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How to grow your own strawberries
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How to grow your own strawberries
Strawberries are a highly rewarding and easy fruit to grow at home. best of all they can be grown in beds, containers or even hanging baskets so you can grow them even if you have very little space. here's our handy guide to all things strawberries.
Strawberry Varieties
There are many varieties of strawberries but they all fall into 3 categories; Alpines which produces lots of very small fruits. Summer-fruiting varieties hat produce a heavy crop over a short period, most of which fruit in June but there are early and later fruiting varieties too. Perpetual strawberries (everbearers) which produce smaller crops of fruit from early Summer through to Autumn.
Sowing Seeds
Seeds can be sown in February/March in a greenhouse/indoors
Planting Out
Bought plants can be planted in September/October or late March, April and even late June for later fruiting varieties. Plant them 30-40cm apart making sure the crown is not exposed which will cause it to dry out, or too deep which could cause rot. Plant in a sunny spot, however if only shady areas are available consider Alpine varieties
Cutting Runners
As well as producing fruit strawberries will also produce runner. These can be used to cultivate new plants, however if not wanted they should be cut to allow the plant to put more energy into producing flowers and fruit
Watering
Good, regular watering and feeding during the flowering and fruiting season is important for good crops, especially if grown in containers
Pesky birds
If in an area with lots of birds then protect your fruiting plants with netting
Preventing Rot
Once fruits begin to ripen keep them out of contact with the soil to stop them from rotting. A dry material can be used to create a barrier (traditionally straw, hence the name!), however plants in containers may not need this as the fruits will hang down over the sides of the containers
Harvesting
Pick strawberries as and when they ripen, once the whole fruit is red by pinching the stem just above the fruit
Cultivating Runners
Runners are best taken at the end of the fruiting season and simply planted into pots of compost or if left attached to the main plant pegged down into the soil and cut once roots have established
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