Did you know that the beautiful strawberry flower can add a wonderful scent to the house while also being a great tasting fruit? The strawberry plant comes in a wide variety of colors and strains, and this includes its flowers.
The best part is that delicious fruit can be harvested during three out of the four of the seasons! If these tasty little plants sound intriguing to you, stick around to find more about strawberries and their flowers.
When Do Strawberries Bloom?
Different types of strawberry flowers will not only have aesthetic but flowering differences. It is a good idea to understand these differences before you start planning and buying.
June-bearing strawberries like their name suggest that it will produce berries in June. Whilst Everbearing Strawberries will have three periods of flowering throughout the growing season in Spring, Summer, and Fall.
You can have one or the other plant, we suggest planting a mixture of the two so that you can eat delicious homegrown strawberries for most of the year!
What Color Are Strawberry Flowers?
While different varieties produce similar fruits, strawberry flowers cover a wide range of colors. These range from dark greens, yellows, all the way to light pinks, and of course the classic white strawberry flower.
The most common color of the strawberry flower is a white flower with a bright yellow stigma in the center. This yellow center is to attract pollinating insects such as bees.
Each strain of plant produces similar-looking fruit, but there are differences in the way they taste, size, and color of the fruit as well. Some people might not realize that strawberry flowers are edible, however, I would wait for the delicious berry instead! Strawberry plants have several medicinal properties as well, but all we know is they taste great.
Caring For Strawberry Flowers
While different strawberry flowers tend to provide fruit at different times, the most common found in America is the June-bearing strawberries. If ordering strawberry plants online, they will typically ship in the Spring, at which point they should be planted immediately.
Strawberries will take some time to settle into their new homes and attempt to produce fruit immediately, thus, damaging their already injured roots. To prevent this, you should cut off all the strawberry flowers from the plants until the following growing season.
This allows your strawberry plant to recover and build its root base in time for another amazing season!
Soil Types Suitable For Strawberry Flowers
While strawberries can thrive in many different soils, it’s wise to take which soil you plant them into consideration.
The type of soil these grow in can have a prominent effect on the health of your plant, especially the number of flowers that blossom.
Pro-Tip: A simple mixture of clay soil and compost will suit them perfectly!
Seasonal Care
Strawberry plants require around 6-10 hours of sunlight a day. Therefore it’s essential to keep them in a well-lit part of the house, garden, or balcony. During the winter you may see them looking a little disheveled, but trust me they will bounce back by the summer.
Twice a year, special attention should be given to your strawberry plants.
First off, when they start blossoming they will need extra care. Care for the flowers by pruning and providing plenty of water will help to produce larger and tastier fruit yields.
Second, keeping your plants warm during spring is essential. They can easily be damaged by frost. This can be managed with a greenhouse or increased mulch around the strawberry bush. If using mulch, pile it about four inches tall around the base of the plant.
Pro-Tip: For the mulch use a mixture of straw, pine needles, or other organic material. Once the temperature starts to rise again ensure you remove the extra mulch to prevent root rot.
Planting Your Own Strawberry plants
If you’re thinking of planting your own plants to enjoy the strawberry flowers and fruit, there are two routes you can go down. You can either buy some from a garden center or plant your own from seed.
While there is nothing wrong with going the pre-planted route, growing your own from scratch can be fun and rewarding!
Preparation
You will need some soil, seeds, and a large area in which to plant the strawberry flowers. Each plant can need up to ten inches in diameter for potential sprawl.
To start, you will want to set up your soil in containers leaving twenty inches between each seed. We recommend a mixture of clay soil and compost with a mixture of the two in the bottom and a layer of pure soil on top.
Next, dig a small hole into the top of the mixture and deposit the seeds. If you’re planting a semi-grown plant then bury it deep enough to cover the roots. While also making sure the central growing bud is not covered.
Pro-Tip: As long as your seed is about half an inch of depth in the soil, it will suffice. Make sure to water well at the time of planting and be careful not to drown the plant!
After Care For Strawberry Flowers
To ensure healthy growth, make sure to keep watering your plants once they start sprouting. If you’re growing strawberry plants outside, make sure to check and discard any weeds by hand. Remove the weeds around the roots so they compete for space and nutrients.
Last but not least, protecting your plants from bugs and pests is important. Most pesky bugs can be fended off with the use of an all-purpose pest spray.
Pro-Tip: Make sure to remove any rotten or overripe berries to prevent fermentation. This will tend to attract all kinds of insects prone to damaging your strawberry flowers.
