Delaware · zones 7b–7b
When to plant strawberries in Delaware.
Sow or transplant between Mar 29 to May 3 in a typical year, keyed to Delaware's median last frost around Apr 12. A second, fall sowing fits Sep 2 to Oct 2. Dates below are state medians; your ZIP code shifts them by days to weeks.
The 2026 windows
Strawberries dates for a typical Delaware season.
1 · Start indoors
Feb 15 to Mar 22
About 6 weeks before set-out. Warm spot, real light.
2 · Set out
Mar 29 to May 3
Keyed to the ~Apr 12 last frost. Sow 0" deep, 12" apart.
Fall round
Sep 2 to Oct 2
Counted back from the ~Nov 1 first frost.
Harvest
~90 days later
~1.5 lb per plant over ~8 weeks.
Delaware spans more than one climate: Zone 7 is the most common zone, but the state runs 7b to 7b. That's why the planner works from your ZIP code's frost dates, not your zone: mountain and coastal gardens in the same state can be three weeks apart.
In Delaware: watch for
The pests that find strawberries here.
A middle-length season, about 203 frost-free days, means strawberry, day-neutral overlaps spotted wing drosophila for a stretch each summer. Check plants every week or two and treat early.
Soft, quickly-rotting ripe berries with tiny larvae inside.
Organic fix: Pick often, chill fast, hang traps, exclude with fine netting.
Metallic beetles skeletonizing the leaves in summer.
Organic fix: Handpick into soapy water; neem.
White powder on leaves, or fuzzy gray rot on the fruit.
Organic fix: Prune for airflow, water at the base, spray neem.
Your season math: Delaware gives strawberries about 203 frost-free days, and it needs roughly 90 days to a first harvest. It's a one-planting crop, so time that single sowing well.
Planting strawberries in Delaware: questions
When should I plant strawberries in Delaware?+
In a typical Delaware year, sow strawberries or set out transplants between Mar 29 to May 3, keyed to the state's median last frost around Apr 12. There's also a fall window: Sep 2 to Oct 2. Your exact dates shift with your ZIP code and microclimate.
When do I start strawberries seeds indoors in Delaware?+
Start seeds inside about 6 weeks before set-out: roughly Feb 15 to Mar 22 for a typical Delaware season.
What USDA zone is Delaware?+
Delaware spans zones 7b–7b, mostly zone 7. But frost dates, not zones, set planting time. The free planner uses your ZIP code's actual frost dates.
How many strawberries plants do I need?+
Depends who you're feeding. The crop page has exact counts per household size, or the free planner does the math for your family in about 60 seconds.