Strawberries

Hi folks. I would like to grow some of these at some stage, but I was wondering, when would be the best time to get hold of some plants ? I saw some at my local GC but they already had fruits on. Convention says that you should remove the flowers in their first year. Any tips ? Cheers...freddy.

 

Sooner you get them planted, the sooner you get strawbs. The general rule is:
First year, don't let them fruit to biuld up plant strength
Second year, best year for fruit
Third year,harvest fruit and discard plant.
Plants will produce 'runners' that you can peg into soil. These root quite readily and are used as new plants.
If you are buying in new plants already in fruit, you don't know if they are first or second year stock so enjoy fruit but plant up runners as first year stock.
It will take tree years to get a good rotation going but well worth the effort for the amount of fruit produced.

 

this may be a stupid question but how do you stop them from gaining strength? Mine are in their first year and I was really pleased but now wondering!

 

I think you've misinterpreted Terrier's post. In the first year you should nip off the flowers as this allows the plants to put all their strength into developing good root systems and better crops in future years . Don't worry too much about it as the gain isn't all that fantastic and you'll still get berries to eat!

BTW - There are no such things as stupid questions. Only stupid answers.:thumb:

 

ah! That makes sense - damn, I just let mine flower but sounds like it will be ok... and I'll know for next time :-)

Thanks!

 

I can never understand why people take the flowers off fruiting plants. There is no need, it is not done when they are growing in the wild so why do it in the garden? Let them flower and fruit the first year, get your monies worth out of them. They will still grow strong for next year.

 

thanks! I have some more which are teeny tiny still so I think I'll just let them do what they want!

 

Thanks for the replies folks, next time I`m down the GC, I`ll pick up a few.

 

We have some Strawberry plants which are 3 years old and have never flowered :(

I'm no good with things you grow for food

 

I must have had my strawberry patch for about 10 years now, I dont do anything to them apart from water them when every once in a while, then add some of the spent compost out of my tubs in the autumn. Every year I think it will be the last of them, then up they pop again. 02

 

Strawberries can self seed, they can propergate themselves from runners, they pop up any where they have not been planted and they can survive the worst weather our winters can throw at them. Any other plant with those qualificatione would be called a WEED. :eek: