INTRODUCTION TO THE STRAWBERRY SEEDS PAGE
The purpose of this site (Strawberry Plants .org) is to inspire gardeners of every type to gain an appreciation for the strawberry plant and its fruit. As a fondness for the sweet strawberry grows, we hope that many gardeners will decide to grow strawberry plants from strawberry seeds. This Strawberry Seeds page is here to help those people who want to take a strawberry seed and nurture it until it is a mature strawberry plant producing strawberries!
HOW THE STRAWBERRY SEEDS PAGE WORKS
This main Strawberry Seeds page serves as a hub for anyone looking to learn about or purchase strawberry seeds. This page will help you understand everything you need to about growing strawberry plants from seed. If you don’t know where to buy strawberry seeds, you can visit our list of suppliers and seed companies who offer strawberry seeds for sale. Following that, we cover how to plant strawberry seeds and grow strawberry plants from seeds. And, of course, you can also read up on the fascinating details and information regarding strawberry seeds and what makes them unique.
As new information is added, links will be posted at the bottom of this page to the new strawberry seed information. Be sure to check back!
STRAWBERRY SEEDS FOR SALE ONLINE
When looking to buy strawberry seeds for sale online, be sure that you choose a reputable supplier. To shop and buy strawberry seeds, use the link below to access our directory of online suppliers. If you know of an additional online supplier of strawberry seeds, please contact us, and we will gladly try to include them in our directory: 
Directory of Strawberry Seeds for Sale
GROWING STRAWBERRY PLANTS FROM STRAWBERRY SEEDS
Growing strawberry plants from seed is more difficult than simply buying strawberry plants. But, it can be much more rewarding as well. Once you have strawberry plant growing, refer to our Growing Strawberries page for guidance on how to successfully produce a strawberry crop.
Growing strawberries from seed, of course, begins with selection of your preferred Strawberry Varieties. Once you have selected the strawberry cultivar that is right for your garden and purchase the strawberry seeds, you are ready to plant. Be aware, however, that strawberry seeds from most hybrid cultivars will not reproduce true to form. Alpine varieties and heirloom seeds usually will (along with a few of the new F1 cultivars), so factor that in when planting strawberry seeds.
Many strawberry seeds need to be cold treated to encourage germination. If your selected strawberry seeds require this, fear not. It is easy. Simply wrap your strawberry seeds, put them in an airtight container, and place them in a freezer. This simulates winter conditions, and the warming period lets the seed know it is time to come to life. After keeping the strawberry seeds below freezing for two to four weeks, remove the seeds from the freezer. Leave them in the jar or container as they gradually warm up to room temperature.
Once your strawberry seeds are at room temperature and are ready plant, you need to create a hospitable place for your strawberry seeds to begin their journey to planthood. A seed tray works well. Obtain a seed tray and prepare it. A good mix for starting strawberry seeds is 3 parts peat to 1 part organic-rich soil. Spread this out in your seed tray to a depth of about one half of an inch.
Moisten the mixture with water until it is uniformly damp. Sprinkle your strawberry seeds over the damp mixture and then cover the seeds with a very thin dusting of peat moss. Ensure that the strawberry seeds are not covered more than 1/4 of an inch deep. Keep them indoors in a well-lighted room and in direct sunlight, if possible. In two to three weeks, the strawberry seeds should germinate.
Keep the soil moist well-lighted. Warmth can help the seeds germinate, so the top of a refrigerator or on a bottom heat pad can be suitable places for germination. If the strawberry plant seedlings aren’t in direct sunlight with supplemental light, consider providing additional artificial light. A fluorescent shop light or grow light will do the trick. Position the light source 3 to 4 inches from the seedlings, and raise the light as the strawberry plants grow. If the strawberry seeds sprout too close to each other, thin them when they are between 1 and 2 inches tall, keeping the biggest and most vigorous seedlings. Gently transfer the strawberry seedlings to larger containers or pots after they gain their 3rd leaves.
If weather allows, the strawberry seedlings can be planted directly outside, or the plants in the containers can be replanted outside. If the strawberry seeds were started indoors, the young strawberry plants need to be hardened off prior to planting outside. When the temperature rises into the 50s, begin taking the plants outside in the shade for several hours each day. Gradually increase the time the plants are outdoors, eventually leaving them outside overnight as the temperature allows. Begin moving them into the sun for increasing periods of time to finish the hardening off process prior to planting. This ensures your plants won’t be damaged or killed by their environmental changes.
It is fun to grow strawberries from seed! When you are ready to plant outside, be sure to reference the Growing Strawberries page.
