A number of types of beds will accomplish this purpose. Raised beds which are surrounded by landscape timbers or strawberry pyramids can be used to good advantage. Soil amendments should be used to improve the soil to provide for adequate productivity. Areas that had been planted to strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, or other crops susceptible to soil diseases should not be planted to strawberries within two or three years after those crops have been removed from the area. Oats, rye or sudan grass are excellent green manure crops which could be plowed down before planting strawberries.
Strawberries grow best on soils having high organic matter content and high fertility levels.
In raised bed situations, extra organic matter can be incorporated from a compost heap or through the addition of organic materials such as peat or well-rotted straw and manure. Work this into the top 6 inches of soil. High levels of phosphates and potash are desirable for best fruit production. The ground should be worked as soon as possible in the spring, and the plants should be set early in order to obtain the best growth and plant production in the first year. Planting Rows should be spaced 42 to 48 inches apart depending upon the space available in the garden, and the intensity of culture that is practiced.