When to Plant Strawberries — Planting Calendar by USDA Zone

📅 Planting Calendar by USDA Zone

Select your zone to highlight your exact planting dates. Dates are calculated from each zone's average frost dates.

Your USDA Hardiness Zone:

Zone	Last Frost	Start Indoors	Transplant	Direct Sow
Zone 2A	May 30	—	May 16	—
Zone 3B	May 15	—	May 1	—
Zone 4A	May 8	—	Apr 24	—
Zone 4B	May 1	—	Apr 17	—
Zone 5A	Apr 25	—	Apr 11	—
Zone 5B	Apr 18	—	Apr 4	—
Zone 6A	Apr 21	—	Apr 7	—
Zone 6B	Apr 10	—	Mar 27	—
Zone 7A	Apr 5	—	Mar 22	—
Zone 7B	Mar 28	—	Mar 14	—
Zone 8A	Mar 20	—	Mar 6	—
Zone 8B	Mar 12	—	Feb 26	—
Zone 9A	Feb 28	—	Feb 14	—
Zone 9B	Feb 15	—	Feb 1	—
Zone 10A	Feb 1	—	Jan 18	—
Zone 10B	Jan 15	—	Jan 1	—
Zone 11A	Jan 1	—	Dec 18	—

Strawberries are the most popular home fruit crop for good reason — fresh-picked berries are incomparably sweeter than anything from a store.

Plant bare-root crowns in early spring (2-4 weeks before last frost) or in fall in zones 6+
Keep the crown (where roots meet leaves) at soil level — too deep rots, too shallow dries out
June-bearing types give one big harvest; everbearing produce all season
Remove blossoms the first year to build root strength and get bigger harvests in year 2+
Renovate beds every 3-4 years by thinning runners to maintain vigor
Mulch with straw in fall (zones 5 and colder) to protect crowns from freeze-thaw cycles

Good companions: spinach, lettuce, thyme, sage, borage (said to improve flavor)

Avoid planting near: brassicas, fennel, kale (can harbor pests that transfer)

Harvest when fully red with no white shoulders; check plants every 1-2 days at peak

🍓 When to Plant Strawberries