[Classybird]

Hello, I have loads of strawberry plants in pots/containers in my garden, which I want to move to my allotment.  I'm just wondering when is the best time to transplant them.  An idiots guide on how to do this would be useful .  Also what kind of conditions do they need?  Are they best in a raised bed or just in the ground, or is in a fruit cage best?  I've see people put things round them like saw dust or straw - only asking as I have bags of both saw dust and wood shavings and am wondering if these may have some use on the allotment?  Thank you!!

[Trillium]

If they're in pots and containers now, then you can move them to your next spot. Any of your suggestions will work, just depends on what you want. Just be sure that they go in at the exact same depth they're at now, they really won't do well planted any higher or lower.

If they're going to bear fruit this year, then some sort of netting or fruit cage is a good idea. Birds just love to take a bite out of one, then a bite out of another 

Straw or older bark chippings help to both keep the fruit clean as well as mulch to retain soil moisture. Don't use fresh saw dust or shavings as it will strip the nitrogen from the soil (and plants) and really set them back. Older sawdust that's started to decompose is okay, but not fresh. If you're getting drought conditions, then mulch is a great idea, just watch for slug increase as they too like mulch.