How to Grow Strawberries in Arizona’s Low Desert

Quick Start: How to Grow Strawberries in Arizona

Growing strawberries in Arizona is possible, but they aren’t an easy crop to grow. Strawberries need plenty of sunlight during the winter and spring to grow and produce well, but they struggle when our weather turns hot, dry, and intensely sunny. The trick is finding the right microclimate: enough winter sun for production, but afternoon protection as temperatures rise.

In the low desert of Arizona, plant strawberries in the fall so they have time to establish roots before spring harvest and summer heat. In higher elevations of Arizona, spring planting from March 15 to May 15 is recommended.

Soil is another challenge. Strawberries prefer well-draining soil with plenty of organic matter, but Arizona’s alkaline soil and salty water can make them struggle. Even if you do everything right, a really hot, dry summer can be hard on them. In a milder summer, they may do much better. For me, success has been a combination of doing the right things and hoping the weather cooperates.

Containers and GreenStalk planters can work well because you can control the soil more easily and move the plants to a more protected location during the summer. But they aren’t perfect either. You’re still asking strawberries to survive in a hot plastic container through an Arizona summer, so pay close attention to watering, shade, and plant stress.

Do your best, expect some harvests, and be happy when you get a large harvest. Some years my strawberries have done really well, and other years they’ve struggled more. The difference often comes down to microclimate, how established the plants were before the heat arrived, and whether we had a milder or harsher summer.

Choosing the Right Varieties

Strawberries are usually grouped into three main types: June-bearing, everbearing, and day-neutral (a type of everbearing). The best choice depends on your climate and whether you want one larger harvest or smaller harvests over a longer season.

• June-bearing strawberries produce one main crop in spring. In low-desert Arizona, these often perform better than everbearing types because they can produce before the worst summer heat arrives.
  • Varieties to try: Chandler, Camarosa, Sequoia, Tioga.
• Everbearing strawberries typically produce two smaller crops, one earlier in the season and another later. They are often less heat-tolerant and may not perform as well in lower-elevation Arizona gardens.
  • Varieties to try: Quinault, White Carolina Pineberry.
• Day-neutral strawberries are not controlled by day length in the same way. They can keep flowering when temperatures are moderate, but in hot climates they often slow down or stop producing when temperatures climb.
  • Varieties to try: Albion, Seascape, Tribute, Tristar.

When to Plant Strawberries

Strawberries are frost-sensitive; they prefer temperatures between 35-85℉ (1.6-29°C). In many colder winter climates, strawberries are planted in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked.

In the low desert of Arizona, fall planting is usually better. Plant strawberries from September 15 to November 15 so they have time to establish roots before spring harvest and summer heat. In higher elevations of Arizona, spring planting from March 15 to May 15 is recommended.

Where to Plant Strawberries

Strawberries need rich, well-draining, slightly acidic soil and and plenty of sunlight to produce well. In cooler climates, full sun is usually best. In hot climates like the low desert of Arizona, morning sun with afternoon shade is a better goal. Strawberries need enough sun during winter and spring to grow and produce, but intense afternoon sun and heat can stress the plants as temperatures rise.

Work the soil to a depth of at least 12 inches and remove all weeds. Strawberries grown in poorly-draining soil are more prone to pests and diseases. Amend the planting area with compost and worm castings before planting.

Strawberries prefer slightly acidic soil, generally around 5.5 to 6.8. This can be tricky in Arizona because many soils are alkaline, and strawberries are sensitive to salts in both soil and irrigation water. Check your soil’s pH level. If necessary, apply a soil acidifier to lower the pH. For the least stress on plants, a gradual reduction in pH is preferred.

Watering and Fertililzing Strawberries

Strawberries have shallow roots, so they usually need more frequent watering than many garden plants. Water deeply enough to moisten the root zone, but don’t keep the soil soggy.

Check the soil often, especially during warm weather and when plants are growing in containers. Let the top of the soil dry slightly between waterings, but keep the soil evenly moist while plants are flowering and fruiting.

