Strawberries - some tips please

[Sally]

Hi Everyone

I've got a few (approx 10) strawberry plants I've saved from last year, their in pots and outside looking good. They did Ok last year but keeping them from getting overgrown was a nightmare, and I really didn't get that many strawberries for my trouble. This year I'm going to put them in the ground again and I want to use plastic to stop the weeds getting through, I think I've seen people doing this. Could anyone suggest what I could do to get a better crop this year, what soil do strawbs like? Should I add lots of manure? Do they need to be planted in a line or in groups? Also I would like to get some more plants, will I get stawberries from them this year? Can anyone suggest a big, sweet veriety? Any other tips and ideas for strawberry growing would be great, thanks.
Sorry I know there is alot here to read, but thanks!

Sally

[zazen999]

Howdy.
I spent yesterday laying down a strawb bed myself. in the snow of course!.

I levelled the bed, popped 8 strawb plants in [various makes of strawb], and built up a little mound around the plant [so that it is raised up a little from the surrounding soil. The, laid a metre square of weed control fabric over; carefully cutting out crosses where the strawbs were and gently pulling them through. Pegged the fabric down and put spiky non-slug friendly branches down around the strawbs in a grid fashion. My strawbs are about 6 inches away from each other. As they fill out, I'll expand the bed using the runners.

I'd google varieties and go to a specialist strawb grower if you want advice on the varieties tho. I like mine small [alpine is my fave].