Wild strawberry

Fragaria vesca

The wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca) is a compact, aromatic strawberry for beds, pots and hydroponics. It produces many small, intensely fragrant fruits and is perennial and hardy.

Updated:

Light

Very bright, 12–14 h; full sun for a heavy crop.

Watering

Evenly moist, never dry out, but avoid waterlogging — fruit and roots rot otherwise.

Temperature

16–24 °C; higher temperatures reduce fruit set and aroma.

Humidity

50–65 %. Too humid encourages grey mould on the fruit.

Target values by method & stage

Hydro
Stage pH EC (mS/cm) Water °C Air °C Humidity % Light h Duration (days)
Germination 5.8–6.2 0.5–0.8 18–22 18–22 65–75 14 21
Seedling 5.8–6.2 0.8–1.2 18–22 16–22 60–70 14 30
Vegetative 5.5–6.5 1.2–1.8 18–22 16–24 55–65 14 40
Flowering 5.5–6.5 1–1.4 18–22 16–24 50–60 13 25
Harvest 5.5–6.5 1–1.4 18–22 16–24 50–60 12 40
Soil
Stage pH EC (mS/cm) Water °C Air °C Humidity % Light h Duration (days)
Germination 6.1–6.5 0.5–0.8 — 18–22 65–75 14 21
Seedling 6.1–6.5 0.8–1.2 — 16–22 60–70 14 30
Vegetative 5.8–6.8 1.2–1.8 — 16–24 55–65 14 40
Flowering 5.8–6.8 1–1.4 — 16–24 50–60 13 25
Harvest 5.8–6.8 1–1.4 — 16–24 50–60 12 40
Coco
Stage pH EC (mS/cm) Water °C Air °C Humidity % Light h Duration (days)
Germination 5.8–6.2 0.5–0.8 18–22 18–22 65–75 14 21
Seedling 5.8–6.2 0.8–1.2 18–22 16–22 60–70 14 30
Vegetative 5.5–6.5 1.2–1.8 18–22 16–24 55–65 14 40
Flowering 5.5–6.5 1–1.4 18–22 16–24 50–60 13 25
Harvest 5.5–6.5 1–1.4 18–22 16–24 50–60 12 40

Common problems

Grey mould (Botrytis) on fruit, powdery mildew, spider mites; iron deficiency at high pH (pale leaves).

Pests & diseases

Pest / Disease Symptom Organic treatment
Slugs nibbled fruit and leaves hand-pick, slug collars
Grey mould grey fuzz on the fruit airflow, pick ripe fruit promptly

Edible parts

  • Fruit · edible from Fruiting — small but very aromatic
  • Leaves · edible from Vegetative — for tea

Yield techniques

Remove runners to channel energy into fruit; pick ripe berries regularly; in hydro brush over the flowers to aid pollination.

Propagation & pollination

Method
runners
Germination time
21 days
Germination temp
18-22 °C
Sowing depth
0.2 cm
Pollination
self
Hand pollination needed
no

forms plantlets on runners

Flavor

intensely sweet and aromatic

Storage

Eat fresh — keeps only briefly.

History

The woodland strawberry grows in forests across Europe, Asia and the Americas and was gathered long before the large garden strawberry existed.

Nutrition

Rich in vitamin C with tiny, intense flesh.

Sources

Florabase

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