Growing Strawberries (Part 2): Pruning, Pests, and Harvesting

New GardenStraw bags coming soon (+50% more straw): bit.ly/3w3iGBR - First strawberry harvest of the season from the new bed at the Epic Homestead! This video goes over care after planting, pests and traps you can use to prevent them, and some harvesting and propagation tips.
00:00 - Intro
00:49 - Growth update
01:02 - Removing flowers
02:40 - Pruning runners
04:40 - Fertilizing & mulching
06:18 - June update
06:34 - Pest damage
09:23 - Yields from pruning
09:53 - Propagating runners
10:23 - Strawberry harvest
11:31 - Outro
SPONSOR: Espoma Organic
Espoma Organic has been organic from the start and makes absolutely epic potting mixes, and organic fertilizers. Their Berry-Tone is perfect for Strawberries: amzn.to/3uMESAK
IN THIS VIDEO
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[@epicgardening]

New bags of GardenStraw in stock pretty soon so sign up to be notified if you're into it! Each bag now has 3 cu. ft. of straw for same price as the previous 2 cu. ft. bags, with free shipping: bit.ly/3w3iGBR

[@ericasmith6919]

Yummy looks delicious! Beautiful strawberries! 😀 thanks for sharing this information

[@rogerfeenstra9496]

We have been having horrendous heat in Fresno this summer. The GardenStraw has saved my garden. Thanks for selling a great product. And, a little goes a long way. I recommend buying GardenStraw!

[@epicgardening]

Glad to hear!

[@practicalgardening4631]

Always recommend giving strawberries space , they explode once they get going and although it looks nice packed together the tend to over grow each other and that kills production later

[@micahramsay8890]

@@epicgardening Hey... Could you do a video using stacking crates to grow strawberries.. My strawberries always seem to rot time harvest dont know why. I have them planted in two small round containers now, thinking of using this method. I live in the Caribbean. Love your videos. Thanks lots.

[@hiqwerty7747]

I pruned the flowers and some of the leaves, and now my strawberry plants are huge and producing fruit.

[@epicgardening]

That's what I like to hear

[@GardenIdeas01]

Congratulation to you, happy gardening

[@patflynn]

The field warmth on the berry is legit. I can never go back to store bought refrigerated strawberries after I started growing strawberries at home, thanks to you!

[@GG-cn6es]

yea, store bought strawberries are gross compared to the real thing

[@IjeomaThePlantMama]

Store strawberries are almost like apples compared to homegrown, fully ripe ones. I can't believe how crunchy they are!

[@jIlLiAnganz]

@Pat Flynn! THE Pat Flynn! How fun to run into your comment on this channel. Definitely one of your Super Fans. Love everything you bring to the internet my friend.

[@shaysummers3520]

The only thing I've gotten with a beer trap was a drunk cat.

[@vickikrempel1144]

😂😂😂

[@Angelwrites]

Rofl

[@hilaorganics9280]

Lolllll

[@rap5374]

Diatomaceous earth is the best defense against ground bugs…

[@lilymcdonald6513]

BEST COMMENT

[@TechOutAdam]

Come on how doesn't his garden scream GOALS!

[@radiclelife]

Yeah, and Charles Dowding!

[@yahushaismyshepherd1179]

Better idea. Stick a little 3 or 4 inch pot if soil under that runner. Once root development happens sever line to mother plant. Now you can start second bed or sell the baby plants.

[@nexium333]

Of

[@johnnytacalo1182]

Isn't that what he said 😂

[@alexfrazer151]

I don’t normally comment, but this time I just had to. I’ve watched a few now and l have to say, I really like the down to earth way gardening has been explained. I’m a retired Aussie (down south in Melbourne) who is loving doing things in my garden. I’m a real novice, but willing to learn. These videos are just what l need. I’m going to watch them all. Thank you.

[@ferncompton4906]

Here in AL I’ve seen strawberry fields using onions planted with strawberries to deter pests.

