Strawberries are big business.  Really big business.  In fact, the strawberry industry is a multi-billion dollar worldwide business.  And, the market keeps getting bigger and better – just like the strawberries themselves.  Since there is so much money to be made selling one of the world’s most delightful and relatively easy to grow fruits, new varieties are constantly being developed, refined, and even engineered by manipulating the genetics of the strawberry plant itself.  While I am not keen on the artificial manipulation of the core genetic structure of any food, much less something already as delightful as strawberries, it is hard to argue that something new seems to always be making headlines regarding strawberries.  Now, the latest in the strawberry color scheme is available for your home garden: purple strawberries!

Purple Strawberries

Up until this year, there were only three naturally occurring strawberry colors available commercially.  The traditional and famous red strawberries need no introduction or explanation.  The white strawberries have been around for quite some time and have recently burst onto the scene again with the emergence of the popular Pineberry variety.  Yellow strawberries have also served a smaller niche market.  But, those were the only options.  No longer!  Add to the color options the latest introduction from the W. Atlee Burpee company, Purple Wonder strawberry plants.

Get Your Purple Strawberries Here

If you want to grow your own purple strawberry plants, click the “Purple Wonder” link above to buy them directly from Burpee.  If you want to price shop any other variety available for ordering online (including the other strawberry colors), see the directory here: Buy Strawberry Plants.  Most of the varieties there are the regular and delicious red-producing ones, but the white and yellow producers are also available.

Purple Strawberry Plants: Conclusion

While some say that the strawberries are more a deep burgundy color instead of purple, they are noticeably darker and different from even the deep red strawberry varieties.  So, if you are adventurous, why not order a few plants for your garden and spice up your life with something new!  Of course, if you don’t know how to put a purple strawberry to good culinary use, visit our catalog of fantastic strawberry recipes.

And, once you have grown and harvested some yourself, be sure to visit again and leave a comment about your experiences!

This is a question submitted to Strawberry Plants .org by a reader. The information provided in response to the question may benefit others with the same or similar inquiries. Therefore, it has been added to the archive page of submitted questions. See the Strawberry FAQ for more questions, or use the search box at the top right of this page to search this site for information.

Q: What Are Strawberry Plants?

On October 14, 2010, Nousheen asked:

I have a simple question. Is strawberry a bush, creeper or what category. Please advise and if possible to send me a tag for the information from the source.  Thanks

Answer to: What Are Strawberry Plants?

Nousheen,
The strawberry (Fragaria species) is classified as a forb or herb. Forb/herb plants are ones that don’t have significant amounts of woody tissue above ground, but are still vascular. Their lack of woody tissue causes them to be relatively short (their stems will not thicken and stiffen to support tall growth like non-forb/herb plants will). Additionally, the presence of perennating buds on strawberry plants further causes them to fall within this category of plants. These perennating buds allow the strawberry plants to survive the winter and produce strawberry flowers again in the spring. Feel free to link to this page/comment as your reference point, or link to this page: What Type of Plants Are Strawberry Plants?

[ what are strawberry plants ]

Strawberry Plants .org exists to help spread the passion for growing and eating strawberries. However, manpower is limited. If you have a question related to strawberries, feel free to submit it or post it as a comment. Please be patient, though, as it may take some time before your question is addressed.

With the flood of information and connectivity afforded by the modern internet, it should come as no surprise that more and more individuals are learning of the power of the strawberry.  Healthy people should eat them!  People who want to be healthy should eat them!

For more on the many health benefits of strawberries, see this article: Why Strawberries Are the New Superfood

Bubblegum is a delight to salivating mouths all over the world, just like strawberries are.  Why combine the two into an unnatural Franken-fruit?  Well, because it can be done, of course.  They actually created the pseudo-food that is Franken Berry cereal too, you know.  Maybe this is much ado about nothing.  In fact, it probably is.  But, as a True Believer in strawberries, I can’t help but think that mucking around with something so close to perfect is a bad thing.  This creation has been exported from Australia to Turkey and is now invading Russia and Eastern Europe.  You’ve been warned…

If you want more details, see the news article here: Bubblegum Strawberries

This is a question submitted to Strawberry Plants .org by a reader. The information provided in response to the question may benefit others with the same or similar inquiries. Therefore, it has been added to the archive page of submitted questions. See the Strawberry FAQ for more questions, or use the search box at the top right of this page to search this site for information.

