Everbearers give the best crop the year they are planted. June-bearers give the best crop the year after they are planted. Purchase virus free plants. Healthy strawberry plants have medium to large crowns and large root systems consisting of light colored roots. Plants with black roots are old and should not be planted.
Plant strawberries as soon as the soil can be worked in the spring.
When the plants arrive they should be unpacked and either planted or heeled in. Heeling in is the temporary planting of plants in a trench. Plants should not be left heeled in for longer than 2 to 3 weeks. Strawberry plant crowns should be at soil level. If set too deep, the crown rots.