which strawberry is better?

[egflower]

hi everyone
this is my first post and my first year to plant fruit
i realy want to plant strawbery in pots and wanted to know which one doing well ,,flamenco or ostara strawberries?
i was going to order flamenco strawberry but not sure
also can i leave the container outside during the winter as well ?
thank you

[bazzaboy]

hello egflower

Welcome to Grapevine, I’m sure you’ll find it really useful. Yours is an interesting question but I’m not really the person to answer it as I’m by no means a competent strawberry grower… but several on this List are It’s also worth using the “Search” facility on this List –e.g. search “strawberries” as well as the named varieties – to see what previous posts have advised.

All I can offer you at best is some rather general stuff until more experienced growers add comments… Strawberry varieties are confusing (and the professionals keep inventing new ones) and tend to fruit at slightly different times. Many grow a variety in order to get the longest season. I think the ones you mention are both advertised as “everlasting” which should mean they have more than one crop, most probably heaviest later in the summer.

You can certainly grow strawberries in pots – you mention “pots” and “a container” and there’s probably a difference, particularly in their effectiveness against heavy frost. Strawberries are hardy and “die back” over the winter but I suspect you’d need to protect from really heavy frost which in small pots could too easily freeze the roots. It’s difficult to know what the Winter will bring so you’ll need to keep an eye on them….

It’s worth doing a Google Internet search for “planting strawberries” or even “strawberries in pots” as they’re a bit fussy (well I think so…) about planting, watering, feeding etc.

Hope you enjoy your fruit growing and get a good crop.

bb

[Hazel at the Hill]

Hi egflower - and welcome to the vine! I don't know a lot about strawberries (yet!) but I do know that our esteemed moderator Pigletwillie grows two sorts - one variety for taste, and one as it is one of those everlasting ones which he says crop till the frosts....

With regard to containers, I think that 'normal' rules apply - ie, bigger the better to help stop drying, freezing etc, and remember to feed them well.

[veg4681]

I was like you and still not that clearer on strawberry. This March, I started out with 3 strawberry bare roots that I bought from Wilko. They had at least 3 varieties but I chose Honeyoye (sorry can't spell) because I read somewhere on the internet that it's supposed to be reliable etc. Once the plant gets bigger, it can produce lots of stringy runners which in turn can be cut off and potted up to become more strawberry plants. Please do read up more on this elsewhere if you can.

There are so many variety and if you want to find out about more variety, check out the various seeds/plants suppliers' websites as they are able able to sell not just strawberry seeds but also runners or even plants.

I found a website showing a harvest chart (from early fruiting to late crop) of various strawberry variety which can be useful if you like to plan on having a longer eating period. A friend with first time strawberry growing had a bumper crop of strawberry this year but it only lasted for a week so you get the idea on harvest timing. I'm sure you'll eventually find one or even two variety that meets with your requirements.

[leona]

ostara is nice tasting. cant comment on flamenco. i tend to buy 2 or 3 of any variety i dont have so iv got quite a few. honeoye is an early and very nice tasting, maxim is pretty good and produces huge berrys. elsanta is a reliable one, i think quite alot of commercial growers grow it.