Strawberries are maybe the best-loved fruit out of all to grow in the garden. The sweet juicy, ripe, red fruits are the messengers of summer.
However, choosing the perfect fertilizer for strawberries is necessary to grow an abundant yield of big, delicious, juicy, strawberries. Because only the best fertilizers will help your plant to have wonderful blooms and strawberries. The appropriate set of fertilizers actually relies on several things.
In terms of strawberry, it likes fertilizers with an abundant quantity of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorous. Whether you’re an organic grower or like traditional approaches to growing strawberries, there are several choices and I will assist you to determine it throughout this article.
In this article, I will discuss the 10 best strawberry fertilizers along with several necessary topics that may help you to produce lots of juicy and tasty strawberries.
So, without further ado, let’s dive into the deep.
In a Rush? Here is our recommended fertilizer for strawberries that you may pick right now-
Best Fertilizers For Strawberries- Comparisons
| Fertilizer | NPK | Type | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miracle Gro 1850011 Plant Food | 30-10-10 | Inorganic | |
| Espoma Fruit&Berry Food | 3-4-4 | Organic | |
| Espoma HT18 Holly Tone | 4-3-4 | Organic | |
| Down To Earth All Natural Acid Mix Fertilizer | 4-3-6 | Organic | |
| Dr. Earth 708P Fruit Tree Fertilizer | 5-5-2 | Organic | |
| Jobe's 09727 Berry Granular Plant | 4-4-3 | Organic | |
| J R Peters Jacks Classic Fertilizer | 17-6-6 | Inorganic | |
| Winchester Gardens Select Fertilizer | 2-3-4 | Organic | |
| EcoScraps Berry Plant Food | 4-5-4 | Organic | |
| Greenway Biotech Strawberry Fertilizer | 8-12-32 | Inorganic |
Best Fertilizers For Strawberries- Reviews
1.Miracle-Gro 1850011 Plant Food
As per the NPK ratio, it contains 30% nitrogen ( 3% ammonical nitrogen and 27% urea nitrogen), 10% phosphate, 10% water-soluble potash.
Good to know that, it also contains other nutrients in a plenty amount such as 0.02% Boron, 0.07% chelated copper, 0.325% chelated iron, 0.05% chelated manganese, 0.0005% molybdenum, and 0.07% chelated zinc.
You know, chelated ingredients are very efficient in delivering nutrients to plant. This kind of fertilizer contains an additional layer that prevents it from making reaction unnecessarily.
All these ingredients are derived from Ammonium Phosphate, Urea, Pottasium phosphate, Potassium chloride, Boric acid, Copper EDTA, Iron EDTA, Manganese EDTA, Manganese EDTA, Sodium Molybdate, and Zinc EDTA. All these are derived from inorganic sources but as you can see any of these don’t contain any toxic or harmful ingredients for your strawberry plant.
However, it’s powerful enough to promote flower production and growth. Also, it’s soft enough that it won’t burn any leaves or flowers and won’t harm any of the neighboring plants.
2.Espoma Fruit&Berry Food
Fruit and Berry Food contains several different organic elements including a 3-4-4 mixture of nitrogen (0.2% ammonical nitrogen, 0.6% other water-soluble nitrogen, 2.2% water-insoluble nitrogen), phosphate, and soluble potash.
There are also other nutrients such as 5% calcium, 1% magnesium (0.7% water-soluble), 2% sulfur.
All these ingredients are derived from some organic sources such as Feather meal, poultry manure, bone meal, alfalfa meal, greensand, sulfate potash, and sulfate of potash magnesia. The 2.2% slow-release nitrogen is derived from feather meal, poultry manure, bone meal, and alfalfa meal.
Bio-tone is the main secret of this fertilizer which is a distinct combination of thousands of helpful microbes. And it can biologically improve your natural plant’s DNA to assure better plant growth and delicious fruits.
