Growing strawberry
Fragaria × ananassa · also called strawberryStrawberry is a low, herbaceous fruit plant raised from runners, easy to grow in beds and pots. In the hills it is a perennial; in the plains it is grown as a winter crop, planted in autumn and picked in late winter and spring.
North-west plains: Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, western Uttar Pradesh
At a glance
Strawberry in the North-west plains
Planted in mid-October, picked from mid-January to early April by variety2
A one-season crop: runners planted in mid-October bear from mid-January to early April and are pulled out before the summer.
No published guide covers this for the North-west plains, so this is an AI suggestion. Check it with local advice before you rely on it.Mid-October2
Across India
When to sow it
Twelve growing regions, January to December. Your region comes first.
Too late this season
The window here was Mid-October. The next one opens in October.
- Transplant
- Harvest
- Under cover
- Today
- Not suited here
Compare all 12 regionsShow fewer regions
See the dates as a table
| Region | Sow | Nursery | Transplant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North-west plains | Mid-October | Mid-January to March (Winter Dawn)Early February to early April (Chandler) | ||
| Temperate Himalaya | August to September | April to June | ||
| Cold desertUnder cover only | Under cover: April to May | Under cover: July to September | ||
| Sub-tropical foothills | October to November | February to April | ||
| Gangetic plains | October to mid-November | January to March | ||
| North-east hills and valleys | Mid-September to October | February to April | ||
| Arid west | October | January to March | ||
| Central plateau | October | January to March | ||
| Deccan plateau | Second half of October | December to April | ||
| South interior | September to November | January to May | ||
| West coast | Not suited here | |||
| East coast | Not suited here | |||
From seed to harvest
One season, day by day
Days from sowing
Day 0
Sow
Day 150 to 180
Last picking
No published guide covers this for the North-west plains, so this is an AI suggestion. Check it with local advice before you rely on it.
Before sowing
Well-rotted FYM2
Work into the soil after deep ploughing and harrowing · Land preparation
Day 0
Sow
Day 150 to 180
Last pickingNo published guide covers this for the North-west plains, so this is an AI suggestion. Check it with local advice before you rely on it.
Water every day, more at plant growth and fruit development.2
What it needs
Soil, sun and warmth
Soil pH1,2,3
5.8 to 6.5
Well-drained, friable loam or medium sandy loam rich in organic matter, with a subsoil that holds moisture. Most roots stay in the top 15 to 20 cm. Heavy, clayey and waterlogged soils do not suit it. Gentle slopes suit it well.
SunlightNo published guide covers this for the North-west plains, so this is an AI suggestion. Check it with local advice before you rely on it.
At least 6 hours a day
Full sun. Give beds and pots at least six hours of direct sun a day.
Temperature2,1Part of this comes from the sources cited. The rest is an AI suggestion.
Grows best at 15 to 26 °C
Takes light frost.
Monthly temperatures for the North-west plains aren't in the library yet.
Water and feeding
Watering2
Strawberry has shallow roots and needs light, frequent watering, above all while plants grow and fruit fills. It is very sensitive to wet soil. PAU advises drip every day, with 2.2 litre an hour drippers 30 cm apart.
Drip run time a day: about 10 minutes in November, 14 in December, 12 in January, 22 in February, 29 in March and 38 in April.
Weeding2
Cover the beds with silver-black polythene mulch: it keeps weeds down, holds moisture and evens out soil temperature.
| When | What | How much | How |
|---|---|---|---|
| Land preparation | Well-rotted FYM | Work into the soil after deep ploughing and harrowing |
Varieties and yield
100 to 150 quintals a hectare
Yields vary with the plot, the seed and the season.
Winter Dawn
Early; berries from mid-January to the end of March. PAU gives an average of about 290 g a plant.
Chandler
Mid-season; berries from early February to early April. PAU gives an average of about 260 g a plant.
Good neighboursNo published guide covers this for the North-west plains, so this is an AI suggestion. Check it with local advice before you rely on it.
Pests and diseases3Part of this comes from the sources cited. The rest is an AI suggestion.
Organic and cultural controls only.
White grubs and cutworms
Signs
Grubs in the soil eat the roots and crowns; cutworms cut young plants at soil level.
Prevention
- Plant on land free of white grubs and cutworms
Hairy caterpillars
Signs
Caterpillars feed on the leaves.
What to do
- Pick off caterpillars and egg masses by hand
Leaf spot
Signs
Small purple spots on the leaves, later with pale centres.
Prevention
- Plant healthy runners
- Remove spotted leaves
Grey mould (Botrytis rot)
Signs
Soft brown rot on berries that grows a grey, dusty mould, worst in wet weather.
Prevention
- Do not over-water
- Keep berries off the soil with mulch
- Pick ripe and rotten berries often
Seed and the season's end
Saving seed1,2Part of this comes from the sources cited. The rest is an AI suggestion.
Strawberry is not grown from saved seed: seedlings do not come true. Keep healthy mother plants and root their runners instead.
When the seed is ready
A runner is ready to lift when it has its own roots and two or three leaves.
Plant runners soon after lifting. Raised runners can be kept in polybags until planting.
After the last picking2Part of this comes from the sources cited. The rest is an AI suggestion.
Pull out the plants after the last picking in April; they do not survive the dry summer of the plains. Plant fresh runners next October.
In the plains, pull out the plants after the last picking, since they do not survive the summer. Compost healthy plants; burn or bin plants with root rot.
Rotation
Do not replant strawberry on land where it grew recently: black root rot builds up in the soil.
Growing under cover2
From end-December to mid-February, cover the beds with a low tunnel of clear plastic (50 micron) on iron hoops about 60 cm high at the centre, hoops 2.5 m apart. It cuts winter injury and plant losses and raises yield.
Sources
Where this comes from
Our team has checked this guide against the sources at the end of the page.Reviewed by our team on 13 November 2026.
These published guides are the sources. Where none of them covers a detail for this region, the page shows an AI suggestion and labels it.
- Package of practices for fruit crops 2020: strawberryDirectorate of Extension, SKUAST-JammuRead the source
- Package of practices for cultivation of fruits 2021: strawberryPunjab Agricultural University, LudhianaRead the source
- Strawberry (crop report)National Horticulture BoardRead the source
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