A strawberry field with sandy soil.

One of the most common questions we get asked is “What is the Best Soil for Strawberry Plants?” While strawberries are very forgiving on the different types of dirts and soils out there that are available, there are some things to consider before choosing a strawberry beds soil mix – and a few common mistakes many people make that can cause your plants to not produce fruit at all.


For starters, strawberries do not grow well at all in dirt that was previously used for tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, and peppers. You need to be very careful where these plants were grown before – so when possible, use fresh soil and wait at least three years before planting strawberries in those spots. Those plants are highly susceptible for causing Verticillium Rot which isn’t good for your strawberries at all!

Strawberries do not like too much water, but they also need watered often, so that is another factor to consider when choosing a potting mix.

If you are someone who likes to measure PH before planting, it should ideally have a PH ranging between 5.5 and 6.3 to promote the best alkaline acid environment.

Strawberries do very well in sandy soil mixtures. Something you can do is either look for a sandy loam mixture at your local garden supply store, or even create your own mixture by combining one part top soil or building sand and three parts potting soil along with your favorite fertilizer. If using sand, it should be coarse as they use for concrete and not fine like playground sand, as this allows more room for air to breathe around the plant’s roots.

How you fertilize your plants is entirely up to you. If you have access to good quality manure or a compost pile that works very well for all natural options, and they are also many other different fertilizers available. You should only need to fertilize the plants at the very beginning of the growing season, though some may fertilize again after the first round of crops. Never fertilize more than this! It could make your plant not flower or produce fruit!

Lastly, you will want to make sure the soil you are growing in stays cool, as strawberries will not grow in very hot temperatures and you’ll want to protect your plants from ground bugs and diseases. While black plastic covers for dirt are popular for keeping away insects and mold, and the use of lawn mulch may also be appealing, neither one is the best option.

You might be surprised at what you should use – straw! (This is why strawberries are called strawberries after all!) Find the cleanest and freshest hay/straw available to you and cover the ground all around. It will help keep the ground cooler, protect against those pesky diseases and pests, and is usually pretty cost effective as well. If you do not have any access to straw in your area, another viable option is to use clean pine needles. Avoid mulch when possible, as most trees are full of fungi that could potentially cause problems for your plants. Best of all, in the fall when the crop is done, you can cover the plants with the hay to protect them from the frost and winter seasons until you’re ready to grow next year! If you carefully tend to your garden you will never need to buy a strawberry plant again, as they are perennial!

What potting soil mix for strawberries do you like the best? Tell us what you do in the comments below!