3.Espoma HT18 Holly Tone
This fertilizer includes 4% nitrogen,3% phosphate, and 4% potash. The good news is, it has 2.5% water-insoluble nitrogen that slowly dissolves with water and feeds your strawberries for a long basis. It also contains water-soluble nutrients for on-the-spot feeding.
Additionally, it also carries 3% calcium, 5% sulfur, 1% magnesium as well as other essential nutrients for your plants to encourage healthy and fresh blooms.
Scientists use some natural and organic sources such as feather meal, bone meal, sulfate of potash, alfalfa meal, greensand, poultry manure, and elemental sulfur to derive the nutrients of this fertilizer.
As you can see, there is no toxic chemical in this fertilizer. That is why this fertilizer is OMRI certified.
You will be happy to know that,
It also contains some useful and beneficial soil microbes that improve soil health and effects on the plant to be more resistant.
Also, it comprises 1% humic acid. Humic acid helps to recover the plant from environmental stress.
4.Down To Earth All Natural Acid Mix Fertilizer
It has an NPK ratio of 4-3-6. That means 4% nitrogen,3% phosphate, and 6% potash. It also includes other plant essential nutrients such as 3% calcium,2% magnesium, and 2% sulfur.
It is a slow-release fertilizer and contains 0.4% water-soluble as well as 3.6% water-insoluble nitrogen. You know, the water-soluble portion feeds the plant instantly while the water-insoluble portion feeds as a long-term nutrient provider that made it one of the best fertilizers for everbearing strawberries.
All the ingredients of this acid mix fertilizer are made from several organic sources such as rock phosphate, cottonseed meal, langbeinite, fishbone meal, and kelp meal.
Besides, this fertilizer is full of some helpful soil microbes that benefit the soil and plant health through protecting from insects and diseases.
Furthermore, it has 2.5% humic acids to strengthen the plant from environmental-related stress.
Spray 1-2 tablespoons per gallon of potting mix. Or 1 cup for an established strawberry plant. Spray on the surface soil smoothly and water the plant.
5.Dr. Earth 708P Organic Fruit Tree Fertilizer
As per the NPK ratio, it contains 5% nitrogen (helps on vegetative growth), 5% phosphate (helps on growing strong roots and fruits), and 2% potash for overall plant fitness.
Moreover,
The total quantity of nitrogen has been coated that helps it to release its nutrients slowly. It can feed your plant gradually for a long time without the creation of any potential risk.
The manufacturer derives all its nutrients from several organic sources such as kelp flour, fish meal, alfalfa meal, fishbone meal, potassium sulfate, and kelp meal. You can see, all of these are the natural origins of micro and macronutrients.
An outstanding feature is,
It comes with a probiotic formula that indicates it contains a healthy and natural combination of mycorrhizae fungi and bacteria to recover the soil health and get the soil fertilizer.
This fertilizer can be applied to feed both the grown-up and newly grown strawberries to produce the desired yield.
Sprinkle 2 cups of granular fertilizer per 2-inch trunk diameter of the strawberry plant on the surface soil and water the plant to begin feeding. Repeat the application three months later.
6.Jobe’s Organics 09727 Berry Granular Plant Food
This fertilizer contains an NPK ratio of 4-4-3 that means 4% nitrogen,4% phosphate, and 3% potash that helps growing green foliage and fresh, healthy fruits. You will be happy to know, It comprises both water-soluble(1.2% for instant feeding) and water-insoluble(2.8% for continuous) nitrogen.
Also, It contains some other essential plant nutrients. Such as 0.5% magnesium, 8% calcium, and 1% sulfur.
It is an OMRI-listed organic fertilizer because scientists derive all of its ingredients from some natural and organic sources. They are feather meal, poultry manure, bone meal, and sulfate of potash.
The good thing is,
It also contains some beneficial soil microbes such as bacteria, archaea, and mycorrhizae fungi that are named Biozome. Biozome assists the soil breaking down its organic matter fast and enhances the soil health and the plant.
