Growing Strawberries from Seed in Canada
Which strawberries are worth sowing, when to start them indoors in a Canadian late winter, and what really happens when you plant the seeds from a store strawberry.
Growing strawberries from seed is possible, but it is a different hobby from planting a strawberry bed. Almost every strawberry in a Canadian garden or grocery store is a garden strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa), and those are grown from runners and young plants, not seed. The strawberry that grows easily from seed is the alpine strawberry, a form of the woodland strawberry, Fragaria vesca, which also grows wild across Canada.
So the first question is what you want. For a big crop of large berries next summer, buy plants: see how to grow strawberries in Canada. For a pot of small, fragrant berries all summer, a late-winter seed project, or a test of what a store berry's seeds turn into, read on.
Strawberries from seed, in short: sow alpine strawberry seed indoors about 10 to 12 weeks before your last frost, on the surface of moist seed mix, at 18 to 21 °C. Expect slow, uneven germination over two to four weeks. Plant out after the last frost; alpines often fruit the first summer. Seeds from a store strawberry grow, but the plants are not copies of the berry you bought.
Which Strawberries Grow from Seed
| Strawberry | From seed? | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Alpine strawberry (Fragaria vesca) | Yes | Comes true from seed. Small, aromatic berries from early summer to frost; few or no runners. Often fruits the first year. |
| Named garden varieties (Honeoye, Albion, Seascape and others) | No | Propagated by runners. Seed from them gives new, different plants. Buy crowns or potted plants. |
| Seed-raised garden varieties | Yes, from a seed packet | A few garden strawberries are bred to be sold as seed. Treat them like alpines; they usually fruit a little later. |
| Seeds from a store strawberry | They germinate | Each seedling is a new cross. Fruit is usually smaller and less reliable than the parent. A fun experiment, not a crop plan. |
The RHS says the same thing in one line: alpine strawberries “can also be grown from seed indoors,” while summer-fruiting and perpetual (everbearing) strawberries are raised from runners or young plants.
Growing Strawberries from a Store Strawberry
The little dots on the outside of a strawberry are its fruits, and each holds one seed. They do germinate, which is why the idea keeps coming up. The problem is genetic, not practical. A commercial strawberry variety is kept identical by growing it from runners, which are clones of the mother plant. Its seeds, though, come from flowers pollinated by other plants, so every seed is a new combination. Plant twenty and you get twenty different strawberries, most of them smaller and less productive than the berry you started with, and you will not see the fruit until the second summer.
If you want to try it anyway, it is a good kitchen-table project:
- Use a fully ripe berry. Seeds from underripe fruit often fail.
- Remove the seeds. Slice off the outer skin thinly with a sharp knife, or mash the berry in a cup of water: good seeds sink, pulp floats. Spread the seeds on a paper towel to dry for a few days.
- Chill them in a sealed bag in the fridge for two to four weeks. Seed suppliers commonly recommend this; it is worth doing for store seed, where you have nothing to lose.
- Sow them exactly as described below for alpine seed.
Keep the strongest seedlings, grow them on in pots, and see what fruits the next summer. Occasionally one is very good. Most are not.
When to Start Strawberry Seeds in Canada
Strawberry seed is slow: two to four weeks to germinate and several more weeks before the seedlings are big enough to plant. Starting about 10 to 12 weeks before your average last frost gives plants of a good size to go out about a week after it. The RHS sows alpines in spring at 13 to 18 °C and plants them out in May; Canadian last frosts are later, so the indoor start is earlier. The 10-to-12-week lead is our rule of thumb, not a measurement.
| City | Sow indoors | Average last frost | Plant out from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vancouver | Dec 21 – Jan 4 | Mar 15 | Mar 22 |
| Toronto | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Apr 20 | Apr 27 |
| Ottawa | Feb 14 – Feb 28 | May 9 | May 16 |
| Montréal | Feb 14 – Feb 28 | May 9 | May 16 |
| Quebec City | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | May 17 | May 24 |
| Halifax | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | May 10 | May 17 |
| Winnipeg | Mar 2 – Mar 16 | May 25 | Jun 1 |
| Regina | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | May 21 | May 28 |
| Calgary | Feb 28 – Mar 14 | May 23 | May 30 |
| Edmonton | Feb 19 – Mar 5 | May 14 | May 21 |
Average last frost dates are 30-year Environment and Climate Change Canada normals. For another city, look up its last frost in the frost date calculator and count back 10 to 12 weeks, or use the seed starting calculator for other crops.
How to Sow Strawberry Seeds
- Optional: chill the seed. Many seed suppliers recommend two to four weeks in the fridge or freezer in a sealed bag. Some growers find alpine seed germinates well without it. If you have plenty of seed, try half and half.
