When you are buying your strawberries, whether ordering through a catalog or going to a local seller, be sure they have disease free plants. Strawberries are very prone to disease and will not give you any results if you purchase them already diseased.
 Strawberries will thrive in the right soil conditions. They love a slightly acidic soil, with a pH of about 6.0-6.5 on average. Once you have your soil tested, make sure you find out how to get your soil where it needs to be. If you are potting your strawberries, make sure that your buy the right dirt.
 If you have had problems with slugs and snails in past where you plan to plant your strawberries, take action ahead of time and set out bait. If not, keep an eye out for slugs and snails and if you see one pinch it off and get rid of it. If you start to see more than just a couple, it is time to take action.
 Strawberry plants love the sun. Make sure they will have lots of sun where they are planted, if you pot it make sure you give it a good sunny spot. Make sure that other plants in your garden won't over shadow it when they start to grow.
 Now, when you have the right soil and a sunny spot, it is time to plant your cute little plants. Now, this is where they get really picky. They hate to be too deep, and they hate to be too shallow. Make sure when you plant that you bury them with the crown (where the leaves meet the root) at soil level. Easy enough, well also make sure that none of the roots are bent. Bent roots get stressed, you probably can relate.
 Now you aren't the only one who loves strawberries, the birds love them too. Before they start to flower it is a great idea to cover them with a net to protect them from the birds. This will ensure that you get to be the one that eats what you labored so hard for.
 Strawberries love for the ground to always be moist, but don't be tempted to over water them. If you are planting in the spring the rain will do a great job of keeping them moist, you only need to worry about dry spells.
 When the plants start to flower you are doing everything right! Now it is time to take straw, or landscaping fabric, and cover the ground around each plant. This will keep the ground moist for you. It also protects against weeds and such.
 Now this is where you aren't going to be so excited. The first year you plant your strawberries you need to pinch off the blossoms as they appear. This will help the plant develop strong roots and give you lasting results year after year. Although, you will have to wait a year to taste your rewards.

Remember, you are planting a very picky plant and the more you cater to it the more it will cater to you in the end. So smile and enjoy your new strawberry plants!