[@stephaniefuller]

I tried your method, I cut off the first set of blooms and a couple months later I have ton of blooms and strawberries coming! Thanks Kevin!

[@craftymom6934]

Will there be a part 3? I need to know what to do with my plants in the off season. (NJ)

[@marthalowe1556]

me, too

[@K0ester]

Cut back the previous years growth and cover with mulch.

[@loriekey5860]

I would LOVE to see an after-care video for strawberry plants. Thank you for your videos!

[@DesolatorMagic]

I had great results with my 3 year old Strawberry plant. Then I don't have to worry about flowers or anything and it takes up more of my bed every season because i let it spread :D It can survive direct snow but I usually cover it in leaves for the winter and then unbury it in spring and it's currently around 1.5 feet tall :D

[@tapsfordays5548]

Never use leaves it can smother the plant

[@MMuraseofSandvich]

Japanese fruit farmers do this all the time to flowers (it's called _mabiki_ over there; we call it "thinning"). The idea is to encourage the plant to either grow stronger, or to concentrate all the sugars and nutrients it's making into fewer fruits (the latter is for apples, citrus, grapes, and melons; perhaps not necessary for strawberries). I don't remember the last time I've ever had a strawberry in the States that tasted _sweet,_ and yet you go to Japan and buy some strawberries in season from a random produce market, and they are friggin' AMAZEBALLS. Sorry, got carried away. Oh, and the Garden Straw stuff is awesome. I thought I would need more than 3 cubic feet, and we barely scratched the surface with a few planters (komatsuna mustard greens and some Yukon Gold potatoes that started chitting).

[@sarah_farm]

So many different ways to use pomegranates. I know your family loves to taste test all your new recipes. Your videos bring peace and happiness to my heart and your dog makes me laugh all the time. Thank you for sharing yourself and your family with us. You give us much more than we could ever give you. And it's an honor to have you visit our channel, we can discuss more about our experiences in harvesting and building farms.

[@giovoni7942]

Love how relaxed you feed the planties no stress

[@wordwalkermomma4]

My strawberries are under-planted around the tomatoes, (in big containers). They seem to love the arrangement.

[@JonPerson]

It's just amazing how much information you pack into a single video, Kevin! I can't wait to plant more strawberries.

[@kingdarius9846]

I planted 8 fruit trees last year. This year is the year of berries. This video series has been super helpful, excited to get started. Thanks!

[@CoachPeter069]

I love the Birdies Beds. Reminds me so much of home. Yes im an Aussie living in Texas. Started gardening this year. Built my beds from treated pine and a birdie bed would look great amoungst them. I think when your strawberry patch completely fills out its gonna look great in that coloured bed. Thanks for sharing your gardens and knowledge. Helping immensely.

[@grizzleknowsbest]

Awesome information! We just need a part 3 covering how to shut down the bed for winter season, and opening Thank you for all you guys do!

[@rkm310]

My grandparents strawberry patch produced over 100 gallons this past June in the Midwest. It was wild

[@megamaze00]

This is my first year doing a straw bale garden and my strawberries LOVE IT!!

[@trentn7225]

Just harvested my strawberries perfect timing

[@GR-bo5zt]

I would love to see a Birdies bed in bright red (perfect for use as a berry patch)! 🤞🏻🍓

[@rachaelwerner4247]

❤

[@growingwithfelix5872]

and also, the strawberries are sooo good! there field warm, sweet, the seeds are crunchy and it tastes very fresh!

