Planting Strawberries

Strawberry plants are available from spring through to autumn but, generally, the earlier they are planted, the better they will establish ready for cropping in the following year. They are sold in various ways:

Freshly Dug Runners
Either loosely packed in plastic bags or properly potted up, they are usually sold in late autumn and early spring, depending on the severity of the weather.

Cold Stored Runners
Dug in winter, with their leaves trimmed off and then stored in the cold to be taken out for sale from spring to late summer. They will not establish well if planted later than this.

Potted Up Cold Stored Runners
These offer the most versatile option as they have been potted up by the nursery and grown on in a greenhouse for planting from mid-summer until autumn. They will cost more than bare rooted runners but are much more dependable.

Experience has shown that all pot grown plants establish best if they are in bio-degradable pots which are then planted entire, allowing you to avoid the root disturbance that strawberries resent. The best nurseries will always pot up routinely in this way.

About one week before planting, scatter Growmore or fish, blood and bone over the bed at 68g per square metre (2oz per square yard) and rake it into the surface. Plant pot grown or bare rooted runners with a trowel and firm them in very thoroughly, ensuring that the roots are all covered and that the crown is on the soil surface, not protruding. Water thoroughly after planting.

There is a good deal of nonsense talked about the need to remove the flowers from strawberries in the first year. This is only necessary or worthwhile if they have been planted as bare rooted cold stored runners. Pot grown plants, put into a well manured and fertilized soil will be perfectly strong enough to crop as soon as they are ready.

Visit the Strawberry Store for a great selection of seeds and plants.