Strawberry growing in container/new plants

Hello everyone, I am a newbie here :thumb:

I have been given a plastic strawberry planter which has 24 'cups'.... netting, and centre watering tube etc. I bought the actual plants yesterday and was wondering if I can plant them outside yet? I live in Warwickshire and the planter would be in a sunny ( well in the Spring and Summer ! ) spot on my patio. I know strawberries 'overwinter' but as these are new plants to start me off I wondered if they would be ok going out now while there are still hard frosts?

Thank you

 

i would ask what conditions they were in when you bought them - e.g cold outside or inside. if they have already been outside they should be ok - but if they had been kept in a sheltered position then i would slowly start hardening them off or they could have a big shock

mm you can sit in a chair on the patio eating the fruits straight off the plant - yummy

loopy

 

Hello loopy loo .... thanks for your reply ( my first, I only registered this morning )

I bought them from Homebase and they had only just come in so it's a bit hard for me to say. They look good strong healthy plants .I left them in my unheated greenhouse overnight, so maybe I should bring them out in the day and back in at night for a few days?


Mmm, with a glass of chilled champagne........ now that's just being silly

 

mmm.... now thats just being positive! lol

i would keep them in the greenhouse at night for a while, bringing them out in the day then gradually start leaving the door open on not too cold nights then leave door open then they could go outside

ooh its exciting isnt it?

loopy

 

It is ! Cant wait ...... and having them on the patio there is less chance of birds etc grabbing my fruit before me as I have a cat who sits out there. Dont get me wrong, I love the birds, but they get fed from feeders elsewhere!

Ok thank you well I will do that :thumb:

I dont suppose you know anything about Dwarf Apricot trees in pots on the patio do you?

 

nope i dont! but there will be someone who does. lots of knowledgeable people on this forum

loopy

 

Hi Blue. I grow Strawbs in a stacking system. Try to turn the whole system once a day to make sure they all see the sun.:wink: If you don't, the ones at the back won't produce much.

 

OK thanks, will do

 

Ok folks, well I have kept the new strawberry plants in the cold greenhouse as discussed earlier in the thread, before planting out in my strawberry planter soon. I have noticed a lot of flower buds forming. A few of the flowers are developing into berries. Isnt this rather early?

 

Can anyone help me here? Should I remove these ?

 

no - it sounds like they are small fruit forming after the flower

loopy

 

Thank you loopy loo, yes they are fruit. I just thought they were very early forming and wouldnt frosts kill them off ?

 

they might do but strawbs are hardy and they might just make it so i would leave them to it for now. if the frost does kill them off then is the time to remove them

loopy