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Is there any taste so evocative of warm summer days than eating freshly picked strawberries?
Strawberries grown from seed will usually fruit the following year, so require a little more patience than growing runners and plants. However, growing strawberries from seed can be extremely rewarding and cost effective in comparison to those brought from the supermarket. If you want plants that will fruit this year, we would recommend growing fresh strawberries using our established runners.Read more
How To Grow Strawberries
Sow seeds indoors from January to March, thinly on the surface of pre-watered compost. Transplant to individual pots when plants are approximately 10cm/4in tall. Grow on in cooler, but not cold conditions, eventually hardening off/planting out from May. Strawberries are best grown in full sun, but they will tolerate light shade. Plants should be spaced approximately 10in/25cm apart, in well prepared beds or in patio containers.
Strawberries prefer well drained soil that's been enriched with well-rotted garden compost or manure (such as Orgro). For best results, before planting rake in a handful of general purpose fertiliser per square metre. Before planting out, It is important to ensure the ground is as free of perennial weeds as possible. Trying to remove them after planting often results in root damage to the young strawberry plants.
Water new plants while they are getting established, and water all plants well during dry spells. Always water them from below and not from above to prevent the crown of the plant from rotting. We recommend covering plants with netting (such as Anti-bird netting) to protect ripening fruits from hungry birds.
Common Strawberry Diseases
Verticillium Wilt VT – Foliage wilts in hot weather. Lower leaves turn yellow. Brown streaks run through stem tissue. There is no chemical treatment. Show less
