Grow Strawberries Year-Round with VERTI-POTS™

July 9, 2025|Michael Lane

Growing strawberries doesn’t have to stop at the end of summer. With the right setup and care, you can enjoy multiple harvests throughout the year, even in cooler months. The key is choosing the right variety, creating a microclimate, and following a seasonal care plan based on your region.

Use this guide to understand when and how to plant, replant and protect your strawberry crop using VERTI-POTS™.

Understanding Your Growing Region

Australia has four main climate zones that affect when and how strawberries grow best:

Tropical: Think Darwin and far north Queensland, where it’s warm and humid all year.
Subtropical: Areas like Brisbane, northern NSW and coastal WA where it’s warm but with a more distinct winter.
Temperate: Includes Sydney, Adelaide, inland QLD/NSW and Perth. These regions have warm summers and cooler winters.
Cool: Found in Melbourne, Canberra, Hobart and the highlands. Expect colder winters and a shorter growing season.

Growing Strawberries Year-Round by Region

Here’s how to plan your strawberry growing cycle for year-round results:

Tropical Regions

In tropical areas, strawberries are best planted in late summer through early autumn (February to April). This gives the plants time to establish before the cooler dry season.

Harvest usually runs from May through August, when the humidity drops and conditions are more stable. Replant every 9–12 months to avoid soil fatigue. VERTI-POTS™ help protect your crop by keeping roots cool and limiting waterlogging from heavy tropical rain.

Subtropical Regions

In subtropical climates, aim to plant between March and May as temperatures start to dip.

Strawberries typically fruit from June to October in these zones. Warm winters allow continued growth, especially when VERTI-POTS™ are positioned in open-air locations for maximum airflow. After fruiting, trim runners and refresh your soil to prepare for another productive cycle.

Temperate Regions

Temperate regions offer two planting windows: autumn (March–May) and early spring (August–September). Of the two, autumn planting tends to produce better results as it allows root systems to settle before summer.

You can expect a strong harvest from October to January. In hot months, use shade cloth to reduce stress on fruiting plants. VERTI-POTS™ also help by elevating plants to optimise drainage during spring rains and sunlight access as days shorten.

Cool Regions

Cool-climate gardeners should aim to plant in late summer to early autumn (February to April), while the soil still holds warmth.

Plants may slow or go dormant during winter, but they rebound strongly in spring, with harvests peaking from November to February. Use VERTI-POTS™ to your advantage by placing towers against a sun-facing wall or wrapping them in frost cloth to extend the growing season.

Growing All Year with VERTI-POTS™: Practical Tips

Choose the right variety: Look for everbearing or day-neutral strawberries, which produce fruit over a longer season compared to June-bearing types.
Position smartly: Move your VERTI-POTS™ to follow the sun in winter and offer partial shade in summer. They're light enough to reposition seasonally.
Feed regularly: Use compost tea, worm tea or seaweed extract every 10–14 days, and keep your soil topped with compost or worm castings to encourage continual growth.
Rotate and replant: Every 2–3 seasons, refresh older plants or swap in new ones. You can also rotate tiers, keeping the topmost levels for fresh seedlings.
Protect during extremes: Use frost cloths in winter and shade cloth in summer to extend your growing window, especially in cooler or high-exposure spots.