Growing strawberries

Strawberries are among the most evocative of summer fruits and, are great to complete a kitchen garden.
These herbaceous perennials spread by making daughter plants at the end of long runners sent out from the main plant. You can either pot up the new plants or discard them if the existing plants are providing enough fruit.

Strawberries grow to form ground-covering mounds and can be used to make informal edging rows or ground cover in a mixed border.
In conventional gardens strawberries take up a great deal of ground space, but the inventive small-space grower can grow them in pots. Strawberries can also be grown in specially made barrels or terracotta planters.

The latest method, known as the table-top method, is on raised strawberry platforms in grow-bags or wide window box-style containers.

Instead of growing strawberries in rows, plant them on either side of path through the kitchen garden. Position them at least 30 cm away from the edge of the bed.
In summer when they flower and fruits begin to form, put in place a layer of straw around the plants to keep the fruits off the soil and free from dirt in wet conditions.

Water newly bought strawberry plants or soak bare-rooted plants in water before planting, but get them into their growing site as soon as possible. Set the plants about 30 cm apart and plant them into a 15 cm planting hole. Make sure there is space in the hole for the roots to fit. Weed around the plants regularly.

 Alpine strawberries

Strawberries, especially alpine strawberries, can also be grown in special tower containers on patios, and more for ornament than serious fruit, in hanging baskets. Many delicious varieties are available, including "Cambridge Favourite", "Elsanta", "Cambridge Late Pine" and "Fragaria Pink Panda" (a more ornamental form with pink flowers).

Fragaria Pink Panda 

Alpine strawberries fruit over a long period from late summer through to late autumn. The sweet, fragrant fruits are smaller than other varieties, and they are ideal for growing as informal edges for borders or as productive groundcover.