How Often to Water Strawberry Plants

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How Often to Water Strawberry Plants

If you’ve recently started growing your own strawberries, you want to make sure they get enough water to produce well, but not so much that they drown. What’s the best balance? 

In this guide, you’ll learn how often to water strawberry plants, along with the best methods for watering them. There’s a short answer followed by detailed instructions for when, how, and how much to water them based on their age.

How Often to Water Strawberry Plants: Quick Guide

Strawberry plants are fairly drought-tolerant despite their shallow roots. Water them whenever you receive less than 1 – 1 ½ inches of rain in a week. If you have cool, wet weather and more than 1 ½ inches, you should leave them alone until the following week. 

If you haven’t gotten enough rain, give them 1-2 inches worth to supplement during hot and dry weather periods, and consider giving them slightly more when they’re flowering and fruiting. Consistent moisture helps with fruit production.

How to Track and Test

The best way to keep track of rainfall amounts is by using a rain gauge. You can easily find cheap ones in the Dollar Tree and other retailers in spring, or you can order one online. I never remember to dump them, though, so if you’re like me, I would recommend splurging a little for an automated weather system that reads out rainfall, temperature and more on a screen or your computer. We like this one. 

If you don’t want to measure the rainfall at all, you can do a soil test. Stick your finger (or trowel or other tool if the ground is hard) two inches into the soil to see if it’s damp. You can also try using a soil moisture meter. If the soil is still damp, leave the strawberries and check again in a couple of days. If it’s dry, go ahead and water.

Strawberries prefer to be a bit underwatered than overwatered, so when in doubt, wait to water. You should also avoid giving extra water more than once a week if possible. Infrequent, deep waterings are the name of the game here.

How Often to Water Freshly Planted Strawberries

Fresh strawberries need around 1 inch of water per week for their first year or two of growth. While most new plants run the opposite, new strawberry plants require less water and need more and more as they age for the best results.

How Often to Water Established Strawberries

Strawberries that have been planted for at least a year will start needing 1-2 inches of water per week. Plan to give them the upper end of this when they’re blooming and fruiting, which for day-neutral varieties will be most of the summer months. For June-bearing strawberries, this will only be in late spring and early summer.

Keep in mind that once the strawberries are several years old, they may not retain water as well as they used to and may need more frequent waterings. 

How Often to Water Strawberries in Containers

If you have strawberries growing in one of those adorable containers with the little balconies, you’ll need to water them more frequently. Any potted plant dries out quicker than its in-ground counterpart due to extra heat and air exposure, and since strawberries love full sun, they’ll run out in a hurry. It’s best to check the moisture in the pot using the finger test each day to see if they need a soak. 

When container strawberries do need water, water them until the excess flows out of the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot.

How to Water Strawberries

Strawberries shouldn’t be watered using a sprinkler system or other overhead watering method if possible. Better options are to use a soaker hose or other irrigation system near the base of the plants. You can also lay a regular garden hose along the strawberry bed, turn it on low, and move it as needed until all the plants have received some water. Using methods that keep the water off their leaves helps prevent rotting.

The exception to this rule is strawberries that produce only in June. If you have June-bearing varieties, you can use drip methods or overhead watering. 

Try to water them in the morning so the water doesn’t sit all night. You can do so midday, but avoid evening waterings unless absolutely necessary.

Give them enough water that it soaks into the ground. One inch of water is a little over a half gallon of water per square foot of garden space, so use that guideline to determine how much to supplement your strawberry plants.

Signs of Underwatered Strawberries

An underwaterd strawberry may wilt and have small, dry, yellow or brown leaves that may fall off the plant. (Note that wilting can also be a sign of overwatering – the test is to see if the ground near it is dry or wet.) If it’s flowering or fruiting, you’ll notice fewer flowers and fruits, and you’ll get smaller fruit for the few that do grow.

Another simple test for underwatering is to place a bucket over the plant before nightfall. When you check it in the morning, there should be water on the edges of the strawberry’s leaves.

Properly watered strawberries will show their joy with better production and large, green leaves throughout their growing season.

Signs of Overwatered Strawberries

Rotting and wilting are both signs that your strawberries are overwatered when the soil around your plants is damp to the touch. The leaves may start turning yellow and brown too, but they won’t feel dry. They may fall off the plant altogether. Slower production and plant growth are also signs.

Again, the signs of overwatered and underwatered are pretty similar – the main test is to check the soil with your finger to find out if the soil is dry or not when you see any of these signs. If it’s dry, they’re underwatered. If it’s wet, they’re overwatered.

Other Tips

It helps to have mulch around the strawberries. Not only does it help prevent weeds, it also helps provide good drainage for the strawberries, absorbing the water you provide so the strawberries and their leaves are less likely to sit in it and rot – giving a double benefit! Straw mulch, cardboard, and black plastic are all good options for a strawberry patch.

FAQs About Watering Strawberries

Do strawberries need water every day?

Unless they’re in containers and it’s a hot day, it’s highly unlikely your strawberry will need daily watering. In most cases, strawberries only need to be watered once a week.

Can you overwater strawberry plants?

Yes, you can easily overwater strawberry plants, leading to root rot, berry rot, and death.

What do overwatered strawberries look like?

Overwatered strawberries look similar to underwatered ones, with wilting, brown or yellow leaves, slow production, fewer runners, and rotting fruits.

What is the best way to water strawberries?

The best way to water strawberries is to use a soaker hose or other drip irrigation system alongside (but not touching) the plants. You can also lay a garden hose down, set it to only a trickle, and then move it carefully from plant to plant until each one has the right amount of water.

Do strawberries like coffee water?

Yes, strawberries enjoy a moderate amount of coffee water since they enjoy acidic soil.

Do strawberries like wet soil?

No, strawberries do not like overly wet, soggy soil. They do better when they’re underwatered than overwatered.

Do strawberries like water on their leaves?

No, strawberries don’t like having any water on their leaves, as it can lead to rotting.

Happy Watering!

With these tips, you should be able to calculate how much water your strawberries need and when is the right time to water them. And don’t overthink it – these are hardy plants that can withstand a little bit of drought. It’s also easier to fix an underwatered strawberry than an overwatered one, since you just have to give it water!

If you’re looking for more strawberry tips, check out the full list of strawberry companion plants.