So, you can select this pet-friendly fertilizer to drive away disease and insects from your strawberry with plentiful fruit sets.
Spray 3 cups per 2 foot of plant bedspread, mix into the cover soil, and water the plant. Repeat after 4-6 weeks.
7.J R Peters Jacks Classic Fertilizer
The 17-6-6 NPK ratio of this fertilizer means that it contains 17% nitrogen, 6% phosphate, and 6% potash. These can render the essential nutrients to your strawberries for developing green leaves, strong roots, and healthy fruits. It has 10.58% ammoniacal nitrogen and 6.42% urea nitrogen out of total 17%
As you can see, it carries urea nitrogen that you may think harmful, but researches and experiences say that it doesn’t do any harm to the strawberry plant. Besides, It supports the soil to lessen pH and get the soil acidic for strawberries.
The good thing is,
It includes so many micro and macronutrients such as 14% sulfur, 0.05% copper, 0.02% boron, 0.3% iron ,0.0009% molybdenum, 0.05% manganese and 0.05% zinc.
All these ingredients are derived from non-toxic and harmful sources such as Urea, Monoammonium phosphate, ammonium sulfate, potassium sulfate, Boric acid, Iron EDTA, Manganese EDTA, Zinc EDTA, Copper EDTA, and Ammonium molybdate.
Most of the nutrients come with an additional coat for preserving themselves from unexpected soil reaction and hold them always ready for plants.
It also includes a water-soluble portion. So, You can practice this fertilizer on the food neediest plant for feeding spontaneously.
Besides acid-loving fruit plants, you can also pick this fertilizer for hydrangeas, holly, and other acid-loving flowering plants.
Mix 1 tablespoon of this fertilizer for garden strawberry and ¼ teaspoon for indoor strawberry with a gallon of water. Take it into a sprayer and spray the solution every 10-15 days.
8.Winchester Gardens Select Organics Fertilizer
It contains 2% nitrogen, 3% phosphate, and 4% potash that boost foliar growth, healthy fruits, and strong roots.
Additionally, the total quantity of nitrogen is water-insoluble nitrogen that releases its nutrients gradually and feeds the plant continuously for a long time.
This fertilizer also includes other needed nutrients for blackberries like 1% sulfur. and 0.50% magnesium.
It can supply nutrients for both in-ground and potted strawberries to improve their development and growth.
Also, It is an organic fertilizer that has no harmful synthetic chemicals. All the nutrients of this fertilizer come from bone meal, sulfate of potash magnesia, feather meal, and potassium chloride.
Sprinkle two tablespoons of this fertilizer per plant or mix with the surface soil. Don’t forget to water the strawberry to begin nutrient supply and produce healthy strawberries.
9.EcoScraps Organic Gardening Berry Plant Food
EcoScraps Berry Plant Food contains a 4-5-4 NPK ratio that means 4% nitrogen (helps foliar growth), 5% phosphate (helps develop strong roots), and 4% potash for overall healthful plants.
It also contains other essential nutrients that support growing strawberries as expected.
One interesting thing is,
It comprises recycled landfill waste and leftovers that also render nutrients to your plants.
This fertilizer comes from some organic substances that are harmless for plants as well as children and pets. It arrives in granular form. Additionally, it can feed both potted and in-ground strawberries without any danger.
Sprinkle 1/4 cup for fully grown strawberry and 0.5 cups for 6 inches potted strawberry. Mix them with the topsoil and water the plant thoroughly to begin feeding.
10.Greenway Biotech Strawberry Fertilizer
According to the NPK ratio, it contains 8% nitrogen (7.2% nitrate nitrogen and 0.80% ammoniacal nitrogen), 12% phosphate and 32% soluble potash.
it also included an adequate quantity of chelated micronutrients, assuring your plants are forever bright, full, and growing healthy, tasty fruit such as 0.50% iron, 0.30% zinc, 0.20% boron, 0.05% copper, 0.20% manganese EDTA, 0.01% molybdenum.
