help on almost everything!

Hello nice growing people! I am, as the title suggests a growing newbie, having decided to occupy my spare time now that I have a few months freedom from degree studies. I don't actually have an allotment yet although a requets has gone into my local council; will be waiting for a couple of years for that tho'! So i thought I would have a go in the garden! My main concern is about strawberries; I planted a hanging basket with 6 plants and aftera a slow start have had quite a few ripe fruits. However, quite disappointed as not much flavour, watery as daughter describes them. Have fed them one a week with Tomorite (I feed everything with that) and watered freely, every day. Too much water?. Wrong food? Also, should I cut off the (many) runners it is now producing or can I make new plants from them?
Thanks to anyone who has time to answer. 

Hello Sheila G and welcome! I am pretty much a newbie too but joined earlier in the year so have already had lots of help from the forum.

However the one thing I have had success with this year is strawberries! From what I understand you won't get much of a crop if this is their first year, in fact I was advised to take the flowers off so that the energy goes into the plant and helps produce a good crop next year. The flavour can also depend on the variety you buy.

I bought four different varieties. Three of them came from Aldi (6 plants, 2 Christine, 2 Symphony and 2 Honeoye). These fruited a bit but were not brilliant - they were slightly tastier than the shop bought ones - and are still in their pots.

The fourth variety (Marshmello) was recommended by someone on this site and I bought these as bare rooted plants from a nursery in Norfolk. They were planted in a raised bed after Easter and I think must already be one year old plants as they have grown immense, have cropped heavily and the taste is wonderful - sweet and juicy and the fruits are soft. I will definitely be propagating more from the runners which are coming now.

I will leave someone more experienced to tell you what do with the runners - personally I pinched mine off whilst the plants were fruiting, but now that they have finished, I have left them on so that I can get some more plants from them.

Good luck!

Many thanks for replies; I think it may be the variety (can't remember the name, not v. useful I know!) as friends at work have used the hanging basket with good cropping. I have had a small crop, enough for almost 2 people, just was expecting outstanding flavour. Better luck next year!