There’s nothing quite like the taste of a ripe strawberry fresh from the garden.
If you want sweeter berries this summer, the work you put in during June can make all the difference.
This is the month when strawberry plants shift from flower production to fruit development.
With a few timely steps, you can improve the taste, size, and health of your strawberries and enjoy a longer, more productive season.
Remove Old Flowers and Runners to Direct Energy into Fruit
By June, your strawberry plants are busy producing flowers and forming fruit. But not all of that growth is useful.
Some runners and late blooms can actually take away energy that should be going into sweetening and sizing up the berries you already have.
If you are growing June-bearing strawberries, you should already have removed the first flowers in spring to encourage root growth. Now, in early to mid-June, any new flowers should be left in place so they can become fruit.
However, runners are a different story. Runners are those long, trailing stems that grow out from the crown and try to start new baby plants.
Unless you are specifically trying to propagate more strawberries, you should remove most runners in June.
Cut them off as close to the base as possible. This forces the plant to stop spreading and instead concentrate on ripening the fruit it already has.
When the plant’s energy is focused on existing berries instead of new offshoots, the flavor improves dramatically.
Removing runners also keeps your patch neater and prevents overcrowding, which can lead to smaller fruit and more disease issues.
If you’re growing everbearing or day-neutral varieties and you want a second or third crop later in the season, continue trimming runners every couple of weeks to keep the plant’s focus on producing fruit, not spreading roots.
Water Deeply and Regularly for Better Taste
Water is essential for sweet, juicy berries, but too much or too little can cause trouble. Dry soil causes stress and leads to small, dry, sour fruit.
Overwatering, especially near harvest time, can water down the flavor and make berries more likely to rot.
June temperatures begin to rise, and that means your strawberry plants will need more frequent watering than they did earlier in spring. The goal is to keep the soil evenly moist, never soggy, and never dry.
Use a soaker hose or water at the base of the plant to avoid soaking the leaves and fruit. Wet leaves and berries can quickly become breeding grounds for mold, especially during humid or rainy weeks.
Early morning is the best time to water. This gives the roots time to soak up moisture before the sun gets too strong and reduces the risk of fungal problems that can develop overnight if foliage stays damp.
Check the soil daily during hot spells. If the top inch feels dry, it is time to water again. Deep watering helps the roots grow stronger and brings consistent sweetness to the developing berries.
If you’re harvesting ripe fruit and expecting dry weather, hold off on watering for a day or two beforehand.
Just before picking, a slight reduction in water can concentrate sugars in the berries and improve flavor.
Feed the Plants With the Right Fertilizer
Fertilizing at the right time and with the right nutrients can give your strawberry plants the fuel they need to produce better fruit.
In June, you are aiming to strengthen the plant while supporting fruit development, not just growing more leaves.
Use a balanced or slightly higher phosphorus fertilizer in early to mid-June, especially for everbearing and day-neutral varieties that continue fruiting throughout the season. Phosphorus helps improve both fruit size and sugar levels.
If you’re growing June-bearing varieties that have already produced most of their flowers, wait until after harvest to apply fertilizer.
Feeding too early can promote soft, watery berries and leafy growth instead of flavor.
Organic options like compost, worm castings, or a well-balanced fish emulsion can also support slow, steady feeding without the risk of chemical burn.
Apply fertilizer around the drip line of the plant and water it in deeply. Avoid placing it directly on the crown, which can damage sensitive new growth.
Be cautious not to overfertilize. Too much nitrogen will produce lush foliage and fewer berries. A healthy balance is key.
Feeding correctly in June helps maintain steady growth, supports better sugar production, and gets your strawberries through the stress of heat and harvest.
Mulch Around Plants to Retain Moisture and Keep Berries Clean
Strawberries grow close to the ground, which makes them vulnerable to a number of problems. Fruit can rot if it sits on damp soil, weeds can steal water and nutrients, and sudden temperature swings can dry the soil faster than expected.
Adding mulch around your strawberry plants in June helps solve all of these problems.
