ideal compost for strawberry plants

I just got some Elsanta Strawberry plants and would like to plant them in pots, which of these composts would be most suitable? Thanks
Seed and Potting Compost
Multi Purpose with John Innes Compost

 

If you're planning on keeping them in pots for the duration, then you really need a soil-based compost such as John Innes No 2 or No3.

The composts you list above are ideally used for short-term planting for seeds, hanging baskets etc. For longer-term growing, then soil-based is best.

You could get a small bag of JI (2 or 3) which is widely available and mix it with either of the composts you mention (about 50/50) would be a good mix.

If you don't want to do that, then go for the one with added JI

 

Yes, i would be planning to keep the strawberry plants in pots and hanging baskets as it will be easier to keep slugs away.
I just mentioned those composts as a local shop has them on offer 3 for 2, and i was going to get some to have for potting geraniums soon.
I was wondering if i got the compost was added JI, mixed it 50/50 with regular topsoil and added a little chicken manure pellets, would that be ok?

 

Yup - that should be good.
you could add a small amount of manure pellets but that provides mostly Nitrogen which is for leaf growth.
Something that would help with fruit production would be any type of tomato feed, used in the same manner as for tomatoes.

Keeping slugs away is not easy though even in a hanging basket and is that main reason I gave up with them.

 

Using bought compost should reduce the possibility of introducing molluscs, as will altitude. Hanging baskets need to be hung sufficiently far from adjacent plants/wall surfaces so that no bridge between mature plants allows entry. Slugs have not been observed 'at height' but certainly have found snails on house walls at first floor level (4m) and up apple trees at about 15m. Which begs the question." Were they travelling so fast that they could not stop ?"

 

I've also found that Strawbs in pots/planters/troughs are very prone to Vine weevil - lay their eggs and the grubs chew away on the roots. Last year was particularly bad for mine despite surrounding the plants with grit/crushed egg shells. Those in the raised beds weren't affected.