How to Eradicate Wild Strawberries

Wild strawberries are treated as weeds in many gardens.

Wild strawberries (Fragaria virginiana), or barrel strawberries, are low-growing relatives of cultivated strawberries. Wild strawberry plants are commonly considered weeds. The fast-growing plants spread quickly through an area, sending out runner roots that produce new growth. These plants grow in every state in the United States except Hawaii, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. The perennial plants continue to bloom and spread every year unless removed. Adopt an organic control approach if the scale of infestation is small, or use chemical control methods for quick and effective means of eradicating a large number of wild strawberry plants.

Things You'll Need

• Gardening gloves
• Hoe or shovel
• Tarp
• Black plastic mulch
• Herbicide
• Hand-held sprayer
• Rake
• Wheelbarrow (optional)

Instructions

1. Pull or dig wild strawberry plants out of the soil if the scale of infestation is small. Use a hoe or hand-held shovel to loosen the roots from the soil so they slide out easily. Discard the plants in a tarp and continue to inspect the area frequently for young plants that may sprout.

2. Spread black plastic over wild strawberry plants to limit their access to sunlight, water and air. Extend the edges of the plastic by several inches to cover the plants completely. Spread 2 to 3 inches of organic mulch over the sheet to weigh the plants and press them closer to the ground.

3. Add a broad-leaf herbicide containing 2,4-D or dicamba to a hand-held sprayer in early spring or fall. Although the ingredients are safe for use on lawns, read label directions carefully to make sure the herbicide will not harm plants or shrubs planted nearby. Turn the lid of the sprayer in the clockwise fashion to prevent it from coming loose during application.

4. Position the nozzle over the foliage of the wild strawberries and begin spraying the herbicide until completely saturated.

5. Inspect the wild strawberry plants after a week for signs of damage or death. Rake dead plants to pull them out of the soil and collect in a wheelbarrow or tarp. Repeat herbicide application over stubborn plants and wait another five to seven days before pulling them out of the soil.

Tips & Warnings

• Read label directions for application rates and precautions before handling the herbicide. Wear gardening gloves and a face mask to prevent direct contact with the herbicide. Follow package details for storing remaining herbicide after application.

• Spread corn gluten meal as a pre-emergence herbicide over any area where you have faced a problem with wild strawberries before.

• Grow a ground cover such as English bluebells over moist and shaded areas of your yard to prevent the growth of wild strawberries.

References

• "The Washington Post"; Strawberry Fields, Forever; Scott Aker; January 2005
• Fairfax County Public Schools: Wild Strawberry
• "The Columbus Dispatch"; Wild Strawberries Tough to Eradicate; Jane C. Martin; November 2009
• USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service: Virginia Strawberry
• University of Texas at Austin: Ask Mr. Smarty Plants