How to Grow Wild Strawberries

Wild Strawberry Bush

Wild Strawberries are also known as Woodland Strawberries, Alpine Strawberries and European Strawberries. They grow naturally throughout the entire northern hemisphere and there is evidence to suggest that they were a source of food to human beings as early as the Stone Age. Since the seventeenth century, the Wild Strawberry has fallen out of common consumption, the Garden Strawberry, which is much larger, having been cultivated since then. Nevertheless the Wild Strawberry is still being cultivated on a smaller scale in various parts of the world because of their superior sweetness and taste. Because of that, they are often included in gourmet cooking and jams.

Things You'll Need

• Wild strawberry seeds
• Organic compost
• Shovel
• Weed-free barley straw
• Eggshells
• Wooden stakes
• Mallet
• Chicken wire

Instructions

Growing Wild Strawberries

1. Start by selecting an appropriate spot to plant the strawberries. It should be in an area where the soil drains well and has very little clay, so a raised hill of some kind would be best. If you live in a temperate zone make sure the spot receives full sunlight. If you live in a sub-tropical zone make sure the spot gets partial sunlight throughout the day. You will probably want to begin planting early in the year, around February if possible.

2. Use the shovel to dig out a large rectangle or square shape in the earth. It’s imperative that you remove all the grass, roots and weeds within that space, as strawberries do not compete well with other plants. Dig only a few inches into the soil, mixing it well with organic compost to make sure it has all the nutrients it will need.

3. Place the seeds in the earth, spaced a full foot apart from each other and less than a full inch beneath the soil. Seeds are not as likely to grow as seedlings that you would get at a gardening supply store so place a half dozen seeds in each hole. Pack the earth down around the seeds and water it well. It should be noted that these seeds are first generation Wild Strawberry seeds; the seeds that are embedded in the exterior of strawberries are vestigial. They will never sprout and you’re wasting your time if you’re using them. For that reason Wild Strawberry seeds can be tough to find and you may have to order them online.

4. Check the soil each day to make sure it stays moist, but not soaked. Seedlings should come up in about a month. At this point put down a thick layer of barley straw, covering your entire garden space except the seedlings themselves. This will help discourage weeds from growing among your strawberries and keep moisture locked into the soil. Crush up the eggshells and scatter them around the seedlings. This is a natural deterrent against slugs and snails that would be attracted to the fresh plant growth. Care for them as you have been doing and they should begin to produce berries in late spring.

5. Drive wooden stakes into the ground surrounding the strawberry patch and thread chicken wire through it to make a barrier. The berries will draw small mammals before they are ripened and you must try to keep them out. The first of the berries should be ready to be picked in early summer. Make sure to check the Wild Strawberry plants each day for new berries. They will produce up to three crops a year, but this amount will decrease after they pass three years of age. At this point you might wish to consider cultivating new Wild Strawberry plants.

Tips & Warnings

• The Wild Strawberry has medicinal uses as well. An herbal tea made from the leaves, stems and flowers can aid in the treatment of diarrhea.

• Wild Strawberries ripen progressively, meaning you will have to pick their berries each day throughout the summer. If you cultivate several dozen Wild Strawberry plants at once this means you will have daily fresh strawberries for the better part of the year.

Resources

• Site Containing Anything You Could Want to Know About Strawberries