All gardeners growing strawberries urged to add this plant for bigger yields

You could enjoy even more strawberries this summer if you add this plant to your .

If you're planning on growing strawberries this year, you should be thinking about getting your plants in the soil this month if you haven't already. According to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), strawberries should be planted in March or April to guarantee harvestable fruit in the summer months.

are relatively easy to grow and can even be planted in hanging baskets or window planters, so they are excellent options for eager with limited space.

But according to one gardening expert, there is something you can do to make sure you get even more fruit from your strawberry plants this year.

All you need to do is plant one other thing in the soil next to them. The best part is you can also harvest and eat the fruit from the second plant - giving you even more delicious fruit for your summer picnics.

Chloe, a gardener who specialises in growing food in small spaces, shared a video on TikTok in which she said growing pineberries alongside your strawberries can help yield more fruit.

Pineberries look like white strawberries with red seeds, but they don't taste like strawberries and in fact have a flavour closer to pineapple. However, they grow in similar conditions to strawberries - making them the perfect companion plant.

Chloe explained: "Here's where they get really clever. If you plant them near strawberries, that's when the cross-pollination magic kicks in, helping the pineberries and the strawberries fruit more abundantly. A very mutual friendship indeed.

"They handle very similar conditions to regular strawberries, and unlike strawberries, birds are often perplexed by their ghostly appearance, making them less likely to eat them because they don't think they're ready."

According to the RHS, pineberries should be grown like strawberries. They should be planted in the spring and are usually ready to harvest by June.

The RHS states: "A highly unusual, June-bearing variety producing distinctive true white fruits with pink seeds and a wonderful, sweet taste like pineapple. No need to net as birds often leave them alone as they appear unripe. Harvest throughout June."

How to grow strawberries

Before planting your strawberries or pineberries, thoroughly weed the ground you intend to plant them in. Many gardeners even place a weed-suppressing membrane in the soil before adding their plants to help prevent further weed growth.

Strawberries are traditionally grown in rows in a dedicated bed or strawberry patch, but another good option is to grow them in containers like hanging baskets and window boxes. This avoids the problem of soil diseases, and can ensure the plants are less likely to be damaged by slugs or snails.

The plants need regular attention to ensure the best possible crop, so make sure you're keeping them free of weeds, watering them in dry spells, and feeding annually. If your strawberries are planted in baskets or other containers you will need to regularly water them whatever the weather as the small amount of compost can dry out very quickly.

Strawberries are usually ready to harvest between early summer and early autumn. You'll need to keep the fruit protected from birds and squirrels, and you should pick them when they're bright red all over. The RHS recommends eating them "as soon as possible" as they don't keep for very long once ripe.