Strawberries?? 30 March 2022 at 4:36PM in Greenfingered MoneySaving 14 replies 471 views

sammy_kaye18

Hi all 
I have made a bed in my garden that I’d like to grow strawberries in. 

We eat them a lot as they are a favourite and I’d like to make jam as well if I can from the yield. I’m aware they put out runners so I may be swamped with them but I don’t mind that. 

What is best? 

Plants? 

Seeds? 

Berger to have them hanging? Or on the ground? 

What variety is best? 

Thanks in advance 

Silvertabby

Plants all the way.  Garden centres are full of them now.

Check the varieties - some fruit early, some late and some all summer.  

In the ground is fine, but you'll need sort of mulch to keep the berries clean, and then netting to keep the blackbirds off!

I grow mine in a veg trough, but only to eat, rather than make jam.

twopenny

Don't get the fancy large ones the supermarkets sell 
The usual one you'll find will be Cambridge. It's ok and if you want to get started now I'd get on with those. If you can find some that will fruit at different times that can extend the season.

The best way of growing I've seen was making a teired wedding cake shape of wire netting. Plant top, levels and some in the sides. Easy to water, easy to net and takes up less space. No mulching needed.

You're going to need a lot for jam. Have you made strawberry jam before? You are going to need a lot fruiting at once. Tricks to get it to set.

Can't beat a strawberry picked still warm from the sun.

sheramber

https://www.kenmuir.co.uk/index.php?route=product/category&path=80_117

GreenCat80

 I made a planter out of a couple of heat treated pallets and put a few different varieties of strawberry plants in there so hopefully we’ll have fruit all summer. I’m hoping it’s successful and then I’ll use the runners to fill another planter next spring 🤞🏻

twopenny

Love the planter!
Reminded me, you are supposed to replace the plants every 3 yrs for maximum crop. You can use the runners.
While I was following the books a friend I'd given some to just bunged the whole lot close together.
His plants were bigger and more productive 

elsien

If you’ve got a dog you’ll need a stronger barrier than a bit of netting.

Ask me how I know…..

ka7e

...I have wild strawberries as ground cover in one of my beds, my dogs daintily pick each and every fruit!

twopenny

Once I was watching a huge strawberry waiting to pick. It was under netting.
Then it vanished!
Days later i saw my collie place two paws either side of a strawberry pressing the netting down and pulling a strawberry through the netting
Frames were made after that.
The other dog went jumping for llow hanging plums.

sammy_kaye18

elsien said:

If you’ve got a dog you’ll need a stronger barrier than a bit of netting.

ka7e said:

...I have wild strawberries as ground cover in one of my beds, my dogs daintily pick each and every fruit!

twopenny said:

Once I was watching a huge strawberry waiting to pick. It was under netting.
Then it vanished!
Days later i saw my collie place two paws either side of a strawberry pressing the netting down and pulling a strawberry through the netting
Frames were made after that.
The other dog went jumping for llow hanging plums.

Ask me how I know…..

Fantastic. 

I have 3 dogs. 

Although weirdly the bed I want to grow them in is fairly low. 

But I did have some panels that my father in law originally made to cover his pond which are a wooden frame and chicken wire. 

I found a broken one the other day and I’m thinking if I re-enforce the one broken side with a piece of spare wood then side by side they will cover it nicely as it’s sunken in stone surrounding. 

So fingers crossed it will deter the monsters! 

Floss

Sammy, Lidl & Aldi often sell 6-packs of plants. When I had my allotment I used those to stock my strawberry beds & they were great. Check the labels for different varieties to extend your season.