[@kingmasterlord]

jelly, preserves, wine, strawberries are fantastic

[@stacyannwalker8637]

Thank you for the info I'm living in Jamaica and I've always been a bit nervous about growing strawberries but I think I'm ready now. I'm definitely going to share this video

[@k9spot1]

I always thought Espoma was some local tiny company that i could never find, but then I found it in my area! What a great company what great products

[@annettebunfield4377]

Thank you so much Kevin for sharing your extensive knowledge and great tips on growing strawberries as well as your other videos on growing fruit and veg. I live in Canberra Australia and have been a long time fan of your channel. I have over 400 strawberry plants which include 27 different strawberry varieties all of which are growing in towers or containers in my 1/4 acre suburban garden. I've been growing strawberries for 8 years now but for the last 3 seasons I've been able to harvest 45-50 kilos of strawberries each season which is absolutely phenomenal considering that I only started growing fruit and veg 8 years ago and before that had a "black" thumb. Thanks to you and other similar KZbin channels I now have a thriving vegie garden and strawberry patch. My strawberry patch is definitely the star of the show though. My all-time favourite strawberry as far as taste goes is Strasberry. I would love to see you do more strawberry related videos so that I can share them with my local FB Strawberry group. Best wishes from Oz.

[@oneswtl8y]

Great vid! I've been growing strawberries in hydro for the first time. They've been pushing out runners like crazy and I didn't know what to do. You've inspired me to prune them off. Thanks so much!

[@epicgardening]

Good stuff!

[@MaitoFelix]

I’m so excited to see how this will turn out to be

[@PorchGardeningWithPassion]

I like all of these tips! I grew up picking berries up here in the PNW, but I took my first swing at growing them last year. Berry Tone was helpful, but I am working on adding to that growth support for year two 👊🏻🌻👊🏻

[@Heyokaempath]

First time strawberry grower 😅 3rd garden in general. It’s been the most amazing rewarding experience. Thank you for everything 🎉

[@norawade8127]

My garden has suffered from earwig invasion this year as well. Also battled an unprecedented amount of slugs in the Spring while it was still rainy. On the positive side, I have noticably more pollinators visiting as well.

[@icanpreptoo6673]

I always set my runners into extra hanging baskets. Love your videos.

[@FunAtDisney]

👍🍓 My neighbor gave me a couple strawberry plants last year she dug up and this year -Wow! A few berries each day. I also bought some Seascape starts and a couple of my Proven Winners Berried Treasures spouted a while back and those are all going strong. SO good!

[@icarlyIV]

To live in a zone that can grow stuff all year around is a dream...

[@nexium333]

Get a greenhouse

[@highlandscommunityclub1160]

I’ve been foliar fertilizing my strawberries every WEEK. Lots of big berries and big leaves. I did cut off flowers the first few weeks after I planted them in March (zone 9B). Will do the oil (with cheap oil!!) and soy bowl, as I have noticed some pest damage. So glad I planted 30 plants, so I have enough berries to really enjoy.

[@francescofavro8890]

I can't help but notice the Loquat tree in the background.

[@bambinaforever1402]

I wish u could send them all to me - my tree is too small and no fruits yet, and in the store they re rare and if u find some they re sooooo expensive

[@tinkalinks]

I'm so glad I watched this. I inadvertently made a strawberry patch out of neglect last year and it has been better than any other deliberate patch I've grown. I do want to take care of it as best as I can though❤

[@matthewsherriff-growingfoo3110]

Nicely done, i learned a good trick to pick strawberries where you take it with a finger on either side of the stem and thumb at the bottom, pull gently, comes off without the stem 90 percent of the time.

[@nicidevine6670]

I live in 6A growing area in Michigan and my strawberry plant are just getting started from baby plants !!! So I will cut my runners off too !!! Thanks for the information !!!

[@highlandscommunityclub1160]

I have a lot of pill bugs, and heard about setting a half orange (cut side down) on the soil. I didn’t have much faith but had extra oranges so I tried it. Wow, it worked REALLY well!! There were about 30 pill bugs under each orange half that I scooped out. I left the orange and got just as many this morning.

[@nataliekinscher7116]

Great info! Can’t wait to plant my first strawberry patch this spring.

