The modern strawberries that we use today belong to the genus Fragaria. The fruits that we now consume come from the Americans, a hybrid variety of the strawberries seen in North and South America. It belongs to the class of Magnoliopsida under the division of Magnoliophyta. Rosaceae is the scientific family name of strawberries. The sub family to which this fruit belongs to is known as Rosoideae. There are more than twenty species of named varieties of strawberries found on earth till today. A large variety of hybrids of this fruit is also now available in the market.

The most common varieties of this fruit are grown commercially and belong to the cultivators of Garden Strawberry. The taste of a strawberry fruit basically depends on the cultivator. Strawberry is considered as an accessory fruit. Unlike other fruits the fleshy parts of this fruit is not derived from the ovaries but from the peg at the bottom of the hypanthia that are attached to the ovaries of the plant. For this reason the fleshy part of the strawberry cannot be called as the fruit of the plant. It is the seeds that we find on the outer part of the strawberry constitute the real fruit of the plant.

The typical strawberries that we now see in the market actually come from the Americans who have dared to experiment them with two different varieties of strawberries found in North and South America. This new hybrid variety of strawberries was nothing but an outcome of the attempt made by the European horticulturalists to rectify a mistake of taking only female strawberry plants from South America to their labs. They had no other option but to cross them with the North American varieties to get fruits and seeds from the plants that they had brought from South America.

The genus name of strawberry; Fragaria comes from the term "fragans" indicating the perfumed nature of the flesh of strawberry. This fruit is known for its ability to cure diseases such as digestive disorders and gout. It can also be use as an effective tool to keep the radiance of the skin by making the skin free of blemishes, rashes and for protecting from sunburns. Madam Taliien, a known figure during the French revolution used to take strawberry baths to keep her skin fresh, radiant and free from blemishes. Until the mid of nineteenth century strawberries were considered as poisonous in Argentina.

There exist two versions about the origin of the name strawberry. According to the popular etymology, it is the practice of the cultivators who used to make mulch using straw to protect fruits from rotting hence the name ‘straw’ berry to this fruit. The other version regarding the origin of the name strawberry believes that the name strawberry come from the strewn nature of the plant that spreads around the ground. The preachers of this version believe it to be originated from the Anglo-Saxon verb for ‘strew" meaning to spread around. However there exists no evidence to show whether Anglo-Saxons ever grew strawberries in their land.

It is pretty easy to grow strawberries in gardens and in containers at home. Before you start to grow strawberries you have to acquire minimum knowledge about the three distinct types of strawberry plants available in nurseries. These plants include summer bearing, perpetual bearing or ever bearing and alpine.

Perpetual bearing strawberries will bear fruits through out the year although the bulk of the fruits will come only in the season that extent from April to October. You can expect fruits from summer bearing strawberries for more than three weeks a year.

Select a site where you can assure maximum sun to grow strawberries. It should also be a place where the soil is well drained. If you are planning to grow strawberries in your garden where you grow other plants do not choose an area where you have grown potatoes to avoid virus infection to the spuds. Long days and warm temperature is the best and the most suitable climate that favor maximum growth of the leaves and runners of a strawberry plant. Short days and cool temperature is good for flower formation in short day varieties of strawberries. You can expect tastier fruits from growing strawberries in areas where the days are warm and sunny and the nights are cool.

If your plan is to grow strawberries in the ground then you should prepare raised bed to plant them. The highest ground is the ideal location to place strawberries and it should always be protected from the frost by placing them at an ideal location. It is better to choose a location where plants that belong to the Solanaceae family were not grown for at least three years.

Prepare the ground by mixing it with compost or well composted manure. Vegetable food fertilizers can also be used to prepare land for growing strawberries. Once the preparation of the land is over, you can cover the land by using a weed block material. Mark the places where the strawberries are to be planted by cutting an X shape in the material with which you have covered the soil. You will be able to protect the berries from the attack of snails, earwigs, slugs and saw bugs by covering the land with the weed block material. It is advisable to prepare the land in this way at least one month before you actually plant the strawberries.

The beds prepared for growing strawberries should have at least be five to six inches height and six to twelve inches width. Arrange the plants eight to fourteen inches apart in a single row on the top of the bed that you have prepared to plant the strawberries.

Any method of plantation that allows the root of the plant to go straight down and spreading dove-tail can be adopted for planting strawberries. Make sure that the soil is firmly pressed against the roots when you plant the strawberry plant in the ground or in the container. The crown of the plant should be above the surface covering all the roots.

Strawberry plants with shallow roots require watering through the growing season. Drip irrigation is the best method of irrigation to be used in a strawberry garden.

Different varieties of strawberries differ in taste, color and size and are now available in the market. Most of the strawberries that we consume are the ones produced through cross methods of horticulture. Each of these plant varieties also differ in their degree of fertility, season of ripening, liability to get infected by diseases and in the constitution of the plant.

To produce strawberries on a large scale commercial basis, the plants are normally collected from runners. These baby plants will normally be distributed among the cultivators as bare root plants or as plugs. The two methods of cultivations adopted for commercial production of strawberry include annual plasticulture or a perennial system of matted rows. During off season a small amount of strawberries are produces following the green house system of cultivation.

Still the bulk cultivation of strawberries for commercial uses follows the plasticulture system of cultivation. In this method, strawberries will be planted on a raised mount of soil known as beds. The beds prepared to plant strawberries will be covered by using a black plastic known as weed blockers, to prevent weeds and erosion from the farm. Irrigation tubing system will run under these weed blockers.

The strawberry plants will then be planted through the hole marked on the weed blocker placed on the strawberry bed. Runners that form near to the plants will be removed to encourage the plants to use more energy into fruit development and to get the maximum from the cultivation.

