberries.

When Is the Time to Transplant Strawberries?

Strawberry plants are easy-to-grow and can be transplanted at any time of the year. However, spring and autumn are the best times to transplant them. During spring, it is easy to identify plants damaged by the harsh winter conditions and replace them with new strawberry runners.

– Spring Season

Besides, growing new strawberries during spring gives the plant time to establish roots before summer. During this time, the new plant will thrive on producing flowers and starting bearing strawberries when exposed to the proper growth conditions. These are the fruit that would thrive well when planted in areas that receive direct sunlight.

This is not a notion to make it easier to say that spring is a sure-bet period of when to transplant your fruit. The reason for the latter is that during this time, the deciduous trees have not grown their leaves back after winter, meaning getting a well-lit spot can be a sport.

When these bush their leaves out, they could leave your small strawberries under the shade, which is a disadvantage.

– Autumn Season

Autumn is another perfect period to plant new strawberry plants. It is the season before winter, meaning the new plants will have some time to grow roots in the soil and establish themselves.

However, what you should be keen on is that the notion that you shouldn’t do this after the second or third week into the month of September, when the soil has become cooler than its regular temperature, but if you do it earlier, it will have the chance to grow.

On the other hand, you can transfer them in October if you live in a region that is warmer in autumn, because there is less freezing during this time. The state is in the fall season, and the cool weather and rain ensure the perfect establishment of the plant’s roots in the soil.

What you should remember is that fall is also a tricky season for moving new plants, so you must do everything possible to increase the chances of success, as the climate is not a stable one. As a result, when transplanting strawberries during fall, do not move them to a newly tilled ground.

In addition, freshly lifted soil carries many underground insects that feed on grass roots. The insects will attack your strawberry roots and cause them to die. On another note, a tilled soil is also a conducive environment for weeds to germinate, which can suffocate your new strawberries.

Basically, to avoid exposing your strawberry plants to insects and areas where weeds will quickly crowd, you can move them to an existing garden.

When To Avoid Transplanting

Avoid transplanting new strawberry plants during winter. There is little to no plant growth during the season because of the low temperatures and lack of sunlight which slows the growth. This results in low photosynthesis and development rates, which would inhibit the growth.

If you don’t have time during spring and autumn to plant your strawberry runners, you can do it during summer. However, the season is hot and can quickly kill new strawberries. Keep your young plants alive by frequently watering them to prevent the roots from drying.

Which Zones Are Ideal for Transplanting?

Zones seven and eight are ideal for transplanting strawberries, but you must keen on the process, because they need their correct season of establishing and being fruitful, or else it would be problematic and would hinder and delay their growth and thrive.

– Zone 7

Gardeners in zone 7 can grow their strawberries in the fall. The new plant has some months to develop the root system and establish itself before winter. Replanting your strawberries during spring when in zone 7 will delay fruit production.

Some strawberry varieties perfect for zone 7 are the Chandler which produces berries in June or July. This strawberry type has a massive fruit and is not picky with the climates since it easily adjusts to different temperatures. Other options are Flavorfest and Ozark Beauty types of strawberry plants.

– Zone 8

Transplanting strawberries in zone 8 should be done during late spring, which comes in late February or early March. The zone has a temperate summer climate which is perfect for strawberries.

Ensure the chosen area to grow your strawberries is exposed to sun and the soil has not been grown potatoes or strawberries for the past three years. Potatoes infect the ground with verticillium wilt, which strawberries are prone to. This infection affects the growth of the plant, and it can also kill it.

How To Transplant Strawberries from Fruit?

To transplant strawberries from fruit you must gather your tools, and aim to extract the seeds.

Then you should create some seedling pots, and try to germinate the seeds. After doing so, transplant the shoots, and avoid any transplanting shock for happening.

While replanting strawberries is the most common way to get new strawberry plants, you can grow the plant fresh from the fruit. However, you must first remove the seeds from the fruit and plant them in the soil using these easy steps.