Q: Do Deer Eat Strawberries?

On October 14, 2010, Tom Waddell asked:

The deer have just eaten all the tops on my everbearing strawberries.  Is this going to be a problem and will this hurt the runners?

Answer to: Do Deer Eat Strawberries?

Tom,
Forgive me for chuckling when I read that.  But, to answer your question, it should not hurt your strawberry plants for the deer to eat the leaves.  Unless you just bought and planted strawberry plugs or strawberry plants, the roots should be well-established on the mother plants and sufficiently established on the runner plants.  So, see the information on the Growing Strawberries page, as well as the specific information about overwintering the plants, and you should have healthy plants again next spring when the warmer temperatures call them forth from dormancy.  And, if some were trampled by the hooves of the four-legged garden invaders, you can always find a host of replacements on the Buy Strawberry Plants directory page.  Also, when it comes to deer in your strawberry patch, be careful.  E coli contamination of Oregon strawberries occurred in August of 2011.  The culprits?  Deer.  Naturally, if you’ve got deer problems, make sure you wash your strawberries well so that you don’t have health problems too.

[ do deer eat strawberries ]

Strawberry Plants .org exists to help spread the passion for growing and eating strawberries. However, manpower is limited. If you have a question related to strawberries, feel free to submit it or post it as a comment. Please be patient, though, as it may take some time before your question is addressed.

This is a question submitted to Strawberry Plants .org by a reader. The information provided in response to the question may benefit others with the same or similar inquiries. Therefore, it has been added to the archive page of submitted questions. See the Strawberry FAQ for more questions, or use the search box at the top right of this page to search this site for information.

Q: Fall Runners, Spring Strawberries?

On October 9, 2010, Rena asked:

Could you please tell me, if I plant a runner in the fall, will it produce berries the following spring?

Answer to: Fall Runners, Spring Strawberries?

Rena,
Yes, most runner plants that are planted in the fall (if overwintered properly), will produce a healthy harvest of strawberries the following spring. Planting your strawberry plants in the fall is generally the best approach for a first-time planting as well. If you already have established strawberry plants and just want to move the daughter plants, see the Transplanting Strawberries page for some tips. If you are planning a first-time fall planting, you can order plants from these suppliers of Fall Strawberry Plants. Hope that helps!

[ fall runners spring strawberries ]

Strawberry Plants .org exists to help spread the passion for growing and eating strawberries. However, manpower is limited. If you have a question related to strawberries, feel free to submit it or post it as a comment. Please be patient, though, as it may take some time before your question is addressed.

Now, everyone wants to save money.  To help further our mission AND to help you find the best prices on strawberry plants, StrawberryPlants.org hosts the most comprehensive shopping portal for strawberry plant varieties available anywhere.  You can buy rare strawberries, popular strawberries, white or pineberry strawberries, and just about any other type of strawberry commercially available by visiting the Buy Strawberry Plants directory.  There you can quickly check all the known online sellers of any strawberry plant variety you want and find the best price.

So, mosey on over and buy some for your garden today.

And, in your investigation, be sure to check out the companies to the right of this article.  They provide support to StrawberryPlants.org so that this site can remain free to all comers.

Best Prices on Strawberry Plants

Again, click this link to get the Best Prices on Strawberry Plants.

This is a question submitted to Strawberry Plants .org by a reader. The information provided in response to the question may benefit others with the same or similar inquiries. Therefore, it has been added to the archive page of submitted questions. See the Strawberry FAQ for more questions, or use the search box at the top right of this page to search this site for information.

Q: Moving Strawberry Plants?

On September 25, 2010, Tricia asked:

I will be moving during the winter and want to take my strawberry plants with me. Can I dig them up before the first frost and store them for the winter?

Answer to: Moving Strawberry Plants?

Tricia,
Yes, you can take them with you. I’d recommend digging around the plants and putting them in those really cheap and flimsy plastic pots for the move, leaving as many roots intact as possible. Once you get where you are going, replant them in their new home and pick up their care for the winter months as discussed here: Growing Strawberries. I don’t recommend trying to store them in any dug-up condition over the winter. Most, if not all, will die. If you really do need to store them over the winter, you can do that also, with a little extra TLC. For more information on that, see the post on overwintering strawberries. Hope that helps!

[ moving strawberry plants ]

Strawberry Plants .org exists to help spread the passion for growing and eating strawberries. However, manpower is limited. If you have a question related to strawberries, feel free to submit it or post it as a comment. Please be patient, though, as it may take some time before your question is addressed.