All these are derived from non-toxic and harmless resources such as potassium nitrate, monopotassium phosphate, ammonium sulfate, iron chelated (EDTA), boric acid, manganese chelated (EDTA), Copper chelated (EDTA), Zinc chelated (EDTA), and sodium molybdate.
Directly use our hydroponic strawberry fertilizer, watch in wonder as your plants bigger and delicious mouth-watering strawberries!
What Kind of Fertilizer for Strawberries?
Choosing the right kind of fertilizer for strawberries is important to grow plenty of juicy, big, delicious strawberries. The best type of fertilizer truly depends on several things you need to bear in mind.
Before planting, you need organic fertilizer with equal parts of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus.
As the strawberries grow, If you think they aren’t doing fine or if the strawberries aren’t ripening then try using a nitrogen fertilizer.
At the end of the summer, use ammonium nitrate fertilizer to help during the colder months.
Next year, use another round of fertilizer to help the plants during the growing period. Meanwhile, test the soil to determine the NPK ratio.
How to Fertilize Strawberry Plants?
Strawberry plants require a big amount of nitrogen at 2 times in its developing season such as late fall and early spring. These plants begin to produce berries in these months.
If you make the soil well with compost and organic, your plants will require a less quantity of fertilizer in the future.
The necessary quantity of nutrients required by strawberry is 10-10-10 proportion. But if developing naturally then this number may differ.
If possible, don’t add fertilizer to June carriers in early spring. Because it will weaken or soften the fruits and raise the risk of an outbreak of infections.
Homemade Fertilizer for Strawberry Plants
Aquarium Water
You can use the aquarium water when cleaning that. The fish waste works as a great plant fertilizer.
Banana Peels
Banana peels are beneficial for plants. When planting, bury a banana or the peel. As the plant grows, it will supply the essential potassium that plants require for decent growth.
Coffee Grounds
Used coffee grounds hold around 2% nitrogen and 1/3% of phosphoric acid, and different measures of potash (usually less than 1%) that can help your plant to grow much healthier.
Cooking Water
A lot of nutrients are released into the water that the meal is prepared in. Water that is utilized to boil eggs, potatoes, vegetables, etc, can be applied as a fertilizer. Don’t forget to let the water cool before using it.
Egg Shells
Eggshells hold about 1% nitrogen, 0.5% of phosphoric acid, and other trace ingredients like calcium and others, that present them as a practical fertilizer. Simply squash and powder them before using them on the ground near the plant.
FAQs
Do strawberries like acidic soil?
Strawberries like rich, soft, and fertilized soil with acidity between 5.5 to 6.9. Test your soil to know the pH of your soil. If it is out of normal value then take proper steps.
How to get bigger strawberries?
Taking good care of your strawberry plant is the foremost thing you need to do to grow bigger strawberries. Water them regularly, fertilize them while needed, Maintain soil pH, eliminate weeds, and if possible start with good, bigger fruit variants of strawberry.
Are coffee grounds good for strawberry plants?
Coffee grounds are a great supplement to your garden soil. Strawberry plants like coffee grounds. Coffee grounds help growing shoots healthier and promote overall growth.
Does fertilizer make a plant grow bigger?
The efficient usage of fertilizer in your garden is a fundamental part of growing wonderful, healthy plants. Fertilizer supplies nutrients that are essential to growing plants. Fertilizers help to grow bigger plants faster and producing more fruits. Without fertilizers, sometimes it is hard to grow healthy plants.
Conclusion
Picking the best fertilizer for the strawberries is not an easy task because the right fertilizer will improve the plant’s health and support to grow tasty fruits.
You should understand the contemporary soil state where strawberries are planting while choosing the fertilizer because each fertilizer has its advantages.
Many of them are simpler to use while some work great. Some demand combining to the soil but some are sprinkled.
The best fertilizer at the correct time will certainly help the growth of plants and provide a huge quantity of berry fruits. So while you are choosing the best fertilizer for strawberries keep these points in mind.
