Growing strawberries

[WendyS]

I planted some strawberry plants last summer as an experiment which are now cropping well and making runners which I will sever in due course and transplant. Having never grown them before I'm wondering how many years the plants will last. I was also surprised that they survivied the winter frosts. Is this usual?

[shaneystar2]

Hi wendy ....touche!
We must be psychic because I did the same last last year.
I was ready to ditch them after the winter and to my surprise found loads of new shoots so left them to it and just cleared the debris and they are romping away again. I took lots of runners off last year and now have them in a hanging basket ,a big tub and in pots in my little greenhouse...Which is just one of those with the plastic cover type things.I haven"t put them in the ground because of the dog . I would be interested to know too how long they keep.The ones in the greenhouse are already turning red ....don"t get a huge crop but enough for a nice few bowls with cream Yummy ...and they are really sweet.

[Clanad]

The hardiness to both weather conditions and diseases rather depends on the varietal of plant you are using. There are three, June-bearers, Day-neutral and everbearing. I've found the June-bearing plants are the best. As the name implies, the produce fruit beginning in June and it lasts for about a month, perhaps a little longer. They seem to be stronger plants and the quality of the berries is uperior.
Even with that, you may find that 3 to 4 years is about the life of a bed. Diseases, such as verticillium wilt, can infect seemingly healthy beds.
We've wintered such varieties and our temperatures sometime reach -20 F. We mulch them heavily for winter, renovate the beds in the spring and mulch with grass clippings all summer. Not as hard as I've made it sound...

Best of luck!

[WendyS]

Thanks Clanad. Was really surprised to hear how frost resistant your plant were so I'll look forward to a couple more years from them. Actually mine are planted in a border in the front garden - the only place I had room for them and they're now spreading and forming the most amazing edible ground cover which is eliminating all the weeds. I've also put some lawn cuttings under the ripening strawberries to keep them off the earth. Hello shaneystar - hope you enjoy your crop - at least the blackbirds won't get yours. They seem to be eyeing mine up rather hopefully so I'll have to make sure I get in first to pick the ripe ones.

[shaneystar2]

Hi again folks ..thanks Clanad for your useful info . We don't get down to -20 F thank goodness. !
I have a patch at the side which I can probably use as long as I keep Shane off ....so may try putting some runners in there
I have no idea what variety they are as they were given to me as plug plants by a neighbour ....can but try.
Happy gardening !