This chilled pineapple coconut strawberry salad recipe is easy to make, easy to modify and tweak, and even easier to enjoy.  If you happened upon this page whilst looking for a different strawberry delectable delight, fret not!  Strawberry Plants .org has an entire library of wonderful Strawberry Recipes that are sure to please.  Browse on over and look for  something else or different Strawberry Salads.  Just click the above link to find a different strawberry-containing recipe that will be more in line with your expectations. Even if you don’t know quite what you are looking for, chances are that you will find something exciting to try!

Enough yammering.  Let’s get right to the strawberry pineapple salad recipe recipe…

Strawberry Pineapple Salad Recipe

While best eaten as a late-meal summer side item, this recipe works very well for any season.  And, with the natural sweetness of both strawberries and pineapples, this recipe can double as a dessert dish.  Heck, it could even pass as an appetizer!  Regardless of what time of year or when during a multi-course meal it is served, it will be a hit.

Strawberry Pineapple Salad: Ingredients

10 oz of frozen or fresh strawberries (conversions here)

1 small can of crushed pineapple (fresh pineapple can also be used)

3 oz cream cheese

1 package of Dream Whip

1 large box of strawberry Jell-O

1/2 package of miniature marshmallows

Nuts

Strawberry Pineapple Salad Recipe Directions

If you have chosen to use fresh strawberries and fresh pineapples, wash and remove the green caps from the strawberries and then slice the strawberries (about 1/4 of an inch thick per slice) or cube them.  Prepare the pineapple also and cube or crush it.  Next, dissolve the strawberry Jell-O in one cup of boiling water.  In a separate bowl, mix together the Dream Whip and cream cheese.  After the two ingredients are thoroughly mixed, add the strawberries and pineapple.  Pour the Jell-O over the top of the mixture, sprinkle nuts on top of the Jell-O, place in the refrigerator, and chill until it is firm.  Serve to your happy family or guests with a hulled strawberry garnishing!

Strawberry Pineapple Salad: Notes

Just like most of the other Strawberry Recipes, this strawberry pineapple salad recipe is easily modified.  As mentioned above, either frozen or fresh or canned fruit can be tried.  Also, extra sugar can be added for more sweet zip.  For those conscious about the amount of refined table sugar they consume, organic evaporated cane juice crystals, turbinado, sucanat, honey crystals, brown sugar, or even stevia can be used instead of normal sugar to give unique and varied accents to this easy strawberry recipe (if using pure stevia extract, however, be very cautious with the amount used as it is tremendously sweet and can give an aftertaste if too much is used).  Also, try different nuts or mix them for varied accents.  Walnuts, pecans, pistachios, peanuts, or whatever your favorite nut may be can all be used.

Be sure to post a comment about your experience below, and others will benefit!

Enjoy!

Pineberry plants are not new, but they are new to most gardeners.  They have increased in popularity over the last several years since they were first sold in the UK commercially on a limited basis.  Now, these pineberry plants are readily available (click the links below).  What makes them special isn’t their huge fruits or their enormous harvests, but the unique flavor and aroma.  They have natural pineapple accents!

So, if you have a spare square foot in your garden this year, you may want to consider planting pineberries.  For all the details you need regarding pineberry plants, pineberry seeds, and all things pineberry, see this post: Pineberry Pineberries.  The suppliers of plants are linked from that page and can also be found here: Pineberry.  And, if you are into unique garden plants, don’t miss all the other varieties of White Strawberries available to you!

This is a question submitted to Strawberry Plants .org by a reader. The information provided in response to the question may benefit others with the same or similar inquiries. Therefore, it has been added to the archive page of submitted questions. See the Strawberry FAQ for more questions, or use the search box at the top right of this page to search this site for information.

Q: Are Dried Up Strawberry Plants Dead?

On September 17, 2010, Sheryl asked:

Hi! I appreciate your website – great information! I live in the southeast corner of Nebraska. Zone 5. I have been growing strawberries for about 5 or 6 years now. I started with a smaller bed, but later tripled my space – we sure enjoy the strawberries. I have mixed June bearing and ever bearing.

My question is this: I have some plants that have dried up and appear dormant/dead. Will they come back next spring? They have been this way for about 3 weeks now. It has not been any drier than normal this year. I don’t usually water unless it doesn’t rain for a week. We did have an unusually wet spring/early summer and it got really hot for about 2 weeks, but it rained once, so I didn’t water the plants. I always cover with straw in late fall. Should I plan on replanting some of them next spring, or will they come back?

