Wild strawberries – how to grow your own

Scientific name (Latin): Fragaria vesca

Family: Rose family (Rosaceae)

When it comes to growing wild strawberries, this is a very rewarding plant that doesn't demand much from you. As long as you give it proper care when planting, you’ll be able to enjoy wild strawberries all over your garden for many years. Wild strawberries can be planted both as ground cover and as a border plant in various places, but it’s wise to ensure they get as much sun as possible – even though they also grow in shady spots.

• The first thing you need to do is weed the area where you plan to plant your wild strawberries. Be sure to use planting soil, and feel free to mix in cow or chicken manure. Wild strawberries thrive in well-drained, humus-rich soil, so if your plants get these conditions, the yield will be good.

• When planting, place the plants at the same depth as they were in their original pot, and make sure to water them generously from the start. If you're aiming for fruit, plant them about 30 centimeters apart. If you want them to serve as ground cover, you can plant them closer together.

• Wild strawberries spread quite easily via runners, but it doesn’t hurt to give them a little help in the spring. Fertilizing is a good idea, and if you have compost, this is an excellent alternative to feed your wild strawberries. There are also wild strawberry varieties that don’t form runners—these are best suited as ornamental or border plants.

• Keep in mind that wild strawberries will need more water during berry season, which is usually between June and July, though it can continue into September in some cases.

• Newly planted wild strawberries are very sensitive to frost, so make sure the nights are frost-free before planting them in the spring.

Wild strawberries can also be grown easily from seeds, which you do by sowing them shallowly indoors between March and April. All you need to do is press them gently into the surface of the soil and cover them to retain moisture. With a temperature of around 16–24°C (60–75°F), the seeds will germinate in about two weeks. You can repot them after that and plant them outdoors in the spring once the risk of frost has passed.

It’s very likely that you, as a reader, have some kind of connection to wild strawberries. Maybe you remember those glorious summer days spent hunting for the sweet little berries out in the meadows, among the rocks, or in the shade of a birch tree, with a blade of grass ready in your hand to thread them on. Or maybe it’s the memory of growing up in a garden where wild strawberries were cultivated, and how, every year in July, August, and September, you’d make frequent stops by the patch to satisfy your craving for the flavorful and juicy berries.

There are wild strawberries that even allergy sufferers can enjoy! In other words, everyone can develop a fondness for this classic summer berry, and growing them is a joy for any garden or balcony!

The plant itself is a perennial and will return year after year—likely in greater numbers, as wild strawberries tend to spread quite easily. The plant grows between 5 and 20 centimeters tall, and its leaves are beautifully tinted in a light green shade, making it easy to spot where wild strawberries are growing.

The stem of a wild strawberry plant is quite short, but the runner is much longer and leads to several flower shoots, where the flowers—and eventually the false fruit—develop. The plant features delicate, characteristically white flowers, and the blooming period falls between May and July. Wild strawberries are common in many parts of the country and are widespread throughout Europe, Asia, and North America.

Threading wild strawberries onto a straw during the summer months is something most people have likely tried, and thanks to their long harvest season, you can enjoy these shiny little fruits for an extended period. In fact, the wild strawberry is the predecessor of the garden strawberry, which was created by crossing two species of wild strawberries. Unlike wild strawberries, garden strawberries do not occur naturally.

Wild strawberries are a favorite to pick and eat for many children, and even adults greatly appreciate the taste of these berries. It's intense, sweet, and truly unique, making it popular to grow, even though it can also be found growing wild. Eating them as they are is also recommended, as much of the flavor is lost when processed or turned into jam. Therefore, the best way to enjoy wild strawberries is exactly as they are.

Wild strawberries are also incredibly easy to grow and take great care of themselves, as long as they are placed in a sunny spot. In other words, there are many reasons to plant this beautifully red and useful sea of treats in your garden or on your balcony!

• There are twelve varieties of wild strawberries, with three wild types native to Norway.
• There is a variety that produces white wild strawberries, which is better suited for people with allergies.
• It belongs to the rose family and is related to species such as rowan and common cow-wheat.
• It is the ancestor plant of the strawberry, after crossing an American wild strawberry with a South American wild strawberry – the strawberry was initially called "pineapple strawberry" when it arrived in the Nordic countries.
• The red berry is a false fruit, and the real fruits are the small seeds that sit on the outside.
• It is common throughout the country, except in mountainous areas.
• The first recorded mention of wild strawberries dates back to the Middle Ages.

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