How to Grow Strawberries from Seed
Updated: Sep. 09, 2022Have fresh strawberries? You can use seeds from the fruit to grow strawberry plants. Here's what to do!
Wouldn’t it be great to grow strawberries in the garden or in a container on the patio? You could pick a few of the ruby red fruits whenever you want a strawberry fix. This is 100% possible. Here’s how to grow strawberries using the seeds from a fresh berry.
Already see something that looks like a wild strawberry plant growing on your lawn? It might be a mock strawberry.
How to Grow Strawberries from Seeds
TikTok user @joesgarden outlined an easy way to turn your stash of strawberries into even more delicious fruit. Take a close look at a strawberry and you’ll see tiny seeds on the outside of the fruit. These seeds are the potential strawberry plants waiting to grow for you.
@joesgarden #howto easily grow strawberries at home this summer ❤️😊🌱! #plants #planttok #didyouknow #learnontiktok #eco #diy #seeds #strawberry ♬ Up Beat (Married Life) – Kenyi
When you’re looking for strawberries to replant, buy fruit that’s plump and free from bruises and discoloration.
Slice the strawberries in half and leave them on a paper towel to dry. This allows the tiny seeds to become detached from the fruit and easily scraped away from the berry. They will be super tiny specks on the paper towel, but there’s a lot of growing potential there.
Put the tiny seeds in small pots mixed with compost. I recommend that you moisten the seeds and compost mixture with a spray bottle so you don’t flood the seeds out of their new growing environment with the flow from a watering can.
In a few weeks, you’ll see sprouts of new growth. When the new plants have grown in size and have multiple leaves, separate them. Then move the new plants to larger containers or plant them in the garden. You can even get creative by growing your strawberries in a laundry basket.
Before long, you’ll have fresh fruit for strawberry recipes!
Does This Method Really Work?
Yes! Dominique Charles, a garden consultant and founder of Plots and Plans, says she and her customers enjoy growing strawberries at home in plant beds and containers.
“I love the idea of people saving seeds from strawberries to grow new ones,” she says. “The process of gathering and drying those seeds is definitely a little tedious, but I think the reward is totally worth it.”
There are a few things to keep in mind when growing strawberries from store-bought berries, though.
Organic produce is a good choice, as you can be sure the plants are free from any unwanted chemical sprays. Try to buy strawberries that have been grown locally or purchase fruit that’s labeled as organic at the market.
Organic strawberries are highly perishable, so start this garden project after they’re purchased. Berries that are starting to spoil and are too mushy in texture won’t work as well, since the goal is to try and isolate the tiny seeds to dry out. Make sure you store your strawberries properly to keep them from going bad.
Give your strawberry plants a window of 6 to 8 hours of sunshine a day and see what happens. The strawberry plants you grow from the store-bought strawberries will produce fruits that are smaller in size than the original berries. If you have too many, freeze your strawberries so you can keep eating them all year round.
