Learn to Grow Strawberries at Home
An Easy Choice: Bare Root vs. Strawberry Plant Plug
So you want to grow strawberries in your garden. That's great news but we know that deciding the best way to start can be overwhelming. Fear not, HOSS Study Hall is here to help. The two methods we explored were starting with a strawberry plant plug and bare root plant. Lucky for you, we've done our research and have determined that strawberry plugs reign supreme when compared side by side.
What Is A Strawberry Plug?
Plant Plug - Also commonly referred to as a set, is a live plant that arrives with soil already on its roots. Plugs can stay in their trays until ready to transplant into the ground.
Bare Root - plants that are in a dormant state and have no soil on their roots on arrival. A good bit of special care needs to be taken with bare root plants when they arrive to protect the root system from damage.
When you use the drip tape system, plant your strawberry plugs at each emitter and bury your tape. Once you’ve got everything in the ground, that’s when you come in with your mulch choice and cover your irrigation under the plant. If you need more information on the best way to plant your strawberries, check out our previous post in the Study Hall blog for tips and tricks.
Strawberry Plugs Are Clearly Superior
One of the most compelling reasons for going with strawberry plant plug is financial. Whether you are a beginner gardener or a seasoned vet, when you invest in plants, the thought of them not producing can be a real heartbreaker on your wallet. On average, you will lose between 15% - 20% of bare root plants whereas plugs will usually only have a 1% - 2% loss overall. Because plugs arrive with soil already on the roots, they will usually establish a lot quicker, resist soil shock, and have an easier transition into dormancy when you're planting in the fall.
Pro Tip: Plant Your Strawberries In The Fall. Here's Why:
Now that we're on our way to convincing you of the general superiority of strawberry plugs, another reason we like them so much is that you can get a healthy crop the very next growing season. With bare root plants of the June bearing variety, you won't have a crop the first year. Once you put your plugs in the ground, fertilize and mulch them, they'll go dormant over the winter. As warmer weather rolls around and the plants come out of dormancy, you'll have a nice large crop of juicy, red, sweet strawberries over the course of a few weeks in Spring and early Summer.
