[sclarke624]

I have tasted my Elsanta strawberries now and can report I won't be getting them again.  They are very Tart.  Apparently it's the one supermarkets sell the most of as they have a long shelf life and other good selling reasons.............taste doesn't come into it.

Have also tasted Cambridge Favourite and it twas luverly, sweet and gorgeous and totally scrummy.  

Look forward to tasting the Hapil ones when red.

[richyrich7]

I've always steared away from buying Elsanta for that very reason, Like you say it's the supermarkets favourite some times called the bouncing strawberry because it travels so well.

I've grown some from seed this year it will be interesting to see what they taste like, once spent two or so years lovingly training a grape vine to find out it tasted vile  

[sclarke624]

What variety are the seeds?

Only found out about the elsanta being the supermarkets favourite after I bought them.

I have started off some cape gooseberries and a cranberry so will see if they taste good or turn out like your grapes.  Won't expect fruit till next year though I think.

[bigsprouts]

hey richy dont dispare the grapes you grew would be ideal for desert wine making because sweet grapes make dry\sour and sour grapes make sweet wine dont know why but sour=sweet and sweet=sour\dry

[richyrich7]

The seeds were from T&M a variety called Sarian Here they are.

Too late bigsprouts out it came   I don't make wine any more so it was no good to me, I'm after a Black Hamburg, my lot are grape mad.

[David.]

Is there an easy way of identifying which varieties I have, as they have all descended from donations, boot sales, etc.

Although they go off relatively soon after picking, my 11 year old daughter now refuses to eat any supermarket strawberries (no matter what time of year or cost) as they don't have the same flavour (so she has raspberries instead).

[richyrich7]

Not that I know of David, perhaps some one else will know ?

[GrannieAnnie]

I don't eat supermarket strawberries either, no flavour!  I also haven't got any of my own, OH chucked what I did have out a couple of years ago, but we are lucky to have a strawberry field down the other end of the lane and they are usually about 60p a lb, so we get lots to eat, then more to make jam with.  Last year's jam was lovely, so strawberryish!!!!

But no other country can produce a strawberry like the English ones!!!!

[crowndale]

I think the ones I grew last year were elsanta, they certainly weren't very tasty.  I composted them all this year and have put in Mae and malling opal, am hoping for better taste and quantity, they look better than last years already so there is hope!