Strawberries from runners - How to keep them protected and fed in the garden over the winter?
McAldo
Posts: 2
Hello everybody,
Last summer I bought nine strawberry plants. I let the runners develop in small pots and I have now 70 or so plants, which I plan to move next April to stacked crates.
As for the moment they are in my garden on a table. They are doing well but for some leaves turning red. Not sure what is that due to but I do trim off the affected leaves.
We have no space to shelter them all in the house, but I am worried about the frost.
I have some greenhouse, heavy, transparent sheeting, and I was thinking of placing the table in the sunniest place in the garden, and enclose them with the material, hoping it keeps them warm enough to survive.
So, I have a few questions, if someone can help:
1) What else can I do to keep them warm enough?
2) Do they need any watering/feeding over the winter at all? I have not been watering them over the last 6 weeks given they are not growing and it rained anyway, but of course the greenhouse sheeting will prevent rain from getting in.
3) I might bring 20 or so in the house, using whatever space I have on windowsills.
Will the ones in the house need watering/feeding over the winter, given the temperature will be higher?
Thanks so much for reading and for any advice!
Aldo
Posts
Hi Aldo - strawbs are hardy so no need to worry. They can take anything the British winter throws at them
If the plants are in small pots, just tuck them in somewhere sheltered for the time being. I often put plants in small pots in among my other shrubs in the border, but mainly against the house walls. That's more than enough protection.
The red foliage is normal too. You can remove any dead stuff now and again, just to keep the plants 'clean'. No need to do anything else. When they start into proper grwoth in spring, you can repot as and when necessary, or get them out into their final positions if the ground and weather is suitable.
Last edited: 25 November 2017 10:06:32
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Hi, thanks so much!
If you do not mind me asking another question, is cutting roots sticking from the bottom of the pots a very bad thing for the plant?
I stupidly used small pots with holes at the bottom to let the runners take roots in, and now some of the new plants are extending their roots out of the holes, digging in the sheet I put on the table.
Holes in the bottom of pots are good ... the ensure good drainage ... plant roots rot and die if they are kept in sodden compost.
Roots growing out of the bottom are simply an indication that your cuttings have rooted (Hurrah!) and are ready to be potted on into slightly bigger pots ... one cutting per pot.
Hope that helps
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
What Dove says
I've sometimes trimmed back roots poking through, and it's fine with something as tough as strawberries. I don't always have time to pot on, or more usually - as I don't have a potting shed or greenhouse - I can't be bothered standing out in the rain to do it!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...