Young Strawberry Plants

Jenny_Aster · March 2022

Happy my order of bare rooted strawberry plants have arrived (Cambridge Favourite, Florence and Honeoye).

Instructions say to plant them in pots until the frosts have cleared. Surely strawberry plants overwinter in their beds quite happily. I realise they are tender, but if their crown is covered and protected with compost they'll be OK?

Due to space and convenience, I'd love to plant them in their prepared containers now.... should I take the chance?

Pete.8 · March 2022

You want the crown to be just very slightly proud of the soil surface, so don't cover it with compost.
I can't think of any reason why they shouldn't be planted out now they're tough as old boots

Jenny_Aster · March 2022

Pete.8 said:

You want the crown to be just very slightly proud of the soil surface, so don't cover it with compost.
I can't think of any reason why they shouldn't be planted out now they're tough as old boots

Thank you, brilliant, that's what I wanted to hear. Thanks also for the tip about the crown, I could have caused a problem for myself.

Pete.8 · March 2022

Hope you get a great harvest

just make sure you beat the slugs and snails to them when they're ripe
The crown may well rot over winter if it is below the soil surface

Fairygirl · March 2022

Definitely don't bury the crown

If they're small specimens, it wouldn't harm them to be grown on a little bit, but unless they've been grown undercover, they'd be fine planted out, especially if they're going into pots.
Strawberries are 100% hardy everywhere

Jenny_Aster · March 2022

Thanks @Fairygirl, I don't know if they've been grown under glass, unless I ask Suttons. The plants have quite a bit of dead browned leaves which makes it hard to think they have been molly cuddled in a greenhouse. Will defo keep the crowns in fresh air

BobTheGardener · March 2022

Strawberry runners are kept in a chilled environment by the suppliers until they are despatched. Outside, they won't start growing until the soil warms-up a bit if planted now, hence the option of gaining an early start by potting them up in a greenhouse first. However, as you should remove any flowers which form in this first year, it really doesn't matter - less work to plant them outside now. I think quite a few folk do let them fruit during their first year (including me), but if you want them to grow into larger plants for their main cropping years (2 & 3), I would recommend that you let each plant produce no more than two or 3 fruit this year.

Jenny_Aster · March 2022

Thanks Bob! Frustrating to wait though

Fairygirl · March 2022

I hardly ever remove flowers/fruits on young plants, although they don't have many. They produce so many new runners over time that it's easy to keep having new plants anyway

BobTheGardener · March 2022

Once you have them growing @Fairygirl it all becomes a lot easier, doesn't it!

It's getting that first set growing well that is the trick - letting them crop unrestricted in the first year can lead to poor growth and a disappointing yield in year 2, especially if also planted too closely together. Been there etc.

Fairygirl · March 2022

I've never grown from bare root, certainly @BobTheGardener - always small plants or runners as gifts.
I expect it's a bit easier, but I've always found strawbs easy to grow though.

I always seem to have some in every garden I've had, but don't even like them that much

Young Strawberry Plants

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