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How to grow Strawberries indoors?
Fresh-picked strawberries are the stuff of summer dreams. Crisp, juicy, sweet, tart — these jaunty little fruits stir our taste buds and imaginations. But wait, we can grow them indoors too? Yes, yes you can — and it’s easier than you think. A simple, stepped-up DIY effort can bring that farm fresh flavor home all year round.
Get a jump on your summer harvest with Gardyn’s Home Kits — the only AI-powered indoor garden built to grow 30 plants all year long. Discover an urban gardening solution designed from the ground-up to save you time and money.
DAYS TO SPROUT
10 - 15 DAYS
MATURE IN
100 - 120 DAYS
TASTE IT FOR
6 MONTHS
Table of Contents
Care & Harvest
🌡️ Temperature
Strawberries thrive in warmer temperature ranges between 70-85°F and prefer a relative humidity of 60-75%. Keep an eye out for browning on the leaf edges, as it indicates dry environmental conditions. If you notice this, consider placing a humidifier near your Gardyn to increase moisture levels.
🐝 Pollination
✂️ Pruning
🔎 Plant Health
Prevent root rot by refreshing the tank and checking/pruning roots twice a month. Use HydroBoost weekly. Combat common pests like aphids and spider mites with prevention and treatment methods.
🥬 Harvest
Pick fully red strawberries from the stem, allowing them to fully ripen for optimum flavor. Softness, not size, indicates readiness. Pinch off or snip the berries’ stems.
Why Grow Strawberries Indoors?
Fancy a freshly picked strawberry or two every now and then? Growing them indoors means you always have these sweet fruits close to hand — no matter the season. Here’s why keeping your very own strawberry patch inside can be a great idea.
Know What's Going Into Your Food
Growing your own strawberries indoors has many benefits, but it all begins with control. With store-bought items, you never know if they’re packed with synthetic pesticides, GMOs or otherwise. Planting your own harvest ensures you know exactly what’s going into your produce — from soil, water, nutrients and more.
Packed with Nutrients and Flavor
Store-bought produce is often picked long before it’s ripe, meaning its taste and texture aren’t at their best when they reach your plate. But with your own indoor berry patch, there’s no compromise — you’re getting the full dose of nutrition and flavor straight from the vine.
Saves Money
Rather than forking out for the pricey, stale produce in your local grocery store, you can save a lot by investing in your own sustainable garden. Seeds are much cheaper than a single fruit or vegetable, and with no transport or packaging costs, the savings add up quickly.
You Waste Less
When you grow your own strawberries indoors, you only pick the produce you need, so there’s no need to worry about food ending up in the trash bin. And no matter how much food you have left over, you can always compost it. Also, when you buy less from stores, you buy less packaging — meaning less plastic waste going into landfills.
Grow Microgreens, Too
Bite sized superfood packed with nutrients and loaded with flavor. Go from seed to harvest in just one week.
What do You Need to Grow Strawberries Indoors?
Growing strawberries indoors may seem tricky, but with the right conditions, you can make it happen. Here’s what you’ll need to get started:
Light
You’ll need access to a good amount of light — at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. Supplement that with artificial grow lights like fluorescent or halogen bulbs if needed. Rotate your plants every few days to ensure consistent coverage.
Planting Container
With their shallow roots and compact size, strawberries make perfect container plants! You can use classic 12–14-inch diameter pots to fit a couple of plants, or even hanging baskets and strawberry urns for a more decorative display. Make sure your container has good drainage and a catch plate. Fill it with quality potting mix, compost, and some perlite for optimum growth.
Temperature
To ensure your strawberry plant flowers smoothly, keep temperatures between 50°F-75°F. Doing so will increase fruit size and give your berries more flavor and sweetness. Even if a freeze sneaks up on you, the plant should still be able to survive with temperatures as low as the low 30s. Anything lower than that, and the fruit and flowers of your plants could be damaged beyond repair.