A good mulch layer holds moisture in the soil, prevents dirt from splashing onto berries during rain, and helps regulate temperature on hot days.
Use clean straw, pine needles, shredded leaves, or composted bark. Avoid using heavy wood chips, which can compact and hold too much moisture near the roots.
Spread the mulch in a two to three inch layer around the base of each plant, leaving a small open space around the crown to prevent rotting.
Mulch also keeps weeds down, and that’s more important than it might seem. Weeds compete for water and nutrients, and too much competition in June can reduce the sugar content in your berries.
Cleaner fruit, better soil moisture, and fewer weeds all lead to sweeter, healthier strawberries.
Pinch and Prune to Keep Plants Healthy
June is the perfect time to monitor the condition of each plant and make small cuts that support better growth.
Regular pinching and pruning helps keep the strawberry bed productive and prevents common issues from developing into larger problems.
Look for yellowing or damaged leaves and trim them off near the base. These leaves no longer help the plant and may attract pests or disease.
Removing them lets more air and light reach the healthy parts of the plant.
If any berries are showing signs of rot or mold, remove them right away. Leaving them in place spreads problems quickly.
You should also remove any malformed fruit, especially if it is still green and unlikely to ripen properly.
For everbearing varieties, you may notice small flowers forming late in June.
If your goal is larger fruit and better quality, pinch off a few of the smallest or latest blooms. This will help the plant focus on ripening the berries it already has.
Good air circulation is key. If your bed has become too thick or plants are crowding each other, gently thin them by trimming back the outermost leaves.
This simple maintenance not only improves fruit quality but also reduces the risk of gray mold and other common June diseases.
Control Pests Before They Ruin the Crop
Strawberries are a favorite not just for gardeners but for many pests as well. Slugs, birds, aphids, spider mites, and even squirrels can wreak havoc on your crop in early summer.
Start by inspecting your plants regularly. Look under leaves and around the base for signs of damage, movement, or sticky residue.
For slugs, use shallow containers of beer set into the soil to attract and drown them. You can also use crushed eggshells or diatomaceous earth as a barrier around your plants.
Netting helps keep birds away from ripening berries. Drape lightweight garden netting over your strawberry patch and secure it around the edges to keep birds from sneaking underneath.
Insect pests like aphids and mites can be managed with insecticidal soap or neem oil, applied early in the morning or late in the evening when pollinators are less active.
Encourage beneficial insects like ladybugs, which feed on aphids and help maintain balance.
Preventing pests in June protects the quality of your crop and helps ensure that more of the sweetness ends up on your plate rather than being eaten or damaged before you even get a chance to harvest.
Harvest Gently and at the Right Time
When it comes to strawberry flavor, timing is everything. Berries picked too early will be tart or bland. Those picked too late may be mushy, overly soft, or even moldy.
The best time to harvest is when the berries are fully red, glossy, and firm. They should pull easily from the stem with just a slight tug.
Check your plants every day during peak ripening. Strawberries can go from perfect to overripe in just a day or two during hot weather.
Use scissors or garden snips to harvest, cutting the berry with a small portion of stem still attached. This helps preserve the structure of the fruit and prevents bruising.
Handle berries carefully. Place them in a shallow container and avoid stacking too many layers.
Store them in the refrigerator right away unless you plan to eat them within a few hours.
June harvests are often the biggest and most flavorful. Picking regularly also encourages the plant to keep producing, especially with day-neutral and everbearing varieties.
A careful, well-timed harvest keeps sweetness high, reduces waste, and helps you enjoy every possible bite of what your strawberry patch has to offer.
Final Thoughts
June is the heart of the strawberry season, and the way you care for your plants during this time has a direct impact on flavor, fruit size, and total yield.
Regular watering, smart feeding, and strategic pruning protect the plant and support strong growth.
Controlling pests, mulching properly, and harvesting at the right moment all play important roles in the flavor and success of your crop.
With just a little care each week, your strawberry patch can reward you with baskets of delicious, sun-sweetened fruit that tastes better than anything you can buy at the store.