New transplants may need water almost daily for the first week while they settle in. Established plants should be watered based on soil moisture, weather, container size, drainage, and how quickly the soil dries.

Fertilize with fruit and flower fertilizer when flower buds appear. Apply organic fertilizer monthly if needed during the growing season, especially in containers where nutrients wash out more quickly.

How to Get Sweet Strawberries

One of the best reasons for growing strawberries is the taste! Nothing is better than eating a ripe, sweet strawberry from the garden. However, when homegrown strawberries aren’t sweet, it is disappointing.

A few things can help encourage sweet strawberries:

• Check the pH level of your soil. Strawberries prefer slightly acidic soil, generally around 5.5 to 6.8.
• Give strawberries enough sunlight.
  • In cooler climates, full sun is best. In hot climates, aim for morning sun and afternoon protection.
• Grow strawberries in compost-rich, high in nutrient, well-draining soil and fertilize as needed.
• Smaller types of strawberries tend to be sweeter than larger berries.
• Wait to harvest strawberries until they are completely red.
• Harvest berries first thing in the morning.

Common Strawberry Pests

We aren’t the only ones who enjoy fresh strawberries in the garden. Here are a few common pests and tips for managing them:

Birds: Use barrier methods. Add cloches and tulle. Pick fruit immediately when ripe.

Slugs: Remove slugs by hand at night and set beer or yeast traps. Use strawberry supports to lift strawberries off the ground. 

Pill Bugs: Grow strawberries in containers, grow bags, or a GreenStalk vertical planter. Straw mulch keeps fruit off of dirt and away from bugs. Use strawberry supports to lift strawberries up off the ground. Read this blog post for other pill bug control methods.

• Hanging baskets are extra challenging in hot, dry climates because they dry out quickly and the roots heat up faster than they would in the ground. They can work for a short season or in a protected spot, but they usually need more frequent watering, afternoon shade, and close attention during hot weather.

Harvesting Strawberries

Wait to harvest until the berries are fully red. Strawberries do not ripen further once picked. Cut strawberries off the plant, leaving a small stem attached. Lay picked berries in a shallow pan to prevent bruising. 

Pick rotting berries off the plant and discard. Leave caps of berries attached until just before eating. Use harvested strawberries as soon as possible.

Summary: How to Grow Strawberries in Arizona

It can be difficult, but growing strawberries in the garden in Arizona is not impossible. If you decide to grow strawberries in the low desert of Arizona, here are a few additional tips to keep in mind: 

• You may need to plant new plants each year. Arizona summers are tough on strawberry plants, and they often die.
• Strawberries in Arizona need afternoon shade. Plant asparagus and sunflowers nearby as companion plants to shade strawberries during the summer. 
  • I also like planting I’itoi onions near strawberries because they stay small, don’t overwhelm the plants, and fit well along the edges of a strawberry bed or container.
• Strawberries have shallow roots, so they usually need more frequent watering than many other garden plants, especially in containers or during hot, dry weather.
  • Check the soil often and keep it evenly moist, but not soggy. New transplants may need water almost daily for the first week, but established plants should be watered based on soil moisture, weather, container size, and drainage.
• Mulch strawberries well.
• Strawberries are salt-sensitive, making them difficult to grow in Arizona’s salty soil. Regular deep watering can help wash salts from the soil.
  • If you struggle with alkaline water or salt buildup, rainwater can help if you’re able to collect and use it. Good drainage, organic matter, occasional deep watering to help move salts below the root zone, and avoiding softened water are also important.
  • Watch for dry, brown leaf margins, brittle leaves, stunted growth, or plants that seem to decline even when they’re getting enough water.
• Strawberries are sensitive to frost, especially during their flowering and fruiting stages. Covering them with frost blankets, straw mulch, or other protective materials can help prevent frost damage and protect the blossoms and developing fruit.
• Plant strawberries in the low desert of Arizona from mid-September through January. Planting strawberries by November 15th allows plants to become more established by spring.