Grow Tasty Strawberries: The Best Fertilizer for Strawberries

If you want to grow delicious strawberries, you need the best fertilizer available. Strawberries can be quite complicated for growing and that’s why fertilizer is a must to get the best and tastiest yield.

Summer’s already here, so I think it’s the right time to get some insights on how to improve your harvest.

If you’ve ever tried to grow strawberries, you know that they’re rather resilient plants and can grow almost anywhere however, there are some tricks to ensure proper growth and taste.

Application of fertilizers before planting strawberry seedlings

For instance, it’s good to water the strawberries regularly since they don’t tolerate dry weather and always keep the surrounding area clean of weeds.

Of course, the fertilizer is essential and to help with your choice, we’ve composed the list below with the 10 best fertilizers for strawberries on Amazon.

Top Pick

Espoma Organic Holly-tone 4-3-4 Natural & Organic Evergreen & Azalea...

Our best pick is without a doubt the 18-pound fertilizer by Espoma. This product works great with any type of berries and your strawberry plants will be thriving in no time.

Moreover, the fertilizer is all-purpose and can be used for azaleas, rhododendrons, evergreens and other types of berries.

This is one of the favorite products of experienced gardeners who love and use the product for years and it’s always helped them grow the healthiest and tastiest fruits.

Budget Pick

EcoScraps for Organic Gardening Berry Plant Food, 4 lbs

Of course, if you’re looking for a cheaper variant you can try the EcoScraps organic fertilizer that’s specially made for any type of berries.

The product’s made with recycled food leftovers and can be used for organic gardening.

This product is easy to use and apply and happy customers confirm it helps their strawberries during their growing season.

When’s the Best Time to Fertilize Strawberries?

Using a fertilizer to improve your strawberry yield is important, however, it’s even more important to know when to apply.

According to expert gardening tips, the best time to apply fertilizer is after harvest but never in the early months of spring since this might cause your strawberry fruits to be soft.

Additionally, in the first year of growth, the strawberry should be fed with a fertilizer rich in nitrogen just a few weeks after it’s been planted and then in August, you can add nitrate fertilizer.

Make sure you read the instruction manual on the product since most of the brands include valuable information for their specific products and you can make sure you’re providing your plants with the best care possible.

Also, in the first year of growth make sure you add plenty of nitrogen especially if the strawberries are looking yellowish and weak. During the second and third years, the strawberries can thrive in the same environment – even up to three years until leaf diseases appear.

Before the second year starts, make sure to mow the foliage and use it as a natural fertilizer. Once you moved the strawberries after the third year, ensure the site is ready for the new crop as usual.

How to Fertilize Strawberries?

Strawberries are very resilient plants and they can grow in almost any type of environment. What’s important is to keep the soil around the berries in a good condition and make sure it’s weed-free and consistently watered.

Our piece of advice is also not to plant the strawberries in the soil which was previously used for potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, or raspberries. This soil might be plagued by insects that might harm the strawberries as well.

Strawberries are sun-loving plants and ideally, you should plant them in a sunny place where they can drain well and receive a lot of sunshine. Also, you should fertilize them before planting and make sure you add the fertilizer at least 8 inches in the soil to make it fertile and provide the strawberries with needed nutrients.

Moreover, there are some clues that you can read from your plants and make sure you act on them and add fertilizer as needed. 

For instance, your plants can show signs of:

  • Yellow or pale leaves
  • No fruit production and development
  • They look healthy but don’t produce the bloom

If you notice these signals, have in mind that the strawberries might need a boost and a fertilizer will go a long way.

What Types of Fertilizer are There?

There are a few types of fertilizers that can be great for your strawberries:

  • Commercial fertilizers are all of the options we presented in our review above and they’re usually made with a blend of nitrogen, phosphorus and potash plus trace minerals. All of the options have the NPK ratio listed on the packaging so you can make sure to use what you need. Ideally, you should use a balanced fertilizer
  • Compost fertilizer is a natural and rich product made through decomposing grass clippings, leaves and additional material from plants. Thanks to the heat and moisture, the microbes are activated and they break down these materials which create nutrients for the plants. This is a very good option to be used not only with strawberries but with other types of plants as well.

Additionally, fertilizers can come in different forms such as granules or liquid and each of them has its benefits.

  • Liquid fertilizers are easy to prepare and it only requires to be mixed with water and sprayed on the wanted area. You can use a spray bottle or a commercial-grade sprayer – depending on what you have available. Liquid fertilizer isn’t harmful to the plant’s leaves, but the mixing ratio should not be too strong.
  • Granular fertilizers are easy to apply and if you follow the instructions on the packaging you can get great results in no time. As a rule of thumb, you should always add the fertilizer around the root of the plant and don’t use them on the leaves. Once you apply the granules, add plenty of water and watch the strawberries thrive. 

