If you're new to growing strawberries, you might be wondering whether to start with plugs or tips. Here's a simple guide to help you decide.
Strawberry Plugs
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What are they? Plugs are young strawberry plants with developed roots, ready to plant.
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Why choose plugs?
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Easy to use: We ship them directly to you, and you can plant them the next day.
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Perfect for beginners or growers with limited time.
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Downside: More expensive than tips.
Strawberry Tips
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What are they? Tips are small, unrooted strawberry cuttings that need extra care to grow into plants.
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Why choose tips?
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Cheaper: They cost about half as much as plugs (due to lower shipping costs and because you provide trays, soil, and labor).
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Great for experienced growers who want to save money and have the right setup.
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Challenges:
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Need frequent misting (every 3 minutes during daylight) using a propagation timer.
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Fragile: A misting system failure can quickly ruin tips.
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Require daily attention and are not ideal for beginners or those not on-site daily.
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Tips for Growing Tips
If you're an experienced grower and want to try tips, here’s what you need to know:
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Use 50-cell trays with seed starter 101 mix.
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A skilled worker can plant 700–1,000 tips per hour.
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Tips take 23–28 days to grow into plugs.
Ordering Tips
We ship robust strawberry tips in many varieties nationwide. Due to the highly competitive market and challenges in growing these finicky plants, shortages do occur.
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Tips are limited and reserved on a first-paid, first-served basis.
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We ship them in insulated boxes with ice, but there’s no insurance for live plants sent through the mail.
Learn more about ordering tips here: Tip Ordering Sheet (in off season, stick your name in sheet to be put on notification list.
Recommendation: If you're new to strawberry growing or can't monitor your plants daily, start with plugs for an easier experience. Tips are best for advanced growers with the time and equipment to care for them properly.
Cornell Cooperative Extension has an excellent strawberry tip propagation guide, which I suggest you download and read before deciding whether or not to buy tips. The guide also includes information on common pests and diseases, and a list of which varieties you can propagate commercially.
