[RichardC]

Hi

Just got in from collecting some tools and bean canes from freecycle and have found a carrier bag full of strawberry plants that have been left on my doorstep by a friend.

Trouble is it is now pitch black and throwing it down with rain and I have no pots or compost to hand, having only just got my allotment.

Question is, how long will the plants last without being planted on? They look like new plants from runners, but I have no idea on variety.

Also, should they go into pots and be kept in doors or in shed, or can they be planted out now?

Any help for a complete novice much appreciated.

Thanks

Richard

[Beetroot queen]

Cant help much but wanted to know if strawberry plants can go in now or is it too late so will be watching for replies  :?

[compostqueen]

if you can't get them in as the weather is too foul or the soil to frozen etc then I'd pot them up in soil or compost and keep them in a sheltered spot outdoors or in the cold greenhouse, coldframe or shed window.  They can't survive in the bag without water for too long. They'll make good plants and produce plenty of strawberries so they're worth the effort  

[noshed]

They'll keep for a few days just wrapped up in damp newspaper and kept cool. Plant them out as soon as the monsoon stops.

[RichardC]

Following compostqueen's advice, I have braved the elements and the dark and have planted about half the plants into an old window box, which was the only thing to hand.

Used what compost was in the window box, so it is probably well past its best, but it was all I had. I'm afraid the rest of the plants were looking very sorry for themselves already, so I just selected the most healthy looking ones (the ones with most soil left on the roots) as I just didn't have space for them all.

They are now in the shed window. If they can survive this, atleast I know they are going to be hardy!

Thanks for the advice.

Richard

[azubah]

Most of them will live. Strawberries are really tough plants. I bought some at a great price a few years ago and when they arrived after being in the post for days they looked very poorly. I crept up to the lottie and planted them hoping that no-one would notice what I was doing as I was so ashamed of them. They picked up, grew and spread all over the place. 3 years later when I decided to plant out a new bed they were really hard work to dig out.