Fertilizer for Strawberries Review

1. Espoma Holly Tone 18-Pound Fertilizer

Highlighted Features

  • 18-pounds package
  • Great for berry plants
  • Used by professionals
  • All-natural
  • Bio-tone microbes

Espoma’s strawberry fertilizer is the ideal plant food for all plants that need an acidic environment to thrive. These include azaleas, rhododendrons, evergreens, hydrangeas and many types of berries.

Professional gardeners love this product because it’s efficient and can help you grow the tastiest and healthiest strawberries.

Moreover, this is an OMRI approved fertilizer whose main ingredient is the Bio-tone beneficial microbe which encourages healthy growth.

This fertilizer doesn’t require any special preparation and can be used right out of the bag and its fast-acting formula works great when applied before the rain and then reapplied again in a month.

It’s a must-have for a healthy strawberry yield.

2. Winchester Gardens Organic Fertilizer

Highlighted Features

  • Indoor & outdoor plants
  • Year-round growth
  • 3 lb. package
  • Spoon included
  • Good for strawberries

If you’re looking for a great product to treat and grow your strawberries, the Winchester Gardens organic fertilizer is just what you need.

This product encourages the growth of microorganisms and can help you grow tasty and healthy strawberries for all those amazing homemade marmalades and fruit salads.

Additionally, this berry fertilizer works great with both indoor and outdoor plants and it can help with the nurturing during the entire year.

This product comes in a 3 lbs. package and it also includes a spoon for easy application. The NPK ratio of the fertilizer is 2-3-4 which provides amazing results in terms of the yield.

According to experienced gardeners, this is one of their favorite berry fertilizers to use. It doesn’t smell, it’s lightweight and provides great results.

3. Down to Earth Acid Mix Fertilizer

Highlighted Features

  • 5 lbs. package
  • All-natural
  • Ideal for berries
  • NPK 4-3-6
  • Promotes growth & resistance

This is a specially blended fertilizer for plants that love acidic environments such as azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, evergreens, hydrangeas, blueberries, potatoes, raspberries and of course strawberries.

For the best results and abundant yield, apply this product in the early months of spring and then once again when they bloom. By adding the fertilizer in the autumn months, you can make sure your strawberries have the ideal root growth and will be resistant to the cold winter months.

The NPK ratio is 4-3-6 and it works great with plants that need a low pH environment. This product contains cottonseed meal, fishbone meal, langbeinite, rock phosphate, kelp meal and humates.

Finally, the ideal dosage is 2 to 4 tbsp. for one gallon of soil for your young and new plants and more established plants, you can add 1 or 2 tbsp. for 1 gallon of soil.

This product is OMRI tested, so you can rest assured it can be used for organic production,

4. Organic Gardening Fertilizer by EcoScraps

Highlighted Features

  • Ideal for berries
  • Uniform feeding
  • Easy application
  • Organic approved
  • Great ingredients

This an amazing fertilizer made especially for raspberries, blueberries and other berry plants. It comes in a 4-pounds bag and can help you grow amazing and healthy strawberries.

The NPK ratio is 4-5-4 which works great for all berry plants. It’s good to know that this is a granulated fertilizer made of organic leftover ingredients that are recycled from the food industry.

Moreover, this product is easy to apply and can be used on young or already established plants, plus it works great in containers and raised beds.

Also, the package size is great and convenient for storing away when not in use.

5. EarthPods Premium Food by Earthworm Technologies

Highlighted Features

  • Outdoor & indoor plants
  • Boosts growth
  • No measuring needed
  • Easy application
  • Eco-friendly

Earthworm Technologies always make amazing products that can help you grow the strongest, tastiest and best-looking fruits ever.

They can help improve the production of flowers and leaves as well as the root growth of plants such as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, bananas, eggplants, tomatoes, pepper and others.

Moreover, the package contains 100 concentrated pods that are easy to use, don’t smell and can provide up to 4 years of feeding for a big collection of dwarf plants such as strawberries.

The application is really easy and it only requires you to push 1 pod in the potting soil close to the center of the fruit and then add water. The pods are a slow-release formula and break down the nutrients slowly over a longer period.

This is a proprietary formula that provides great results plus it’s eco-friendly and compact to be stored away when not in use.

Thanks to the safe formula, the product can be used around kids, pets and food.

6. Greenway Biotech Strawberry Fertilizer

Highlighted Features

  • 2-pounds bag
  • 100 % water soluble
  • Great for strawberries
  • Professional formula
  • No harmful materials

This Greenway Biotech product with an NPK ratio of 8-12-32 is ideally formulated to help you grow the best strawberries and get a high yield.

This product contains a great amount of chelated micronutrients that ensure your plants are always vibrant, healthy and always with a lot of fruit produce.