1. Gather Your Tools

When you gather your necessary items, it would be easier for you to perform the process, which is why you would need some roll-like cartons and empty containers, a fresh strawberry, a sharp object like a toothpick. Moreover, you would also need a sterilized knife, a plastic box, and tool to fetch some soil.

2. Extract the Seeds

Get fresh strawberries from the garden or market and extract the seeds using a toothpick, this is when you would try to be very keen on the process and carefully remove the sees.

After which you must dry the grain on a paper towel in an open place to prevent birds from feeding on it.

3. Create Seedling Pots

Cut the card rolls using the knife into two and fold them to create seedling pots. Also, you should use the spoon to fetch well-drained soil from the garden and fill the jars. Remember to wet the ground by pouring little water into the tins, but avoid flooding, or else the process would be messy.

4. Germinate the Seeds

Place one or two seeds in the middle of the pots, or on top of the soil. You can let other seeds fall in the holes in the soil but don’t bury them. Leaving the strawberry seeds at the top ensures they get enough light for germination, and this would encourage the successful process especially if the condition of the growth is between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

Overall, you should transfer the pots to the small plastic containers so that you can move the strawberry plants by the box around. You should then place the boxes in a warm environment to encourage growth. Once the tiny plants start appearing, it is time to move them to their growing place.

5. Transplant the Shoots

Your strawberries won’t do well in the tiny pots, as a result you must transplant them in a larger area to get enough oxygen and light. You can consider the best method of growing strawberries is in the matted row system on a raised bed.

What you must do is to ensure you also get the perfect transplanting strawberries spacing, which is primarily 18 to 30 inches apart if your rows have a spacing of three to four feet apart—proper spacing maximizes production. You should also remove the strawberry plants that multiply.

Planting your new strawberries in a raised bed ensures there is good drainage. It also keeps your plants safe from weeds and grass that could grow in the garden. Guarantee that you have kept the raised beds in a well-lit area.

If you plant during summer, you can find locations with a light shade to avoid leaf scorch, because it may be a way to give you difficulties in the process.

6. Avoid Transplanting Shock

Be careful when replanting the strawberries to avoid strawberry transplant shock. This disturbs the roots, and they could stop absorbing water and nutrients, leading to the death of the plant. Some signs your plant suffered transplant shock are leaf spots or scorch, slow plant growth, and leaf rolling or even curling.

Which means that you can reduce the chances of causing transplanting shock to your strawberries by replanting them during the spring season. The season has conducive temperatures to support the proper growth of strawberries.

Make sure that you have also had a way to hold the roots carefully when removing the plant from the pot. Do not cut or leave some roots in the pot because the young plant depends on them for water and nutrient absorption. You can begin by watering the plant before removing it from the can to loosen the soil.

Consider replanting strawberries in geographical areas that support their growth. This includes places with suitable soil, temperatures, and lighting. Watering the plants will also keep them healthy and improve their growth rate.

FAQ

1. How Late To Transplant Strawberries?

Farmers who experience warm winters can transplant their strawberries as late as December. However, if you live in the United States, consider growing strawberries in late August. People living in areas that experience extreme winters can grow strawberries during summer to give the plant time to develop.

Conclusion

The best seasons to transplant some strawberries are spring or autumn. These seasons have conducive temperatures for strawberry growth, so they ensure the plant establishes itself before the freezing temperatures of winter and too hot a climate in summer. To summarize everything;

• Ensure you expose your strawberry plants to the right growth conditions, like direct sunlight and proper moisture.
• Avoid growing strawberry plants in freshly cultivated soil because it has insects and is conducive to weed growth.
• Winter is a poor season to transplant some strawberries. There is little to no plant growth during the season.

You can also grow strawberries fresh from the seeds. However, do not bury the strawberry fruit and hope the plant will mature. Remove and plant the seeds in cans, then transplant them in a raised bed.

References:

• https://strawberryplants.org/transplanting-strawberries/#:~:text=Typically%2C%20late%20August%20is%20the,plants%20can%20be%20done%20earlier.
• https://wonderopolis.org/wonder/Can-Plants-Grow-in-Winter