Growing strawberries is a whole science in itself! They like full sun, the plants should be planted a bit proud, the middle above the soil so as not to bury the crown or growing point in the middle of the plant. Many people prefer raised beds for good drainage, and they also fruit well in high sided tubs where they can dangle down and not touch the earth.

Juice comes from water so you need to water them. Ensure the soil stays moist especially when fruiting. They are a hybrid food crop and react well to lots of fertiliser. Being organic we use lots of organic material like compost and sheep dags, and famously, straw or pea straw mulch. Not too much lime to stay acidic. The fruit should be kept from touching the soil with straw or mats. Birds love them which is a real challenge to the small grower. Grow them in tunnels or under nets, to protect early morning fruit from birds who will eat every last berry if you don't. Or own a vicious hunting cat or trained falcon squadron.


Fresh summer strawberries and alpine white strawberries.



Red, White and Pink

One way to beat the birds is to grow the alpine white strawberries, which gradually create a carpet through the forest floor. As a ground layer to a food forest planting they are ideal and though not large bearers of big fruit, the few small tasty fruits you get while wild-crafting or foraging are well worth it. The larger, heart breakingly delicious "Pineberries" are hard to come by. But seeds from them can be raised which revert to a parent type and can also produce sharply tasty wild type strawberries. The original parent, the Chilean Fresca strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis) is pink, and like all the wilder strains, has sensational flavours. Such divine intense tastes are often unfortunately bred out of modern shop varieties in favour of colour, or even fruit shape for ease of packing. We grow the white alpine variety "White Soul", which has a tangy bubblegum flavour burst.


Pineberries, divine but elusive in NZ


White Soul variety



Best Strawberry Types

Many people have commented on the great flavours of older commercial types. We grow "Tioga", a New Zealand developed cold-hardy variety. Tioga handles wet weather, so is great for New Zealand summers. Ask older people which variety type they prefer from back in the day. See if you can find local gardening groups who may share and swap runners of "heritage" local strawberry strains. These will have been the "super strawberries" of their time, and they may often handle local conditions better than more recent selections.

Here I must mention the bulletproof modern home strawberry: "Cama Rosa", sold everywhere and very popular. Friends of mine grow them dangling out of tubs and trough planters all around the house deck. They are very healthy and when well fed in full sun, with some extra watering, pump out perfect strawberries very reliably year on year. This variety is so popular it must be the super-strawberry of our generation.

Nothing wrong with buying some strawberries from the shop or farm and while eating them, peel a few. Dry out the red peel and collect the tiny seeds. Freeze then plant them in spring. They throw back to their parent strains, so it's a lucky dip! But with strawberries their parents are nearly always also delicious strawberry plants themselves. The worst that can happen is you get a non-fruiting or tasteless type. But - you might get one with giant baseball sized fruit and become the next International Strawberry Magnate.

Strawberries suit our mild climatic zone and provided there are no Christmas frosts (Inland Mountains) or long Aussie style droughts (North Canterbury, I'm looking at you) they should thrive outdoors or indoors. With some love and a lot of fertiliser you can get fruit all summer long. With some focus, you can produce enough either for your home or for local gate sales. For entertainment purposes your own strawberries will put you way up the Best Pavlova rankings, a major social achievement.


Organic Strawberry plants in our nursery



We grow fruit and timber trees in the extreme climate of the South Island. Explore our mail order nursery for organic fruit and forestry trees.

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