Thanks.

Answer to: Are Dried Up Strawberry Plants Dead?

Sheryl,
Thanks! The goal for Strawberry Plants .org is to be the one-stop-shop for everything related to learning about strawberries, buying strawberries, growing strawberries, and using strawberries, so I am glad you have benefited from it. There are a few things that may be going on with your strawberry plants. While strawberry plants are considered perennial, each individual plant won’t live forever. Generally, a strawberry bed will start losing its vitality after it peaks in the 3rd or 4th year. Sometimes the old plants just die. As your bed is 5-6 years old, the few plants that have died may have just given up the ghost. It is also possible that the fluctuating weather has also put extra stress on them (particularly the heat) and their shallow roots causing the dried up plants to have met an untimely demise. My guess is that the combination of age and weather has caused the plants to die. However, there is a host of pests and diseases that can weaken/infest strawberries. See the Strawberry Plant page for more info on those. Also, I would recommend replanting. You can use the guide on the Transplanting Strawberries page to make sure your plants are healthy and vigorous strawberry producers each year. If more plants die, you may want to have your soil tested by an Extension Agent to rule out disease or pest infestation. I hope that helps!

[ are dried up strawberry plants dead ]

Strawberry Plants .org exists to help spread the passion for growing and eating strawberries. However, manpower is limited. If you have a question related to strawberries, feel free to submit it or post it as a comment. Please be patient, though, as it may take some time before your question is addressed.

This is a question submitted to Strawberry Plants .org by a reader. The information provided in response to the question may benefit others with the same or similar inquiries. Therefore, it has been added to the archive page of submitted questions. See the Strawberry FAQ for more questions, or use the search box at the top right of this page to search this site for information.

Q: How Many Strawberry Plants Per Square Foot?

On September 12, 2010, Anne asked:

I planted strawberry plants (June bearing) this spring in a 4×4 foot raised bed.  Besides weeding, I have not tended to the strawberry plants, and now, due to all of the runners, it is a mass of plants. Is it okay to leave it this way, or should I remove a bunch of the new plants?

Answer to: How Many Strawberry Plants Per Square Foot?

Anne,
If you are asking how many strawberry plants per square foot is best, it is best to thin the plants out so that only about 4 are left per square foot (no more than 6 per square foot).  But, don’t toss the extras!  You can replant them easily or give them away to friends and neighbors who have a spare pot sitting around.  This may help: Transplanting Strawberries.  Also, for a host of helpful information on how to appropriately care for strawberry plants, see the reference page on Growing Strawberries.  The information on the matted row system may also be of benefit to you.  Good luck, and happy strawberry farming!

[ how many strawberry plants per square foot ]

Strawberry Plants .org exists to help spread the passion for growing and eating strawberries. However, manpower is limited. If you have a question related to strawberries, feel free to submit it or post it as a comment. Please be patient, though, as it may take some time before your question is addressed.

This is a question submitted to Strawberry Plants .org by a reader. The information provided in response to the question may benefit others with the same or similar inquiries. Therefore, it has been added to the archive page of submitted questions. See the Strawberry FAQ for more questions, or use the search box at the top right of this page to search this site for information.

Q: Strawberry Plants Producing Late?

On September 11, 2010, sira asked:

After mowing my june-strawberries in august, one plant began to produce strawberries.  Why?

Answer to: Strawberry Plants Producing Late?

sira,
That is a good question. True June-bearers typically won’t produce strawberries after they set their harvest and are mowed/renovated. I guess it is possible that some strange genetic expression occurred that caused the plant to begin producing again, or the plant was confused by climate or environmental conditions. My next best guess is that the company that shipped the plants to you (or however you got them) accidentally mixed an everbearer or day-neutral plant in with the lot they sent you.  Whatever the reason, if your strawberry plants produce flowers after you have mowed or renovated in the future, it is best to go ahead and pinch off the flower buds.  For much more, see the Growing Strawberries reference page and the Strawberry Varieties reference page.

[ strawberry plants producing late ]

Strawberry Plants .org exists to help spread the passion for growing and eating strawberries. However, manpower is limited. If you have a question related to strawberries, feel free to submit it or post it as a comment. Please be patient, though, as it may take some time before your question is addressed.