SAVING STRAWBERRY SEEDS
If you want to grow strawberry plants from seed, you may want to consider saving heirloom strawberry seeds from year to year (heirloom strawberry seeds are the same as non-hybrid strawberry seeds). Fortunately, it is relatively easy to learn how to save strawberry seeds so that you can begin growing strawberries from seeds that you saved. Here is the easy way to save your seeds:
Put your ripe strawberries into a household blender. Add one cup of water to the strawberries in the blender and blend on high for 3 to 5 seconds. Try not to exceed 5 seconds of blending time, or the strawberry seeds may be damaged. Allow the components to sit for a minute or two. The viable seeds will sink and the unviable seeds will float along with the strawberry pulp. After the good strawberry seeds settle to the bottom, pour off the bad seeds and fruit pulp with the water. Rinse the seeds and then transfer them to a paper towel (or low-heat dehydrator) to dry. When dry, store the strawberry seeds in a cool, dry place.
If you prefer to use a non-blender method, you can try an alternative strawberry seed saving method. If you dehydrate a strawberry (or let it dry completely), you can use your thumb and forefinger to rub the strawberry so that the seeds fall off. Separate the seeds from the chaff and store in a cool, dry place.
Or, if you prefer still another method, you can also use a sieve. Take a strawberry, press the pulpy part through the sieve, and the seeds should be left in the sieve. Rinse the seeds, dry, and store the strawberry seeds for future planting.
STRAWBERRY SEEDS INFORMATION
The relationship of birds and strawberries is likely due to the prevalence of strawberry plants across the temperate world. The birds, obviously, love to eat strawberries, and the strawberry seeds generally pass through their digestive tracts intact and in good shape. As the birds defecate, they spread viable strawberry seeds far and wide.
Interestingly enough, there are approximately 200 strawberry seeds adorning the outside of a strawberry. And, while often referred to as a “berry,” strawberries are not true berries like blueberries and blackberries are, and their seeds are not true “seeds.” The tasty strawberry flesh is considered accessory tissue, and those tiny flecks we all call “strawberry seeds” are actually fruits in and of themselves. The tiny fruits actually contain the seeds. These seed-containing fruits are called “achenes.” An achene is occasionally also referred to as an “akene,” “achenocarp,” or “achenium.”
The tasty strawberries are also unique in another way. Scour the earth all you want to, but you’ll not find another fruit with its seeds on its exterior surface!
STRAWBERRY SEEDS: CONCLUSION
Strawberry seeds give rise to the strawberry plants that produce the strawberries we all love. We think everyone should have a fond affection for strawberry seeds (unless, of course, you get a strawberry seed stuck in a tooth or between your gums). If you have any questions about strawberry seeds, feel free to leave a comment. And, be sure to check back as additional information is added and linked below.
More:
Pineberry Seeds
Looking for pineberry seeds for sale? If you want to grow pineberries or grow pineberries from seed, you should read this first before buying pineberry seeds online. Also has links to pineberry varieties & growing pineberries information.
Related posts:
Can you send seeds to South Africa as there is none available here. Also the prices for bulk seeds
Carl,
Strawberry Plants .org does not directly sell or ship strawberry seeds. We do, however, have a directory of suppliers who do. See: Strawberry Seeds for Sale. Some of the suppliers there may ship to South Africa. For more information on what is involved with shipping strawberry plants or strawberry seeds internationally, see this: Shipping Strawberry Plants.
What happens if I plant directly the fruit in the ground? Will the seeds, germinate?
David,
If you dig a hole, put a strawberry in it, and cover it up, you most likely won’t ever see strawberry plants grow from the strawberry. In nature, the strawberries are eaten by birds and other critters, and the seeds are subsequently passed. This usually occurs during the spring or summer. As the seeds plummet to the ground in their, ahem, new environment, they splat and get covered by a thin layer of organic matter/dirt over the course of the rest of summer, fall, and winter. Out of this thin layer of soil, following months of cold, the seeds will germinate with the first warm weather of spring. The seedlings are tiny. If they are below the surface more than just a bit, they won’t be able to make their way to the light (which helps some varieties germinate as well). So, if you are trying to grow a strawberry plant from a strawberry, the best option is to thinly slice the strawberry, dry it, and then lightly cover it where you would like it to sprout outdoors prior to the cold winter temperatures. This can be a rewarding experience IF you can keep the bugs and the birds from finding, stealing, or destroying your buried strawberry slices. It is much easier to just buy strawberry plants from a nursery or supplier.