At the end of the season, the weed blocker will be removed and the plants will be plowed into the ground. A plant more than one or two years old will not be able to produce as much fruits as a new plant in the beginning. Replacing of plants every year will allow the cultivator to obtain maximum fruits from the cultivation. Though desirable, considering the high cost involved in preparing the soil for planting the plants, many do not attempt to follow this method of replanting strawberry plants every other year to enjoy more fruits out of the cultivation.

To get the best out of the plantation it is best to renew the plantation every second or third year. Plantations that are kept free from runners need not always replace the plants like the cultivations that allow runners to grow with the main plants. The time for re plantation can be extended by cutting off the leaves of the plants after the fruits have been collected from them. After cutting of the leaves a good top-dressing of rotten dung or leaf mould should be applied on the plant to keep them in the plantation for a longer period.

A mulching of straw manure placed between the plants during spring is desirable to keep the fruit clean and the ground moist. The plants should be watered regularly during the dry weather after the fruit is set on the plant. Once the fruit season is over the runners will be removed from the ground to keep the ground loosened and raked.

Strawberry is an easy to grow fruit plant can be planted by anyone who has some basic interests in plants and gardening. If the conditions are favorable you can expect one quart of strawberries from each strawberry plant grown in your garden. The first step of planting strawberries in your garden begins with selecting a suitable plant from the three varieties of strawberry plants known as June bearing, Ever bearing and Day Neutral.

June bearing strawberry plants can be harvested in the spring for two to three weeks. But you can expect a large crop when you harvest a June bearing strawberry plant. These plants are basically available in two different varieties known as mid-season and late varieties. Ever bearing plants can be harvested two to three times a year during spring, summer and fall. Normally these varieties do not send out many runners.

Unlike ever bearing strawberry plants, day neutral varieties of strawberries are capable of producing a few runners. If you choose to grow this strawberry plant for your garden you will be able to harvest fruits throughout the growing season. But the fruits that you get from your day neutral strawberry plant will be smaller than the fruits produced by June variety of strawberry plants.

You can order any of these varieties from your local nursery or from the catalogue to plant them in early spring. Make sure that the plants that you get from the supplier is certified as disease free to avoid the problems of bringing a virus affected strawberry plant to your garden. Make sure to select the plants that have large crown and healthy roots.

If you want to get the most out of growing strawberry plants, then choose a site that is ideal for planting strawberries in your garden. It should be place where the plants get full sun and has an excellent drainage. A gentle south facing well drained sandy loam is ideal for growing strawberries. If no such site is available in your garden then it is better to grow strawberries in containers or raised beds. Do not attempt to plant strawberries where you have recently planted plants like tomatoes, potatoes, peppers or egg plants.

It is always advisable to collect the instruments and materials that are required for the purpose of strawberry planting before you actually begin the planting of strawberries. These instruments include garden shears, garden spades, rot tillers and shovels. To begin planting, till the selected area thoroughly using a tiller at least to a depth of two to three inches and fill that space with an organic fertilizer such as compost or well rotted manure. The ideal Ph of the soil for a strawberry plantation is 5.8 to 6.2. Now dig a hole for each plant at a minimum of 5-7 inches width and deep enough to accommodate the roots of the strawberry plants in your hand. Place the plant in the hole with the crown just above the ground level. Fill the soil and cover the roots of the plant.

Spacing totally depends of the planting method selected by you. It is best to set the plants 18 inches apart following the "matted row" planting method for best results.

Hydroponics is defined as the science involved in the growth of plants without the need of soil. The nutrients gained by the plants from soil are included in water. The word originated from the Greek words hydro which means water and ponos meaning labor. The first use of hydroponics was reported during the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the old Wonders of the World. It is said that the plant growth happened along the stream of water. The historic evidence speaks that the soldiers stationed in Pacific Islands consumed fruits and vegetables generated by hydroponics.

You might be wondering the reason why hydroponics is utilized for strawberries. There is a valid motive behind this aspect which is to protect the environment from an alarming problem. Methyl bromide was the chemical on which the strawberry growers depended to keep away soil borne pests, insects, weeds and diseases. This kind of fumigation had its own significance as it helps in yielding top quality strawberries. Presently, it has been found that methyl bromide is a major threat to the ozone layer and for this reason the chemical is banned all over. Due to this reason, the strawberry growers have thought of switching to hydroponics to make it environment friendly and also increase the production as a whole.

Hydroponic strawberries are making a good impression and a good alternative to cultivators. Cultivators across the globe are switching their cultivation style to hydroponics as it has been recognized to be one of the most productive and efficient forms of production.

Hydroponic strawberries does add a few advantages for the cultivators, the most important being the remarkable taste which just keeps you yearning for more. Since the cultivation of these plants is at an elevated height, the picking rate has been increased with no fatigue and a much easier way of cultivation.

When considering the yields per plant, it is much higher and the losses are lower when compared to the growth in soil. You can do the cultivation on any land conditions be it poor or rich because the problem of weeds is simply eliminated. Vertically tying the garden could utilize more space and can be extended sky high thus stacking to utilize more space. Hydroponic strawberries are not seasonal therefore you can cultivate them all year round.

Hydroponic cultivation can be even done right at home which could feed a family of four easily. The cultivation could be done either indoor or outdoor with the help of artificial light or sunlight. Certain steps should be taken into consideration before you start up with the cultivation process right at home. Care is to be taken while you buy the cold-stored runners. It should be purchased only from a well known local nursery after being duly certified virus tested. If the steps are being followed appropriately, you can get a higher yield of these succulent fruits right at your home.