Sweet, juicy strawberries have got it all. With just 46 calories per 1 cup serving, they're a solid source of vitamin C, fiber, manganese and antioxidants. Strawberries also come in many varieties, giving the home gardener a host of cultivars to choose from. Fertilization is an important part of growing these tasty berries, making the difference between a middling harvest and a bountiful one.
The soil where strawberries will be grown, which must receive lots of sun and drain well, requires fertilization before planting. For every 100 square feet of gardening space, a pound of 10-10-10 fertilizer, containing equal amounts of nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus, should be worked 6 to 8 inches into the soil. Doing so creates a fertile, rich site in which to plant, providing strawberries with the nutrients they require from the moment they touch the soil.
In their first year, if the strawberries look weak or green, 1 1/2 pounds of nitrogen fertilizer for every 100 feet of growing space can be placed alongside the plants several weeks after planting. In late August, give the strawberries 1 1/2 pounds of ammonium nitrate fertilizer, also placed alongside the plants, for every 100 feet of growing space. The fertilizer should be sprayed with a hose, soaking it into the soil for absorption by the strawberries' roots.
Second and Third Years
Strawberries can typically be grown in the same location for three years before leaf diseases set in. Before the second and third seasons, mow the strawberries' foliage, which can be mixed into the soil to act as a natural fertilizer as it decomposes. Then another round of 10-10-10 fertilizer, at a rate of 1 pound for every 100 square feet of growing space, should be reapplied. When the strawberry patch is moved after the third year, prep the site for the new crop as you did before planting the initial bed and continue the yearly fertilizing cycle throughout the bed's use.
Though commercial fertilizers serve the needs of strawberries well, organic materials can also be used. Bonemeal is a slow-release phosphorus fertilizer ideal for strawberries; it acts faster if steamed prior to application. Dried blood also provides an immediate dose of nitrogen. For potash, the North Carolina State University website recommends mulching strawberries with wood ash. If slugs and snails are a problem, spread crushed eggshells around the strawberries, which release calcium into the soil while deterring these garden pests.
- North Carolina State University: Strawberries in the Home Garden
- Organic Gardening: Strawberry Growing Guide
- University of Illinois Extension: Growing Strawberries
- University of Minnesota Extension: Strawberries for the Home Garden
- University of Missouri Extension: Home Fruit Production: Strawberry Cultivars and Their Culture
- Mother Earth News: Country Lore: Foil Slugs With Eggshells
- World's Healthiest Foods: Strawberries
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