[@ronk4073]

This is interesting. I live in NJ, zone 7a. I planted Albion everbearing strawberries too, 3 years ago. I started with 25 bare root plants which I planted in clusters around my garden. My garden is about 1000 square feet. I planted them out to be ground cover to spread under the trees, shrubs, and bushes that I also planted out. I did not pinch off any flowers or prune any runners that first year. The first year I got maybe 2 oz a day from mid-May to mid-June. Mid-summer there were not many strawberries, but later in summer into fall I was getting a trickle of berries in. I would estimate that by the following year I had 5 times as many plants, so 125. I did not prune back any flowers or runners in the spring and that mid-May to mid-June I was harvesting about 10 oz or so a day. There was a lull after that in early summer, but then it picked up and I got a trickle of berries from late summer until the fall. I would say that the plants multiplied by 5 again, and by the spring of this year I had something like 625 plants spread out over 600 to 700 square feet. Again I did not prune flowers or runners, and honestly that would not be practical with so many plants. From mid-May to mid-June I harvested over 90 lbs of strawberries. About 50 oz a day. Since mid-June the harvest has fallen off a cliff, but I am still getting a trickle. A few oz a week, with new flowers appearing. I think by late summer I'll be getting a few oz a day. At this scope, I probably could not prune the flowers and runners back enough to make much an effect, but would you say the yields across the year are better with pruning, or about the same? It will be interesting seeing your total harvest through the year. Do you weigh your harvest to keep track? I would also say the leaves on your plants look healthier. Mine have reddish spots, and some dying/brown parts. I did not have too much trouble with slugs this year. I spread some sluggo in the late winter when the strawberry flowers just started to open and that was it. For the most part I think the lightening bugs took care of most of the slugs. I think I've saw 2 or 3 slugs all spring. Very interested in seeing your progress and comparing notes, good luck.

[@freedfg6694]

I'm a brand new (well. Serious) Gardner. I didn't even know Strawberries would survive the Jersey winter. Thank you so much for inspiring me to dedicate a whole raised bed to strawberries and some awesome tips!

[@jillianrh9996]

Soooo helpful! Paused the video, ran outside, and cut off all the runners like a rookie lol. Hopefully since they’re ever bearing (Ft Laramie) I’ll still get to harvest something!

[@mikec3820]

runners root great in a little glass with water too. been saving all my pruned runners all year haha

[@SmallSpoonBrigade]

Runners are also a great way to start hydroponic strawberries.

[@michaelfrazier2979]

looking forward to that video about what to do with your second year plants.

[@kylehubbell5610]

Awesome video, I hadn't been trimming the early flowers. Most of my plants shriveled up during the intense PNW heat wave this past weekend.

[@amyschultz8058]

Ive been gardening most of my life, but I have never messed with berries. Since buying our home, we have been working on establishing fruit tree's and grapevines and nuts as well as the garden. We just ordered some strawberries from Baker's creek and it hits me. Ive never grown berries. Thanks foe part 1 and 2. I definitely want to establish more beds from runner's. Set up is simple enough. I greatly appreciate it

[@uchennaW]

Been thinking of growing strawberries.. This video makes it clearer how to 💚

[@annienewman8312]

My strawberries helped keep many beby robins hydrated and happy. Cant be mad. They did leave a few for me.

[@Iceycube1404]

We're having Iberian slugs in our strawberries this year... Have put a band of copper around the bed. Has helped a lot

[@Bastillius]

Hi Kevin it's Kevin. If you pinch the berry off below the flower, another berry will form

[@julianspetsplants0309]

I love all your videos, the homestead, main channel, and Jacque's as well. I have been watching for a few years, and you were my inspiration to start my own gardening channel.

[@Midnight_Rein]

So like, I'm super late, but I have *a lot* of strawberries that we planted from a variety pack of seeds. They all turn out with small berries for the most part, like field strawberries, but when we let them go we get a *ton* of folliage. I'm trying to make it a habit in the spring to go and divide the crowns, because they spread like wildfire in our tiny 5ishx5ish plot in front of our apartment. They have tons of really tall flower stalks through the year, and are actually blooming again now in November. I mostly just keep them for greenery, but I might have to start pruning them and see what I get from a groomed yield rather than a half a cup of tiny fruits.

