Strawberries

Last year I started some strawberry plants in containers/baskets and cropped a few fruits as I was away when the first flowers set.

I took loads of runners and planted them on into more containers/ baskets. They seem to have weathered the winter ok, just a few brown leaves that I will remove when the weather improves -8 in the north west.

I am not sure what I should do this year.

Any advise will be appreciated

Ken, I haven't actually ever grown strawberries in baskets but I know people do (do you mean hanging baskets?).   I know that strawberries do seem to need plenty of sunshine (to attract insects to pollinate the flowers), water and food.  If they are in baskets you will have to watch for them drying out.   They will perhaps need as much water as bedding plants in a hanging basket.  I grew them in strawberry pots and I found that the problem was getting the water to the plants lower down the pot and they weren't really that successful... but perhaps that was just me!   I have found that they are more successful in the ground.

 

Pamela

I had quite a few strawberries last year and have doubled up with runners, last count 45 pants.

Last year I found that the strawbery planters did worst of all as the water ran out through the cup/opening down the side

I was about to start a new post but will add it here. While I was getting rid of the deat leaf material I have found small [and I mean snall] critters on the underside of the leaves and also on some of the stems  I belive they are mite, they are a brownish colour and do not seem to move

Any idea

Hi Ken

 

Planters are tricky to water - try putting a pipe with holes in at the top.

 

Strawberry mite - not familiar with this yet (touch wood) but according to reference books they are light brown and present in leaves and shoots - the latter are often distorted.

 

Standard advice is to spray with a suitable insecticide outside flowering & fruiting period - they can develop resistance so ring the changes with the insectides

I have to pay some attention to last year’s strawberries in hanging baskets! A massive crop.>>

What I would like to know is; should I replant in new compost or just leave them as they are, maybe add a dressing of sieved horse manure or something similar>>

New leaves look to be appearing so I may have left any replanting too late.>>

I am on top of the mites too>>

.

Hi Ken

 

Glad you got some tasty strawberries. Much depends on the quality of the compost you started with, if new leaves are appearing then I'd be inclined to leave them and as you say topdress with a suitable fertiliser (something for a fruiting crop) with a bit of slow release in it.