- Fill a tray or small pots with moist, fine seed-starting mix and firm it lightly.
- Sow on the surface. Scatter the seed thinly and press it in. The RHS covers it lightly with sharp sand; a dusting of fine vermiculite works too. Do not bury it deeply.
- Cover and keep warm. Put a clear lid or bag over the tray to hold humidity and keep it at about 18 to 21 °C. The RHS gives about 18 °C and warns germination “can be slow and patchy.” A seedling heat mat helps in a cool Canadian basement.
- Give light at once. As soon as seedlings appear, remove the cover and put them under a grow light or in your brightest window. In February, a Canadian windowsill is rarely enough on its own; leggy seedlings mean too little light.
- Prick out into small pots once each seedling has two true leaves, as the RHS advises, holding them by a leaf, not the stem.
- Harden off over a week before planting out after your last frost: a few hours outside in shade, building up to full sun.
Strawberry seed wants about 18 to 21 degrees C to germinate, which is warmer than most Canadian basements and windowsills in February. A heat mat under the tray holds the mix at that temperature so slow, patchy seed comes up more evenly. Take it away once the seedlings are up; they grow better cooler.
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Growing On: From Seedling to First Berries
Plant alpine seedlings out after the last frost in a sunny or partly shaded spot, about 20 to 30 cm apart, with the crown at soil level. They make a tidy edging for a vegetable bed and grow well in pots and window boxes; see growing strawberries in pots for container sizes and watering.
The RHS notes that alpines started early “will often start fruiting in their first year.” Pick the berries when fully coloured and soft; they are much smaller than garden strawberries and do not keep, which is why they are rarely sold.
Alpine strawberries are hardy perennials and come back for several years. Mulch them with straw once the soil starts to freeze in zones 3 to 6, as for any strawberry bed. Because most alpines make few runners, you increase them by dividing clumps in spring or sowing again.
Common Problems with Strawberry Seedlings
Nothing came up after two weeks
Normal for strawberries. Keep the tray warm and moist for another two to four weeks before giving up. If you did not chill the seed, try a few weeks in the fridge with what is left.
Seedlings fell over at the base
Damping off, a fungal rot of young seedlings, usually from wet mix and still air. Use fresh seed mix, water from below, remove the cover once seedlings are up and run a small fan nearby.
Long, pale, floppy seedlings
Too little light. Move the light closer or the tray to a brighter spot. Canadian late-winter days are short; most seedlings started in February need a grow light. See grow lights for Canadian growers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you grow strawberries from seed?
Yes, but the strawberries that grow well from seed are alpine strawberries (Fragaria vesca), small, intensely flavoured berries on compact plants. The large garden strawberries sold as Honeoye, Albion or Seascape are grown from runners and plants, not seed. The RHS puts it the same way: alpine strawberries can be grown from seed indoors, while the summer-fruiting and perpetual types are grown from runners or young plants.
Can I grow strawberries from the seeds of a store-bought strawberry?
You can get seedlings, but not the strawberry you bought. Store strawberries are hybrid varieties propagated by runners, and their seeds come from cross-pollination, so each seedling is a new, different plant. Most give smaller, less reliable fruit. It is a good experiment with children; for a crop, buy plants or alpine seed.
When should I start strawberry seeds in Canada?
Start them indoors in late winter, roughly 10 to 12 weeks before your average last frost, so the seedlings are a good size to plant out about a week after it. That is late winter in most of Canada and earlier on the BC coast. The table on this page works out the dates for several cities from Environment and Climate Change Canada frost normals.
Do strawberry seeds need cold stratification?
Not always. Many seed suppliers recommend two to four weeks in the fridge or freezer before sowing, and some growers find it evens out germination, but others sow alpine seed straight from the packet with good results. If your seed is slow, a few weeks of cold is an easy thing to try.
How long do strawberry seeds take to germinate?
Usually two to four weeks at about 18 to 21 degrees C, and sometimes longer. The RHS warns that germination can be slow and patchy, so do not give up on a tray after one week.
Will strawberries grown from seed fruit the first year?
Alpine strawberries started indoors in late winter often fruit in their first summer, as the RHS notes. Seedlings of garden strawberries usually take until their second summer.
Do strawberry seeds need light to germinate?
Sow them on the surface and press them in rather than burying them, or cover them only with a very thin layer of fine sand or vermiculite. Keep the tray humid under a clear cover until the seedlings appear, then give them bright light straight away.
Sources
- Royal Horticultural Society, How to grow strawberries, and its plant profiles for Fragaria vesca
- University of Minnesota Extension, Growing strawberries in the home garden
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals (average last frost dates)