[@ArkitektoHardinero]

Makes me wanna try tropical strawberries! And let me just say those dragon fruits in big pots look amazing!

[@frederickbowdler8169]

Neat garden bed I like the early pruning idea and the berry fertilizers.well done !!

[@CommonLion]

Was waiting for this video all season! Thanks! Would love to see more strawberry videos. The heat killed my strawberries here in Las Vegas, lost all but two, I bought bare Roots a little late in spring and that didn’t help in this climate. Will plant more in the fall.

[@nahnisjourney1406]

This is my first year growing strawberries. So far so good.

[@epicgardening]

That's great!

[@cindycalvert4875]

My strawberries are getting destroyed by earwigs and pill bugs right now, so this video is coming at the perfect time. I’ll try both trap ideas, thanks!!

[@pixiepetalsflowerfarm]

So happy to see this video! First year growing and the Earwigs are reeking havoc on everything. I’ve been using Diatomaceous earth. We have been extremely wet here in Detroit, Michigan so I don’t know that’s it’s working. Knew nothing about runners so I’ll be out looking in the morning 😂

[@delaisla7573]

Thanks, this makes growing strawberries easier than it seems. Nice flex with the mini fridge full of every flavor of Strainge Beast hard kombucha they have. That stuff is delicious, nutritious and strong af. Definitely highly recommend trying the Flying Embers Wild Berry from Ojai, CA.

[@sanctifiedbytruth6048]

Thank you for the pest tips! I’m definitely going to try the olive oil and soy sauce 👍

[@Coleton.B.]

Southern Ontario, Canada here. I literally can't believe the amount of earwigs I'm dealing with this year and they're eating plants they've never cared to eat before. Interesting to hear the same coming from the West coast down south!

[@jamie1134]

Thank you for these videos! I'm getting ready to plant strawberries in the vertical planters from Epic Gardening today! Also, I love the elevator version of Lady Cab Driver in the background! I was just grooving to that song last week.

[@QueenKaleGardener]

There's nothing better than home grown strawberries! Change my mind!

[@joelise5087]

Please do a video on growing strawberries in containers and any different methods you would need to use to do so!

[@CartersGardens]

Hopefully this year we get some strawberries going this year. Thanks for alot of info I've never messed with them before. Fingers crossed.

[@radiclelife]

My comment is simply that although it may feel like a while before a follow up video comes out on a topic that is supposed to show an end goal, I appreciate it all the more. If this was done with other plants/crops, would be a great series 👍🏼 I also love how you frequently encourage tidy gardening. That simple can improve most people’s results as is 👏🏼

[@marsiesz]

I struggled with birds and silverfish eating my berries, but netting just trapped the birds and they would die caught up in the netting. Any tips?

[@lyndelgado6138]

Next level gardening

[@kameshangovender3593]

Very informative, nicely presented, confidently done and pics were top notch too.

[@danfarkas5375]

I liked the closing, keep those funky beats coming my friend.

[@gettiemaenzanise8329]

Thank you. Will try that with the runners.🇿🇼🇿🇼

[@ChrisChoiniere1]

This was great, I really feel like to know enough to go from zero to strawberries after this video.

[@TheMomentEnds1]

8:10 Sierra bottle conditions their ales, so best to store bottles upright, to allow yeast to settle on bottom. And then pour from bottle to glass, and not drink from the bottle. cheers to SN :)

[@growingwithfelix5872]

Thank you kevin for this video! I just got one from walmart! they are already producing a lot of them!

[@captainkenzie6873]

ive never done any of this but i always get many berries and new plants

[@justpyrite591]

Birds and chipmunks are my biggest pests, only helped a little by putting netting over the bed.