I live in south ohio what is the best type of strawberry seeds to plant in my area?
hey thanks for all of this i am using (and citing of course) for my science project thanks alot
elissia,
No problem; that’s the reason it is here!
please direct me where to order strawberry seeds of red gauntlet, tioga, cambridge or albion?
kathy,
According to the Ohio State University Extension, the best strawberry varieties for growing in Ohio are (click the links to price shop or order online from retailers): Delite, Earliglow, Guardian, Kent, Lateglow, Lester, Midway, Redchief, Surecrop, Tribute, and Tristar. However, all of these varieties are hybrids, and, as such, will not grow true from seed. It is recommended to buy plants or crowns instead of trying to grow your strawberries from seed to ensure you get what you want!
phil,
All of the varieties you mentioned are hybrids and will not grow true from seed. So, no reputable dealer will sell seeds harvested from those varieties. However, there are multiple retailers who sell the bare-root plants in each of those varieties. You can shop for each of those varieties by clicking on the respective links: Red Gauntlet, Tioga, Albion, Cambridge Favourite, Cambridge Prizewinner, Cambridge Vigour.
Hello there
I successfully germinated strawberry seeds from store-bought strawberries, I plucked the seeds off the strawberries, cleaned them and stored them in the freezer for 2-3 weeks then planted them, the sprouts are so tiny they require a magnifying glass! it has been a month since they germinated and some of them died (probably heat stress, I live in UAE and the winter is just starting here) but one plant seems to be doing very well and it has 4 leaves so far, I put my plants on the windowsill in the morning where they get 3-4 hours of direct sunlight daily and when the sun sets off the window I take them to my balcony where they recieve plenty of indirect sun, Im also using an aluminum sheet to maximize the sunlight as I havent found any grow lights yet.
I have no idea what the variety of my strawberry is but I know that I got it from a driscoll strawberry, my questions are, approximately how long is it going to take my small strawberry plant to produce runners? Will it produce strawberries? Can it produce tasty berries with just 3-4 hours of sun?
Garudamon11,
Strawberry seedlings are definitely tiny when they first sprout. It will take your plant some time to produce runners. Likely, it will be next growing season before runners are sent forth. With only 3-4 hours of sun, it may produce a few strawberries, but they will likely be small and have less-than-optimal taste. Plus, virtually all of the store-bought strawberries are hybrids, so there is no telling what the berry characteristics will be on your seed-sprouted plant, but they likely won’t be as big or tasty as the ones you purchased since those have been selectively bred for years to arrive at their current state. But, I applaud your efforts in growing strawberries from seed, and good luck!
Hello, I live in Israel and I want to grow Alpine strawberries, I can grow them in hydroponics system?
It is illegal to bring seeds from the U.S. to Israel
Hello, I bought a strawberry plant two weeks ago & the plant was growing well but today when I checked the plant, I noticed that the plant is wilting & its leaf edges are turning brown. I then changed the soil & i found that the old soil is sticking to each other. Is there any way to revive my plant? I use LED grow lights to grow my plant. I live in a tropical area.
Dahmen,
There are numerous possible causes, so it is hard to pinpoint exactly what is causing your plant’s problems. It could be nitrogen deficiency or infestation with one of the many strawberry diseases or pests. Or, it could be that your grow light isn’t close enough (or is too close!). My guess, however, would be that the soil was kept too moist and you either have a fungal infection that will kill your plant or a problem with root rot. Tropical conditions are not generally good for strawberry plants, which are temperate.
iddo,
You can grow Alpine strawberries in hydroponic systems, but they usually don’t do quite as well as they would under normal growing conditions. I am not familiar with the export/import requirements for Israel, but this post might be of assistance to you: Shipping Strawberries.
Hello! I have a question about strawberry seeds. If you are using the sieve method for getting the strawberry seeds, do you have to take the seed out of the “Fruit” that is holding it after they have been separated from the pulpy part? Also, is there a way to promote the growth of runners on a Quinalt Everbearing Strawberries? I heard they do not produce runners if any at all. Would a greenhouse be a good environment to grow plants to protect it from the elements and birds?
Thank you for creating this website. It is very informative, and I love to learn about growing my favorite fruit.
Brittney,
You do not have to separate the small amount of residual pulp, if that is what you are mentioning. Drying them will be sufficient with that miniscule amount of pulpy material left on the seeds. Don’t let them sit long before drying them, however, as moldy seeds are not desirable. If you are referring to the technically correct fact that the strawberry seed is actually an “achene” with the “seed” inside the fruit body (not the red fleshy accessory tissue), then most certainly you do not have to try to separate it. That would be tough work! As for runner production, the genetics of the strawberry plant dictates how many runners are produced (along with the environmental conditions). For varieties that do not produce any or many runners, it is difficult to count on any significant runner production, even if grown under optimal conditions. Greenhouses do protect from birds and bugs, to some degree, and can keep your plants safe from becoming waterlogged if you live in a climate with heavy rainfall. As for the site, you are welcome!
I saw a comment from someone from Israel stating that it is illegal to ship seeds to that country. Within the last month I have shipped several shipments to Israel with no reports of problems. To date, I have not had any problems with any of the numerous countries where I have shipped seeds.