Growing strawberry
berry / bush fruit
Pollination
Self-fertile, though bees and good weather at bloom give fuller, less-misshapen berries.
Growing it
Zones 3-10. June-bearers crop once, heavily; day-neutral / everbearing types fruit in flushes all season. Renew the bed every 2-3 years from runners or new plants.
Where strawberry grows best
Hardy in zones 3-10, and it needs enough winter cold - about 200-400 chill hours - to flower and fruit well. Combining the two:
Good fit across most of: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming. Also parts of Alaska, Arizona, California, Florida, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Texas, Washington.
Will you get enough chill?
Strawberry needs roughly 200–400 hours between 32 and 45 °F over winter to break dormancy evenly. Check your area with the chill hours calculator. Low-chill breeding has pushed many varieties well below the figure here, so read the plant tag.
Questions gardeners ask
What zone does strawberry grow in?
Strawberry grows in USDA hardiness zones 3-10. In the warmest of those (zone 10), winters may be too mild to give the chill it needs, so choose low-chill varieties there.
How many chill hours does strawberry need?
Roughly 200-400 hours between 32 and 45°F over winter, depending on the variety. Low-chill varieties need less - check the plant tag, and estimate your own area with the chill hours calculator.
Is strawberry self-pollinating?
Self-fertile — one plant crops on its own. Self-fertile, though bees and good weather at bloom give fuller, less-misshapen berries.
Which states can grow strawberry?
Strawberry suits most of Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas and 28 more, and parts of 11 other states where the right zones occur. Your own zone and chill hours matter more than the state.
Chill and pollination are given at the fruit-type level; specific cultivars can differ. Values are typical ranges for home-garden planning.