Cheap strawberry plants

Pie123

I want to buy some cheap strawberry plants or seeds. It would be nice if it came in a nice gift set with planter but does not have too.
Cheers

Pie123

Has anyone tried the UNWINS STRAWBERRY GROWING KIT. Sell them at argos but i do not know what they have inside

elliep_2

I've got a packet of unwins strawberry seeds. I've not have a very high germination rate but I'm not sure that I kept them warm enough and I have heard that strawberries are hard to grow from seed.

If it helps, the strawberry plants that I had last year sent off hundreds of runners and if I'd planted those I'd have a lot of healthy strawberry plants now. As it is I have last years 3 plants and the (very small so far) seedlings.

MrsChips

Gardeners World Website have an Offer on for 10 FREE Strawberry Plants - Just pay postage of £3.49 - Its through Mr Fothergills. I've just bought mine - the cheapest I've seen.

But sorry it doesnt come with a pot/planter but you can buy one of those pop up ones quite cheaply on ebay and amazon

Click Here

dogstarheaven

I noticed them in my local garden centre where they're selling miniature annuals that are mainly bedding plants (lobelias, petunias etc) and amongst them there was a vegetable section which included strawberry plants. there isn't many of them only 4 but at 99p for the entire range. Unlike the magazine offer above(i'd suspect they're miniatures too), , you can buy these locally in your area and pick out the ones that are healthiest. Make sure you pot them on regularly
.:T

peter_the_piper

I've often wondered about the value of these very small, cheapish plants. How many of these ""miniature annuals""survive to be good plants compared to waiting a while and buying a much larger one at a slightly dearer cost. Most I have seen at the sheds/garden centres are sorry specimens, sitting in draughty doorways shivering. (if they could)

MrsChips

Unlike the magazine offer above(i'd suspect they're miniatures too),

Here is the description of the Gardeners World Strawberrys - They dont appear to be miniature.......

'Elvira' - a heavy cropper producing large, soft fruits from June to early July
A relatively new early variety which replaces Cambridge Vigour. The fruits are larger and firmer, the yield is heavier, and the variety is a little less susceptible to powdery mildew. Particularly recommended for growing under glass or plastic tunnels because it makes a low open plant. Flavour: Very good.

Farway

peter_the_piper wrote: »

I've often wondered about the value of these very small, cheapish plants. How many of these ""miniature annuals""survive to be good plants compared to waiting a while and buying a much larger one at a slightly dearer cost. Most I have seen at the sheds/garden centres are sorry specimens, sitting in draughty doorways shivering. (if they could)

Could not agree more, I have bought the small cheapish plugs before, and they never realy thrived [not my fault honest, I have been gardening over 50 years], so now I buy the larger, but dearer ones

peter_the_piper

Unfortunately these are aimed at the new and young gardeners who have little experience with growing plants and who do not realise that cold winds do as much damage as a cold snap at night, and that sheds and G.centres do not always heat their storage areas.
You don't have to race to get the first plants in, they always catch up later when the ground is warmer.

dogstarheaven

peter_the_piper wrote: »

I've often wondered about the value of these very small, cheapish plants. How many of these ""miniature annuals""survive to be good plants compared to waiting a while and buying a much larger one at a slightly dearer cost. Most I have seen at the sheds/garden centres are sorry specimens, sitting in draughty doorways shivering. (if they could)

hey peter! i couldn't have agreed more with you and the others; i just wanted to point out that they were available at this time of year and getting them at a low price. I wouldn't buy these myself as i'm not bothered about buying veg miniatures, as i prefer to grow from seed. that's the cheapest way, and more satisfying to boot. :T

Top_Banana_2

I've just purchased two little strawberry plants in one box from Poundland for, er, £1.

They look quite decent to me.