[@jag2333]

Thank you ❣

[@GardenIdeas01]

Nice growing method and protection garden tips of the strawberry plants in the garden, i learn from this video and thanks for sharing good trick

[@arielvidal6491]

Oh my god. I've totally had earwigs in NYC for a while this summer. And aphids

[@bon3y4rd]

I grew Albion and Honeoye. The Honeoye did great. The Albion did great for about 1.5 years. Then they were struck down with Gray Mold AND some other leaf fungus. I was pretty sad as those Albion are large and really sweet. I will have to try a different Everbearing type this next season.

[@Heyokaempath]

Yay, I found it 🎉 now to chop and cry 😢 Thanks Epic Gardening 👩‍🌾

[@jeannierichards522]

Second video I’ve watched of yours. Happen to come across it bc I just got strawberry plants from a friend so I’m trying to revive it. It’s about an average of 95degrees lol here everyday for summer

[@dalebrenchley3311]

Yess been waiting all week 😁

[@Ninelkabullet]

Your channel became my most favorite

[@charliethecairnterrier]

I just grew my beautiful strawberry patch out with some framberries mixed in there too. But the weather in my country sucks, it's july and we have had one week of sun so far. Due to the constant rain (and me forgetting to cover them) they have a massive outbreak of botrytis mold and it's sad and disgusting at the same time. I go in and pick the infected ones every day and have lost around 40 strawberries in one week. I'm afraid I will have to completely re plant my patch. Luckily it's in a raised bed. But still, growing it so lush took me 3 years (I did the same thing with letting the runners go by the end of the season and if filled up nicely) The framberries actually took 2 years to have a decent harvest, but they seem to be less affected by the mold. I wish I lived in a country that had a decent summer. At least my cucumbers and beans like the weather here.

[@Pixics]

I never thought about cutting the flowers off

[@pancakeday4866]

Thanks for the bait ideas. Something is getting to my sunflower leaves. Time to put out some earwig and pill bug traps.

[@elizabethdelude8272]

I planted my 1st strawberry bed this year and my kids get to the berries long before I can lol and sometimes before they are even all the way ripe

[@reshabriella]

I finally got two of your books (Kindle). Great wisdom from the Plant Daddy! That said, I will never hear Bocelli the same way again...

[@epicgardening]

Hopefully in a good way...LOL

[@reshabriella]

@@epicgardening definitely not in a bad way. More in a funny way. I will forever link the song to gardening, especially when I am using my shears.

[@made_in_home]

Hello. Beautiful strawberries!

[@jennyc5631]

the bartender in me had good laugh at the "bad pour" comment.. good work on those berries kevin!!

[@BelleJane5]

I pulled all mine out of the garden and put them in hanging pots to avoid some of the peat and rot. It’s working greats so far and it’s an amazing feature on the verandah

[@Oktopia]

-"Growing season" lol I'm in Norway. We're lucky if the garden furniture is dry for a week. I only have a container garden, so I need all the advice I can get to get the most out of things. :D This is excellent!

[@annamarie2505]

Ugh you don’t see many loquat trees around, I grew up with them and miss them so much! Great video!

[@sandideak4125]

Such great tips! Really appreciate the help.

[@deoko1]

oh man I wish I knew this before July haha. I will prep better for next year!

[@parker1ray]

I had four giant dragon fruit in south Florida. The cactus grew very large and produced tons of flowers, They were three different types of self pollinators. and in four years never produced a single fruit. I even resorted to pollinating them late at night by hand. They just would not produce fruit. There were times when I had more than a dozen flowers out at the same time. I even froze pollen from other cactus and tried that!

[@Sharkdog11b]

I would love a good video of growing strawberry’s from seen. Been experimenting with that for over a year and I still haven’t so much as gotten a flower idk what I’m doing wrong or if growing from seed just takes a lot of time to bare fruit. It’s still fun and it looks great inside

[@dorisbedell4099]

There's a reason not much info is out there about growing strawberries from seed: it takes FOREVER!! at least 1-2 years before you see any flowers. If you're in it this far already, just keep doing what you're doing: fertilize, mulch, good soil, etc. and you'll see results (if you started over a year ago) maybe this season? Maybe next! Good luck!