Growing strawberries in a pot

I have got a pot with a strawberry plant growing in it (actually 2 plants). I have never grown strawberries before, so I don't know how they develop. Anyway, they are growing long 'stems' (?) with new leaves starting to grow on them about half way down.

My mum (I sound like a child now!) insisits that these long bits need to go into the ground so that more strawberries can grow. I don't have any strawberries yet. I have told her that I have read in many places you can grow strawberries in pots or hanging baskets.

Who is right? Are we both right? I have an empty herb pot with lots of holes in it, could this be a compromise and could I feed the stalks through the holes?

 

Those are called 'runners' Butterfield. They do form a new plant if secured into the soil. If you dont want to make more new plants these can be snipped off. My strawberries (in a large planter) have sent out many of these. Most of them I have cut off so that all the plant's energies go into the fruit. I suppose there is no reason why if your herb pot can be placed nearby, and if you wish to, you couldn't peg runners into it. :thumb:

 

Hi Butterfield,
Sorry if this is too obvious... but just in case you don't know, the strawberry grows from the flower. Once the flower dies, you'll see a tiny green strawberry starting to grow on the same little stem. It'll gradually grow & change colour as it ripens.... hope that helps & apologies if you know it already!

 

I've been told that unless you want to produce new plants it's best to cut off the runners to avoid wasting the plants energy, so that's what I do.

I grow them in planters and hanging baskets, the ones in the baskets seem to grow the best for some reason. Maybe it's because they get sun for most of the day.

 

Hello,

I would peg a few of the runners down and cut off the rest. They are actually quite an easy plant, the one thing they woul benefit from is a good feed using liquid tomato food if they haven't already been fed recently.

 

Hi there Butterfield

I have grown my strawberries in one of these clay 'strawberry pot towers' for years ... they are sitll the same plants but what I find is that the strawberries are getting smaller ... still sweet and delicious though. I took a few runners and planted them in a large planter in a different area of the garden (more shade) and the plants grew large and the strawberries bigger ... sadly, something has eaten that lot in the last couple of weeks.

Go for it in the pots, water well and enjoy the fruits of your labour.

 

Thanks everyone. I didn't know anything!