When is the best time to plant strawberries? And what’s the difference between the different types of plants?

Early spring is the perfect time to plant new strawberry plants. They don’t take up much space and they produce lots of delicious berries.

According to the Oregon State University Extension service, there are three main strawberry categories:

• June-bearers produce one crop per year, usually in June. Oregon-grown varieties include Hood, Shuksan, Totem, Benton, Tillamook, Puget Reliance

• Everbearers produce two crops per year, one in June and one in August. Oregon-grown varieties include Fort Laramie, Ozark Beauty, Quinault

• Day-neutrals produce an almost continuous crop from May through early fall. Oregon-grown varieties include Albion, Seascape, Selva, Tribute, and Tristar

Which strawberry category is right for your needs?

If you’re making jam and need a large number of strawberries all at once, June-bearers are your best bet. If you want strawberries throughout the season, day-neutrals are the way to go. Everbearers tend to be a bit harder to grow and don’t provide the same level of quality fruit you’ll find with day-neutrals.

Guidelines for planting in the Rogue Valley

You can plant strawberries in the early spring, as soon as you can prepare the soil. Strawberry plants like well-drained, reasonably fertile soil. To help improve aeration, drainage and water-holding capacity, you can work compost into the soil — a good option would be our own "Grower's Blend" Rogue Compost.

When selecting plants, look for disease-free foliage. Avoid using runner plants from an old, established patch, as they are often diseased.