When to plant strawberry by zone
Fragaria × ananassa is a perennial-season crop that is hardy to frost. Rule of thumb: plant out from 4 weeks before to 1 week before the last frost.
Strawberry planting dates by zone
Each row uses the median 30%-risk frost dates of the major cities in that zone; rows marked * have no major city and use the median of NOAA stations in that zone instead. Frost dates vary a lot within a zone, so use your city page for local dates. In frost-free climates: Oct 1 – Nov 30.
| Zone | Median last frost | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1a* | May 29 | — | May 1 – May 22 | — | — |
| 1b* | May 29 | — | May 1 – May 22 | — | — |
| 2a | May 21 | — | Apr 23 – May 14 | — | — |
| 2b* | May 20 | — | Apr 22 – May 13 | — | — |
| 3a* | Jun 4 | — | May 7 – May 28 | — | — |
| 3b* | May 24 | — | Apr 26 – May 17 | — | — |
| 4a | May 12 | — | Apr 14 – May 5 | — | — |
| 4b | May 5 | — | Apr 7 – Apr 28 | — | — |
| 5a | May 4 | — | Apr 6 – Apr 27 | — | — |
| 5b | May 4 | — | Apr 6 – Apr 27 | — | — |
| 6a | May 4 | — | Apr 6 – Apr 27 | — | — |
| 6b | Apr 26 | — | Mar 29 – Apr 19 | — | — |
| 7a | Apr 22 | — | Mar 25 – Apr 15 | — | — |
| 7b | Apr 10 | — | Mar 13 – Apr 3 | — | — |
| 8a | Apr 1 | — | Mar 4 – Mar 25 | — | — |
| 8b | Mar 22 | — | Feb 22 – Mar 15 | — | — |
| 9a | Mar 11 | — | Feb 11 – Mar 4 | — | — |
| 9b | Feb 12 | — | Jan 15 – Feb 5 | — | — |
| 10a | Jan 26 | — | Dec 29 – Jan 19 | — | — |
| 10b | Jan 27 | — | Dec 30 – Jan 20 | — | — |
| 11a | Rare | Oct 1 – Nov 30 | |||
| 11b* | Rare | Oct 1 – Nov 30 | |||
| 12a* | Rare | Oct 1 – Nov 30 | |||
| 12b | Rare | Oct 1 – Nov 30 | |||
| 13a* | Rare | Oct 1 – Nov 30 | |||
| 13b* | Rare | Oct 1 – Nov 30 | |||
Growing tips
- Plant dormant crowns with the crown at soil level — not buried.
- June-bearing types fruit the year after planting; remove first-year flowers.
- In mild-winter climates, fall planting of day-neutral types gives a spring crop.
Exact dates for your city
Popular: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, Dallas, Jacksonville, Fort Worth, San Jose — or browse all cities by state.
Other crops: Tomato, Pepper, Lettuce, Green Beans, Sweet Corn, Zucchini & Summer Squash, Cucumber, Carrot, Onion, Potato, Basil, Spinach, Kale, Broccoli, Peas, Eggplant, Cabbage, Radish, Beets