Strawberry Spacing Guide

Planting bare-root strawberries is one of the best ways to build a berry patch that fits your farm, market stand, or backyard. At fROOTz, we hold dormant bare-root plants in our 28° coolers each spring and ship or schedule pickup when your ground is ready, not when the calendar says it should be.

June-bearing vs. Day-neutral Strawberries

Choosing the right type of strawberry is just as important as choosing the right spacing. Here is a quick overview of the two main types we offer.

June-bearing Strawberries

• Crop timing: One concentrated harvest window, usually early to mid-summer depending on the variety and your location.
• Establishment year: Expect to spend the first year establishing plants and runners; the main crop starts the following year.
• Lifespan: With good care, a June-bearing patch can produce for about 3–5 years before it needs to be renovated or replanted.
• Best for: Pick-your-own farms, farm stands, U-pick, jam and freezing, and gardeners who want a big flush of berries for preserving.

Day-neutral Strawberries

• Crop timing: Flower and fruit through much of the growing season, typically from mid June through early September in the upper Midwest.
• Establishment: Plants will often fruit the same year they are planted, with berries spread out over the season.
• Lifespan: Often treated as annuals in our climate; many growers replant each year rather than relying on overwintered plants.
• Best for: Small farms, market growers, and home gardeners who want steady berries all summer rather than one big flush.

Not sure which fits you best? In short: choose June-bearing for larger, once-a-year harvests and long-term patches, and choose day-neutral if you want berries for fresh eating all summer and are comfortable replanting more often.

General Strawberry Spacing Guidelines

• In-row spacing: 12–18 inches between plants for matted rows. Use closer spacing (around 12″) for high-yield home beds, and 18″ where you want room for runners to fill in.
• Row spacing: 3.5–5 feet between rows in the field so you can walk, weed, and pick comfortably.
• Planting depth: Set the crown even with the soil surface. Fan the roots out in the planting hole rather than bunching them straight down.
• Plant density: Tighter spacing gives quicker, heavier early yields but requires more weeding and careful fertility; wider spacing is easier to manage and gives larger plants.

Field Spacing & Plants per Acre

The table below shows approximate numbers of June-bearing or day-neutral plants needed per acre at common spacings.

Use the tighter spacings for intensive production and smaller plants, and the wider spacings where equipment access, weed control, or larger plants are a priority.

Examples for Small Farms & Home Gardens

20′ x 30′ Garden Patch

This is a common “family patch” size. Here is one simple layout:

• Run 3 rows across the 20′ width, about 4 ft apart (12 ft of total bed width).
• Each row is 30 ft long. At 18″ spacing, you will plant about 20 plants per row.
• Total plants needed: roughly 60 plants for a generous family patch.

Raised Bed ~4′ x 12′

• Plant 2 rows, about 2 ft apart.
• Space plants 12–18″ apart within the row.
• Total plants needed: about 20–24 plants per raised bed, depending on spacing.

Small Farm Trial Block (1/8–1/4 Acre)

• Use the acre table above as a guide.
• At 4 ft rows and 18″ spacing, an acre uses about 7,300 plants.
• For 1/8–1/4 acre: you will need roughly 900–1,800 plants.

Containers, Towers & Greenhouse Gutters

Strawberry Towers & Vertical Planters

• Most 3–5 gallon vertical towers with side pockets hold about 12–20 plants.
• Plant one bare root per pocket and avoid over-stuffing so each plant has room to fill out.

Greenhouse or High-Tunnel Gutters

• Plant a single row per gutter.
• Space plants about 8–10 inches apart for day-neutral varieties.
• Rule of thumb: plan on 12–15 plants per 10 ft section of gutter.

Large Patio Pots

• For 18–24″ wide containers, 3 plants around the edge is usually ideal.
• More plants per pot may look full at first but can reduce berry size and make watering tricky.

How Many Bare-Root Plants Should I Order?

• Backyard fresh-eating (family of 4): 50–75 plants.
• Freezing and jam lovers: 100–150 plants.
• Small farm trial block (1/8–1/4 acre): 900–1,800 plants depending on spacing.
• Full acre field: 4,400–8,300 plants based on your chosen row and in-row spacing.

If you are still unsure how many plants to order, we are happy to talk through your field layout or garden plan and match you with the right number of June-bearing or day-neutral bare roots for your goals.