Strawberry Advice Please!

Furny · 19 March 2010 at 7:50AM

Hi Folks
I am tempted to buy the strawberry plants in Lidl, the varieties are Ostera or Elsanta (on googeling them they are both good for containers).
I could put them in to containers or a fabric strawberry planter( from morissons). I do not have a greenhouse (just a coldframe & indoors) so looking for some advice really as to if it is too early for them to do well with the weather etc, i live in Yorkshire,. I have tried looking it up with not much success & i don't want to waste my money nor pass up the chance of geting them.
Help!!!!!!!!!!!!Thanks!.

Lotus-eater · 19 March 2010 at 8:09AM

Not too early at all, get them outside!

I would prefer solid containers, but that's only from experience, try what you want.

novagirl · 19 March 2010 at 8:29AM

My strawberry plants lasted all winter outside with no protection at all. I thought they would have died when they had all that snow lay on them!

Furny · 19 March 2010 at 8:46AM

Thanks so far, didn't realise they where quite so hardy which is good for me just my kind of plant/fruit!.
So i just pot them up & put them straight outside & leave them to all the elements? my son is begging us to get them after seeing them yesterday!.

downshifter · 19 March 2010 at 9:42AM

Strawberries are tough as old boots left in the ground, mine grow and spread like weeds, and I'm high up in the Peak District and the winter has been horrendous. However that's in the ground. In containers they are more vulnerable to the vagaries of the weather so you can't just leave them to their own devices as you can in the ground. The main thing is to keep them moist, things dry out so much in containers - they are also more at risk of getting frosted, maybe not such a problem now but they're not so easy as in a bed. Solider containers are better as they hold moisture.

DS

Furny · 19 March 2010 at 10:21AM

Thanks will go for a sturdy planter container now after the advice & i suppose i follow the normal route of drainage slits in the bottom & stones etc?
Thanks

torbrex · 19 March 2010 at 11:09AM

I was looking at the plants this morning 12 for £7, I was unsure about putting them into containers but I may try it with half and put the rest in the garden.

angela110660 · 19 March 2010 at 11:12AM

our strawberry plants are in the kids old plastic sandpit. They come again year after year and we dont have runners going all over the garden.

Furny · 19 March 2010 at 11:17AM

Kids old sand pit! arghhh, didn't even think of that one i'm really kicking myself now, just got rid of my sons old one last week in the skip!

torbrex · 19 March 2010 at 11:39AM

The two major problems I can foresee will be the birds and slugs having a go at my plants whether in the ground or in pots.

evie451 · 19 March 2010 at 12:56PM

Straws are as tough as old harry as my mother would say although i dont know who harry is or why he is so tough!! i keep mine in pots small large or otherwise they always die back and are pretty sorry looking in the winter but they always bounce back......i fed 40+ runners i got off of the lidl and aldi plants from the year before last, last week and yes the first little green leaf has started to peak through already....for some reason the slugs dont seem to bother with mine much and i move the pots about which seems to foil the birds! i was told that Straws really need a good chill, just as well the weather we have had this year!!