Strawberries are the most popular type of the berry family. It is cultivated mainly because of its juicy and delicious fruits which have multiple benefits. Because of this, we’ve found strawberry plants the most rewarding plant to grow.
A ripe strawberry hanging from its vine
You may have been wondering how strawberry reproduces and what are the necessary things they need to reproduce. But have you ever wished you could have grown this in your own backyard or garden? Let me first expand your knowledge about strawberries by answering the question “how do strawberries reproduce?”
Fresh strawberries are good for health
Two Methods Of Strawberry Reproduction
1. Sexual Reproduction
In this method, reproduction is done through the flowers of the strawberry plant. These flowers are produced by the plant then undergo the process of pollination which will lead to the bearing of the fruit and the seeds. This method basically means growing strawberries by the use of seeds.
A strawberry fruit can have an average of 200 seeds in it. Seeds are actually found on the outside of the fruit and not inside contrary to most fruits’ seeds which can be found inside.
Ever-bearing varieties of strawberry are perfect for this kind of reproduction since they tend to have a more compact growth pattern with little to no chance of producing more stems to asexually reproduce.
How to germinate strawberry seeds
- Gather the seeds from the fruit either by blending it and straining out the seeds or scraping the seeds of the fruit using a knife. You can also dry the fruit then rub the seeds off after. You could also choose the easy way and just buy the seeds needed and order online.
- Start to germinate the seeds by freezing it for three to four weeks then thawing it in an airtight container.
- Prepare a seed tray and fill it up to 2.5 cm of starter mix.
- Add just enough water to dampen the soil, and then plant the seeds by sprinkling it all over the tray. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil or peat moss, and lastly, cover the seed tray with a plastic wrap.
- Wait for one to six weeks, once you see three to four leaves in each plant they are already germinated and ready to be transplanted in your garden or in a container.
Strawberries can be reproduced through seeds
2. Asexual Reproduction
In this method, the part of the plant that is used in reproduction is its stem. These stems are commonly termed as “runners” and sometimes as “stolons”. Runners grow out on the ground and form structures known as nodes. These nodes will be responsible for growing roots in the soil where a daughter strawberry plant will be formed.
The strawberries’ seeds are the brown dots outside the fruit
In order to have another plant, you can let runners root by itself into the soil then dig it up and replant them after. The goal here is to increase the thickness of your strawberry bed.
On the other hand, you could also use 3-inches bottomless plastic pots filled with potting mix in growing these runners. You could use some hair pins, bent wire, or crossed sticks in holding the runner down on both sides of the nodes. This way, you could easily transfer a large daughter plant with a big root ball that will flourish quickly when replanted. This is what is commonly done by gardeners selling strawberry cuttings.
Reproduction through stem is another method of reproducing strawberries
The Best Method To Use
As you may think, the answer to the question “How do strawberries reproduce?’’ is rather complex and intricate. It just a matter of what is the purpose of reproduction.
Growing strawberry through seeds is primarily a hobby and is not practiced in commercial farming. Most farmers usually shy away from starting from seedlings of the hybrid plants. Some breeds of strawberry seedlings usually are not rewarding to grow because they are not good in producing many fruits or, if there are even fruits, they are not very tasty and are small.
When a daughter plant is reproduced asexually, it follows the genetic bearings of its mother plant. Because of this, some farmers and gardeners favor asexual reproduction method. This allows them to choose plants that are known to do well in their climatic conditions. You can also grow hydroponic strawberries during off-season when the temperature is not suitable for growing strawberries in a traditional way.
Most of the sale strawberry plants are sold as cuttings or rooted plants. These strawberry variants are tried and tested and are a sensible way for a new gardener to go. Starting from seeds can be really challenging since you will not know what kind of variety it has and if it is good for your planned gardening setting.
Thin wires can be used to support the strawberry plants
Final Thoughts
So, if you are a starting gardener, it is best to grow several varieties from the seedlings first and see which yields the best produce and is easy to deal with. Then, you can to make more plants from the successful ones in your garden.
If you are considering this idea of having your own strawberry harvest, then it is a wise move to know the mystery behind how do strawberries reproduce before you can have an informed decision on what to do. Study the methods of how do strawberries reproduce mentioned above and plant your own strawberries.
Ripe and unripe strawberries
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