advice on growing strawberries

ceridwen

buxtonrabbitgreen wrote: »

My strawberries are in a patch in the ground, and I just leave them to do their own thing. We get more every year, they seem to just put down the runners.

Thats what I would do if mine were in the ground - but, like all else, in my little patch - they're in containers. In their case - they're in a trough type container...'tis why I'm a bit puzzled at this point..

afsha

Has anyone tried cutting the runner of the plant and then putting them in containers for next year or to sell at car boot sales?

cootambear

Melonade wrote: »

If you want to keep the runners I think you should push the end into a small pot of compost and secure it with something, then when it's grown some roots you can cut it away from the plant. I don't know how long it takes till you can cut it though or even if I'm right

I'd like to keep some runners but I'm just a bit worried it might slow down the strawberries growing and maybe I should keep runners from later int he year.

You can help the runner by pinning it into the ground (hairgrip, bent cocktail stick, opened paper clip etc. Cut it free in the Autumn.

For a stronger plant for next year, remove flowers and runners.
For bigger fruit, remove runners.
For stronger plant and more runners, remove flowers

Its all a trade off really

Melonade

Thanks cootambear

I've removed runners off 2 plants and pinned runners into the ground on 2 different plants... see how I get on with that :T The last 2 plants have got flowers so I decided to leave them alone, I reeeeeeeally want some strawberries now.

Hopefully I'll get some more runners from the later in the year

pinkpong

I have cut the runners once they have some roots on them. I poted them and once they were a bit bigger I planted them in my alottment. They flowered not long ago and they have quite a few green strawberies! I am chuffed to bits. Once these have runners on them I will pin them in the ground as been suggested on here , so I can have some more. They will grow fine.

owlet

Thank you so much for this wonderful thread :T. I have been lurking and planning for several weeks . I have tried strawberries several times over the years with no joy and had given up. Then I discovered this thread and also went to Wisley (RHS garden). The strawberries at Wisley were awesome and they were in the ground, tubs and troughs, all snuggled up in straw. I thought OK, I can do this :eek:. I must admit that I wasn't very MS because I bought the plants at Wisley , but they were quite big, well established and starting to flower. At 6 plants for £7.50 I didn't think the price was too bad at all.

Well, three weeks on my plants are in their trough, snuggled up with straw and are the most pampered plants in the county lol. I am so excited because they are really growing well. I have several strawberries (well netted, sorry birds) and lots of flowers :j:j. I will be jumping with joy if I get runners too. Keep the advise coming please, it is very much appreciated x

steady__eddie

I've been "harvesting" my strawbs which I had from Lidl last year. The Honeyoye have been quite prolific but I regret to say that I have not been terribly impressed by the taste. To date I am awaiting the Pegasus and Symphony berries.
Can anyone recommend a strawberry equivalent of Gardeners Delight in the tomato sector ?
Having been a smoker for the last 40 years I realise that 99% of my taste buds have probably been destroyed but O.H. (a non smoker) did remark that they were similar to Moneymaker, "a bit like eating water".

cootambear

steady__eddie wrote: »

I've been "harvesting" my strawbs which I had from Lidl last year. The Honeyoye have been quite prolific but I regret to say that I have not been terribly impressed by the taste. To date I am awaiting the Pegasus and Symphony berries.
Can anyone recommend a strawberry equivalent of Gardeners Delight in the tomato sector ?
Having been a smoker for the last 40 years I realise that 99% of my taste buds have probably been destroyed but O.H. (a non smoker) did remark that they were similar to Moneymaker, "a bit like eating water".

Without question, the ultimate strawberry is the mara de bois. Unlike most modern strains (like the despicable Elsanta that disgraces Tesco`s shelves) they were bred from four different flavoursome strains to produce a berry of many layored flavour.

http://kitchen-notebook.blogspot.com/2006/08/mara-des-bois.html

http://www.kenmuir.co.uk/productsRange.php?catID=24&subID=49

sim1974

My Strawberries always grow and fruit well and aren't bothered by pests, they look beautiful but have no smell and taste foul, really bitter with no strawberry taste at all. The plants are in a sunny site and my soil is sandy/v free draining, I try to water regularly.
Do any of you kind people have ideas how I could improve things,or would I be better off growing turnips!?:rolleyes:

Little_Mama

cootambear wrote: »

Without question, the ultimate strawberry is the mara de bois. Unlike most modern strains (like the despicable Elsanta that disgraces Tesco`s shelves) they were bred from four different flavoursome strains to produce a berry of many layored flavour.

http://kitchen-notebook.blogspot.com/2006/08/mara-des-bois.html

http://www.kenmuir.co.uk/productsRange.php?catID=24&subID=49

I can vouch for Mara de Bois, they are gorgeous. I bought them last Autumn from Ken Muir, they are meant ot be late season Strawbs but I've already had a crop from them and more flowers have appeared. :T

For mid season ones we've enjoyed Hapil, which have given us the most massive (think 5 year old boy fist size!) fruit and have tasted beautiful too.

As for runners, I've always just snipped mine off as they develop small roots even when not in the ground and have always had healthy plants the next year. I'm going ot stick with that method but also try the pot & pinning method as a bit of an experiment to see which works best.

LM