It’s good to know that this product doesn’t contain any dangerous chemicals or heavy metals and is environmentally friendly and sustainable.

Moreover, it’s really easy to use and the suggested application is to add ¼ tbsp. in 1 gallon of water to be used in the growing stage. Or, in the blooming phase use 3/8 tbsp. for a gallon ow water to get the best results.

As soon as you apply the product, don’t forget to add plenty of water to activate the healthy ingredients.

7. Eden’s Secret Organic Fertilizer

Highlighted Features

  • 3-pounds
  • 100 % organic
  • All-purpose
  • Great gift
  • Fast-acting formula

Eden’s Secret organic fertilizer is the magic potion you need for your strawberries and other plants to thrive.

Moreover, this product is a primal plant food that is much better than others because the combination of helpful microbes and other ingredients are beneficial for the plants.

Rest assured that this product is 100 % organic and made with safe, non-toxic materials that can be used freely without harming the environment, your pets, kids and you.

The manufacturer is extremely confident in their product and that’s why they offer a full refund policy with no questions asked. Thus, if you don’t see results in a month you can receive the refund with no needed explanations.

Last but not least, this is an all-purpose product that can be used with different fruits and veggies such as beans, tomatoes, corn and of course any type of berries.

If you have a friend that wants to build their strawberry garden, this product is a great idea to boost their yield and help them grow the best fruit ever.

8. Greenway Biotech Strawberry Fertilizer 5-Pounds

Highlighted Features

  • 5-pounds
  • Water-soluble
  • NPK 8-12-32
  • Professional formula
  • Great for strawberries

This is another great product by Greenway Biotech that comes in a bigger 5-pound bag and can satisfy your gardening needs – even if you have a bigger garden.

Furthermore, the NPK ratio is 8-12-32 and the fertilizer also contains boron, iron EDTA, copper EDTA, manganese EDTA, Molybdenum and Zinc EDTA.

Moreover, its professional formula that’s loved and widely used by experienced gardeners and this product is great for hydroponics and soil.

It doesn’t contain any dangerous materials that can harm the environment or you, your pets and your family while using.

The manufacturer prides itself on being a certified business that builds trust with its customers, so you can be certain you’re dealing with someone who embraces community values.

9. JR Peters Jacks All-Purpose Fertilizer

Highlighted Features

  • Promotes bigger growth
  • Suitable for indoor & outdoor
  • Balanced NPK ratio
  • Easy to use
  • Water-soluble

This amazing product by JR Peters is a great fertilizer that promotes more vivid blooms, vibrant lawns and tastier veggies and fruits. You’ll be amazed by the great results you can see very fast.

Also, this product is suitable for a variety of plants both indoor and outdoor. The balanced NPK formula encourages fast growth and lush plants.

Since it’s a water-soluble fertilizer, this product is really easy to use and it’s just required to be mixed with water and then applied properly for the best results – plus, it won’t clog your equipment.

This product is ideal for gardeners who want to have an all-purpose solution for all the different plants in their gardens.

10. Dr. Earth Premium All-Purpose Fertilizer

Highlighted Features

  • 12-pounds
  • Non-GMO
  • Rich with nutrients
  • All-purpose
  • NPK 4-4-4

Dr. Earth’s non-GMO fertilizer is a lifesaver when it comes to gardening activities and growing any types of berries, fruits or vegetables.

It’s made with handcrafted ingredients that are enriched with various minerals, proteins, trace elements and carbohydrates that help you grow the best and tastiest fruit for your family.

After continuous use of this fertilizer, the soil condition will also be improved and you’ll see this in the yield.

It comes in a 12-pound bag, that’s easy to use and can be stored away on your kitchen shelf for later.

This product is manufactured in the USA by a group of people and professionals who care about the well-being of the environment. The original formula is made by Dr. Milo Shammas who’s also the founder and owner of the company.

Final Thoughts

We’re certain you have enough information by now to make an informed decision and purchase the best fertilizer for your strawberry plants.

It might not seem easy in the beginning, however, it’s really important to provide strawberry plants with the right fertilizing to get the best-tasting fruits.

We presented the 10 best fertilizer for strawberries that you can find on Amazon, however, if you have trouble choosing one take a look at our top and budget pick as great options.

Our top pick is the 18-pound fertilizer by Espoma. It works great with any type of berries and your strawberry plants will be thriving in no time.

Moreover, it can be used for azaleas, rhododendrons, evergreens and other types of berries.

This is one of the favorite products of experienced gardeners who love and use the product for years and it’s always helped them grow the healthiest and tastiest plants ever.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for a cheaper variant you purchase the EcoScraps organic fertilizer – especially made berries.

The product’s made with recycled food leftovers and can be used for organic gardening.

Happy gardening!

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