Plant Variety
How to Plant Strawberries Indoors
Growing strawberries indoors can be a fun and rewarding experience. There are two main ways to grow: growing from seeds or buying baby plants.
Seeds are the cheaper route, but the start-to-fruit time is considerably longer. If you have the patience, this can be a really satisfying option. However, if you’d rather just jump straight into harvest mode, you can also get baby plants.
Growing Strawberries From Plants
For beginners, we recommend getting a baby plant (or bare-root plant). Plant it and get to gardening — you can enjoy the fruits of your labor within two months! Plus, it’s easy to cultivate and requires no special care since it already comes with its roots pre-grown.
- Soak the plant roots in water for about an hour before planting.
- Make a small hole in your potting mix with your fingers.
- Gently nestle the plant into the hole, with its roots fanned out and facing downward.
- Try to limit to three plants per 12-14 inches container.
- Find a spot for your strawberry pots that gets lots of direct sunlight — or invest in a grow light to give them a boost.
- Keep the soil moist and warm. Water daily, or once the top layer of soil starts to dry out.
Growing Strawberries From Seeds
- Gently press or drop the seeds into your moistened growing medium. Lightly cover the seeds.
- Find a spot for your seeds that gets lots of direct sunlight — or invest in a grow light to give them a boost.
- Keep the soil moist and warm. Water every two or three days, or once the top layer of soil starts to dry out.
- Wait 6-7 weeks for germination.
How to Care for Your Strawberries
When planting, start with an organic, all-purpose fertilizer. Once your plants flower, switch to a potassium-rich fertilizer, applying weekly through spring. You don’t want to over-fertilize, though, so use a soil-testing kit regularly and keep an eye out for signs of stress, such as discolored and burned leaf edges.
Strawberries also benefit from a good bit of pollination. Most of the time, this would occur naturally with wind, rain, or insect activity. But when it comes to growing strawberries indoors, you have to lend nature a helping hand. Don’t worry; it’s a very simple task that doesn’t take much of your time. Simply use a small makeup brush (or your thumb) to spread the pollen from the outside inwards to the center of each tiny flower. Do this every couple of days after the first flowers appear.
Harvesting and Using Your Strawberries
Keep a close eye on your strawberry patch. As soon as the berries turn bright red, pick them quickly! When strawberries get soft and mushy, they’re still great for smoothies, jams, or purées. But beyond that, they’ll rot. Store your strawberries in the refrigerator if you’re not planning to consume them soon after picking.
Delicious Uses for Strawberries
Once you’ve got your hands on some fresh, sweet strawberries, it’s time to get creative. Here are some delicious ways to use your berries:
- Strawberry Shortcake: This is the quintessential strawberry delight. Slather sweetened cream over each biscuit, top with freshly sliced strawberries and a sprinkle of confectioner’s sugar. Yum.
- Strawberry Muffins: Add a little crimson twist to your favorite muffin recipe with fresh strawberries and cardamom. Oh, and don’t forget the streusel topping.
- Strawberry Yogurt Popsicles: Make your own fruity yogurt pops, perfect for a hot summer day. Simply puree your strawberries with some honey and a bit of yogurt, and pour into molds.
- Strawberry Margaritas: Blend fresh strawberries with tequila, margarita mix, cream of coconut, and some ice to make a fantastic boozy frozen strawberry margarita.
- Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp: We’ll take any opportunity to wolf down a strawberry rhubarb crisp. You can vary the type of crust and the texture of the rhubarb filling, but no matter what, as long as it’s got strawberries in it — it’s always going to be a winner.
A Self-Sustaining Indoor Gardening System Like You’ve Never Seen Before
Say goodbye to limp and tasteless produce! With Gardyn, grow over 70 fresh, organic fruits, vegetables, and herbs — handpicked for taste and nutrition. The best part? Our advanced growing system utilizes smart AI and camera technology to nurture your indoor plants; all you have to do is wait for harvest.
Everything You Can Grow
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