During the AeroGrow International follow-up call, I was informed by the customer service representative to stop using the Strawberry setting on the AeroGarden and use the Herbs/Basil setting instead.  This is very important to your AeroGarden Strawberries as the original Strawberry setting was optimized for a different variety of strawberries.  Please use the Herbs/Basil setting to grow your AeroGarden Strawberries.

What is the difference between the Strawberry and Herbs/Basil settings?

AeroGarden Strawberry Setting:
15 Hours Lights On (day)
9 Hours Lights Off (night)

AeroGarden Herbs/Basil Setting:
17 Hours Lights On (day)
7 Hours Lights Off (night)

Get excited everyone.  Two more hours of sunlight for your AeroGarden Strawberries. (That’s 13.3% more sunlight for your AeroBerries!)

Carefully cut open the tops of the Star*Pac bags with scissors. Be careful not to cut any of the leaves of the strawberry plant.  The plant leaves tend to get wedged next to the seal at the top of the bag so you may have to be extra cautious when opening.

Now remove the Plant Pod from the Star*Pac bag.  Take care to ensure that the Plant Pod’s grow sponge, grow basket and plant remain intact.  It is wise to hold the Plant Pods by the grow basket.

Gently place the Plant Pod into one of the growing surface openings.  Keep an eye on the strawberry roots and guide them into the hole if you need to. 

When you have guided the Plant Pods into the holes of the growing surface, press down on the edges with two fingers.  Once the Plant Pods are pushed in, there will be a slight gap between the edge and the growing surface.  This is normal.

Now repeat the above steps six times to finish planting the AeroGarden Strawberries.  Once you have inserted all the Plant Pods into the holes of the growing surface, open the main viewing door and examine the strawberry plant roots.   Ensure that root systems are not resting on the interior cross beams of the bowl.  If they are, simply move them out of the way with your fingers.  That’s it!  You are done and your new Sweet Rubies variety strawberry plants are growing inside your home’s AeroGarden.

Lastly, down today’s date so you know when you planted them.  AeroGrow provides a place to do so on the Strawberry Patch Planting, Tending & Harvesting Guide.  I also used one of those nifty label makers and stuck it on the side of the AeroGarden:

It’s on like Donkey Kong.  The new strawberry plants have been transplanted from the AgriStar bags to their new home in the AeroGarden.  We will be enjoying fresh strawberries from home before you know it!  Check back to see the progress of the AeroGarden Strawberries.

Just flip the lid open and fill the bowl with room-temperature tap, bottled, or purified water. 

Plug it in, then take two of the nutrient tablets out of the bag and place them in water.

Now press and hold the reset button for six seconds, then set it to Strawberry.

Presto alakazam.  Are you ready to plant the Strawberry Patch?