Louisiana · zones 8b–9b
When to plant strawberries in Louisiana.
Sow or transplant between Feb 14 to Mar 21 in a typical year, keyed to Louisiana's median last frost around Feb 28. A second, fall sowing fits Oct 2 to Nov 1. Dates below are state medians; your ZIP code shifts them by days to weeks.
The 2026 windows
Strawberries dates for a typical Louisiana season.
1 · Start indoors
Jan 3 to Feb 7
About 6 weeks before set-out. Warm spot, real light.
2 · Set out
Feb 14 to Mar 21
Keyed to the ~Feb 28 last frost. Sow 0" deep, 12" apart.
Fall round
Oct 2 to Nov 1
Counted back from the ~Dec 1 first frost.
Harvest
~90 days later
~1.5 lb per plant over ~8 weeks.
Louisiana spans more than one climate: Zone 9 is the most common zone, but the state runs 8b to 9b. 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 Louisiana: watch for
The pests that find strawberries here.
With about 276 frost-free days, strawberry, day-neutral spends longer in the ground here than in most of the country, which widens the window in which spotted wing drosophila can find it. Scout weekly from midseason and act on the first signs.
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: Louisiana gives strawberries about 276 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 Louisiana: questions
When should I plant strawberries in Louisiana?+
In a typical Louisiana year, sow strawberries or set out transplants between Feb 14 to Mar 21, keyed to the state's median last frost around Feb 28. There's also a fall window: Oct 2 to Nov 1. Your exact dates shift with your ZIP code and microclimate.
When do I start strawberries seeds indoors in Louisiana?+
Start seeds inside about 6 weeks before set-out: roughly Jan 3 to Feb 7 for a typical Louisiana season.
What USDA zone is Louisiana?+
Louisiana spans zones 8b–9b, mostly zone 9. 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.