If you’ve never grown a strawberry plant before, you are missing out on some major snacking opportunities! The freshly picked fruit is sweet and tangy like candy, yet incredibly healthy and packed with immunity-boosting antioxidants. Here’s how to grow them, plus some creative ways to enjoy them!
October Is An Ideal Time To Plant Strawberries In Fort Lauderdale
Strawberry plants prefer cool to mildly warm weather, so here in SoFlo, the best time to plant is between October and December. There are two main types: those that produce one big harvest all at once (often called June-bearing), and Everbearing strawberries, which continually produce fruit until the end of their growing season. We’ve got an impressive selection of different strawberry plants for sale in Fort Lauderdale, so feel free to ask us for help in finding the perfect variety for your garden.
Caring For Your Strawberry Plant
Follow these simple steps for growing the most delicious strawberries imaginable!
- Space your plants 10 to 18 inches apart.
- Choose a location that receives 8 hours of direct sunlight each day.
- Water frequently, and try to avoid letting the soil dry out.
- Ensure the soil has excellent drainage and won’t become soggy. Consider a raised garden bed, planting your berry plants on a mound, or putting them in a container with drainage holes.
- Use a balanced fertilizer to encourage leaf production, flowering, and fruit production.
- Pick your berries when ¾ of the surface has turned red, but there’s still a flush of green left. This will help them to last longer!
3 Easy, Delicious Recipes For Your Strawberry Plant Harvest
Once those berries are ready for picking, you might end up with a pretty sizable harvest! Make the most of your scrumptious strawberries with these fresh and flavorful recipes.
Strawberry Spinach Salad
This sweet, savory salad is excellent for using up your harvest from one of our favorite cool-season veggies—spinach! The sweet crunch of candied pecans combined with creamy cheese creates a supremely satisfying, indulgent salad. Add grilled chicken for extra protein!
Ingredients (serves 4–6):
- ¾ cup candied pecans
- ½ small red onion, sliced thin
- 8–9 cups of fresh spinach leaves
- 4 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered
- ¾ cup soft cheese (feta, goat cheese, or gorgonzola)
- Poppyseed dressing
- Sliced grilled chicken (optional)
Directions
- Toss all cold ingredients in a large salad bowl. Serve immediately, and top with optional grilled chicken.
Strawberry Crisp
This comforting dessert is perfect for enjoying after a hearty holiday meal. Don’t forget to serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Ingredients:
Crumb Topping:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup old fashioned rolled oats
- ⅔ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup melted butter
Fruit Filling:
- 5 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1tsp real vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9X9 baking dish.
- Combine the strawberries and sugar in a mixing bowl until the berries are coated. Add the vanilla extract and cornstarch, and mix until fully incorporated. Pour into the prepared baking dish.
- In a separate bowl, mix all the dry ingredients for the crumb topping. Add in the melted butter and stir until crumbly. Spread this mixture evenly over the strawberries.
- Bake for 40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and bubbly. Let cool for ten minutes before serving, and top it with a scoop of ice cream.
Strawberry Frosé
If you end up freezing any of your strawberry harvest, this is a great recipe to make use of the fruit! A frosty, juicy strawberry cocktail is hard to resist, and this blended frosé hits all the right notes. Use your favorite fruity, floral rosé to make this smooth-sipping, slushy cocktail.
Ingredients:
- 1 750ml bottle of rosé wine
- 3 cups frozen strawberries
- 2 tbsp honey or agave syrup
- 2 cups ice
- Extra strawberries and mint leaves for garnish
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Pour into wine glasses and garnish with a strawberry slice and a sprig of mint.