fruit · transplant
June-bearing Strawberry: how much to plant.
A family of 4 eating june-bearing strawberry a few times a week needs about 11 plants in ~33 sq ft, worth about $33 a year at the store. Here are the exact numbers for your household, and when to plant in every zone.
How much to plant
Plants, space, seeds, and value.
Counts assume about 3 servings per person per week with a germination buffer built in. Store value uses ~$3.00/lb retail, an estimate that varies by region and season.
| Household | Plants | Bed space | Seeds to buy | Store value / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | 3 | ~9 sq ft | ~4 | ~$9 |
| 2 people | 6 | ~18 sq ft | ~7 | ~$18 |
| 4 people | 11 | ~33 sq ft | ~13 | ~$33 |
| 6 people | 16 | ~48 sq ft | ~18 | ~$48 |
Spacing
12" in row · 36" between rows
Sow depth
0"
Days to harvest
90 from seed
When to plant
Sow windows by USDA zone, 2026.
Zone dates are typical, not exact. The free planner uses your ZIP code's frost dates, not just the zone, and shifts every window to match.
| Zone | Spring sow window | Fall sow window |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | May 1 – Jun 5 | Jul 17 – Aug 16 |
| Zone 4 | Apr 26 – May 31 | Jul 27 – Aug 26 |
| Zone 5 | Apr 16 – May 21 | Aug 6 – Sep 5 |
| Zone 6 | Apr 6 – May 11 | Aug 16 – Sep 15 |
| Zone 7 | Mar 22 – Apr 26 | Aug 26 – Sep 25 |
| Zone 8 | Mar 11 – Apr 15 | Sep 16 – Oct 16 |
| Zone 9 | Feb 6 – Mar 13 | Oct 6 – Nov 5 |
| Zone 10 | Jan 17 – Feb 21 | Oct 16 – Nov 15 |
Know when it's time to plant
Give us your ZIP and we'll email you a planting checklist for your exact frost dates, this month's list right now, then once a month when sow windows open.
One email a month, only when there's something to plant. Unsubscribe anytime.
Know before you grow
The practical stuff.
Ready to pick when
Deep, even red all the way to the tip and fragrant. Berries do not sweeten after picking, so leave any white shoulders another day.
Don't wait: Ripe fruit molds fast in damp weather, pick every other day during the June flush.
Yield
About 1 lb per plant over ~3 productive weeks (~1 lb).
Watch for
Spotted wing drosophila · Japanese beetles · Aphids · Powdery mildew & gray mold, the pest guide covers organic fixes for each, and Pest Radar shows what gardeners near you are reporting right now.
Neighbors
Plays well with spinach, lettuce, garlic, bush bean. Keep away from cabbage, broccoli, tomato. Which of these hold up, and what not to plant after
On the plate (per 100 g, USDA)
32 kcal · 2 g fiber · 58.8 mg vitamin C · 153 mg potassium
Stop guessing. Get your exact numbers.
Tell the free planner what you want to eat and who you're feeding. It returns plant counts, spacing, and frost-safe sow dates for your ZIP code, not just your zone, in about 60 seconds.
Strawberry, June-bearing cans, freezes, or dries for the pantry. See how much to grow and store to feed your household, and how long it keeps.
Strawberry, June-bearing planting questions
How many june-bearing strawberry plants do I need per person?+
For steady eating (about 3 servings a week), plan on roughly 3 plants per person. A family of 4 needs about 11 plants, which takes around 33 sq ft of bed space.
How much space does june-bearing strawberry need?+
Space plants 12" apart in the row with 36" between rows. Sow 0" deep. Start indoors, transplant out.
When should I plant june-bearing strawberry?+
It depends on your frost dates. Spring sowing is keyed to your last spring frost. It also has a fall window keyed to your first fall frost. The zone table on this page shows typical windows; enter your ZIP in the free planner for dates tuned to your exact location, not just your zone.
Is growing june-bearing strawberry worth it?+
At about $3.00/lb retail and ~1 lb per plant, a family-of-4 planting is worth about $33 a year at the store. Prices vary by region and season, so treat it as an estimate.