[fatbelly]

Hi I intend to have a strawberry bed for next year and would like some information.

I know this is subjective but what variety do people think is the best.
What time of year should I sow / plant?
Is it best to plant bare root plants, runners or seed? I have seen all three in the plant catalogues.
When I plant  / sow will I get a crop the same year and for how many season are the plants productive?

Basically any information on the soil preparation, feeding and propagation of Strawberries will be gratefully received.

 

[Goosegirl]

Best variety depends on your personal tastes. Therre are earlies, main and late seasonal varieties as well as those that fruit sort-of-continually (perpetuals). I'd plant them in autumn and get them from a reliable nursery or catalogue, probably as bare-rooted, depending where you get them from. If they are only one year old plants and sent next spring, pick any flowers off in summer - hard I know and just like asparagus - but this gives the plants chance to bulk up for next year. The plants usually last about 4 years before they need replacing. If you have the room, divide your strawberry area into three. The first is for young plants - bought-in or your own propagated ones; the second is for the productive plants; the third is for those plants that are getting past it. You rotate the areas as the years go on.
Prepare your soil with manure or compost to give good drainage but with plenty of moisture retention. Feed after they have fruited so as to build up a good plant for the following year. Propagate by letting just one runner per plant grow with one future plant on it. Peg it down into a pot alongside the parent plant and pinch off any more growth from that runner. The more runners per plant, the more it can weaken it. Put these potted up runners into your "youngster" plant plot - your parent plant will already be planted in the "adult" plot. You still have a space left but that will be for your next year's youngsters. When your parents get over 4-5 years old (you will know if they aren't doing so well) discard these, refresh the ground and plant more youngster plants, so you are using your 3 plots in a rotation. I hope this makes sense.

[Antonius]

Yes,I totally agree with Goosegirl when she says feed AFTER  the Strawberries have fruited. If you feed too heavily before they fruit you will be overrun with loads of leaf and not much fruit.

[Jamie Butterworth]

Theres 12 free strawberrie plants in the july issue of GW which you might want to have a look at 

[sclarke624]

Irresistable are nice, very nice.
http://www.thompson-morgan.com/fruit1/product/cww3316/1.html

I've only ever planted bare rooted or my own runners.

I do mine in troughs.  With a label as to which year planted, as Goosegirl says after 3 to 4 years they are supposed to be less productive.  Although my four year olds seem to be proving this wrong at the mo' LOL.

They don't need much coddling, I have never protected mine from cold winters, they are very hardy.  I agree with feed after the strawbs have fruited.

I have tried alpine strawbs, didn't think much of them, although many say they are great.  They are tiny as well.

I have also tried everbearing, but these weren't much cop either, not very sweet, possibly the variety.

Elsanta strawbs are nice as well.  Elsanta being the variety.

In the first year you are supposed to take off flowers and not let the strawb fruit so it can establish its roots.  I didn't have the will power for this.

They don't need very deep soil.  I personally wouldn't bother with one of those strawberry planters.  Also mine didn't do to well in a hanging basket, yours may be different.

You do get fruit the first year i.e. if planted now or autumn you will get fruit in June or July.

This site is very useful.
http://www.gardenaction.co.uk/fruit_veg_diary/fruit_veg_mini_project_february_2_strawberry.asp

[Trikidiki]

I bought most of my plants from Aldi. The first lot were un-named and bare rooted Planted in an open bed alng with Loran plants I bought last year. The second lot about a month later were potted and have produced excellent plants in growbags, these are in a converted greenhouse which I described recently in another post. I have had a good crop off them so far in their first year, may pay for it next year with a potentially smaller crop but 'a bird n the hand.....'  Varieities: Honeoye, Christine, Elsanta and unknown.

Also bought bare root plants from T&M. They were sent out even later and are 'fozen'. They were still extremely cold when they arrived in the post. They looked pretty poor but soon picked up and are now large healthy plants (Geoff Hamlton was right when he did an article on 'frozen' plants many years ago). Varieties: Honeoye, Alice and Florence.

And thirdly I have planted two varieties from seed. the first lot are respectable plants to fruit next year (Temptation). The second lot are just ready to prick out (Sarian).

I also have a few odd plants such as Cambridge Favourite and Red Gauntlet to use as parent plants for runners.

Next year I may try the troughs over the raised bed idea that has been previously described.

Favourite I think is Honeoye, tasty sweet and earier than most

[starry]

I planted 12 Cambridge plants (bare rooted) last year October I believe and they are doing me proud survived the snow and everything so far I have picked 2 bowlfuls and about to go tomorrow and pick my 3rd and they taste really sweet