Strawberry plants look like roots

[wannab]

Hi I am completely clueless when it come to planting and growing (even buy flowers when they are in bloom and plant them in the garden)
Anyway I bought strawberry plants the other day, they were in a box and i planted them today but they were only like roots and on the instructions it said to soak them for 1hr and plant them. I was kinda expecting leaves or something that look like a plant
Well my Question is - is it normal to plant just roots?

Sorry you lot are probably skitting laughing at me but I really haven't a clue!

[Eco-Chic]

Not laughing.
The strawberries are dormant at the moment so it is quite right that you just potted up a bunch of brown roots Leaves will follow through soon.

[terrier]

Hi Wannab, welcome to the forum. I would expect a few small leaves on strawb plants this time of year, but it's worth potting them up anyway. They're very hardy should start to produce growth soon. i've got loads in pots that have been outside all winter and I've only noticed one that has no growth on it. Where are you keeping the plants? They probably need protection from the worst of the weather at the moment as they are newly planted and will not be winter hardy.

[Gardenwitch]

I just planted my roots as well, I got them from a strawberry grower who keeps all their plants in the fields all year. So the roots were used to being in the cold already.

I planted about 25 roots in an upright victorian styled planter to keep them off the ground and away from beasties After only a week my roots have taken hold nicely and have started to sprout some green foilage already If I keep runners from every plant I will be strawberry mad lol Good luck with yours xx

[Growem]

How far apart do you all plant your strawberries when they are in a bed or container? I just put 21 plants in a triangular raised bed that is 1m long on each side and I'm wondering if that's too few or too many for the area.

[Flummery]

I have mine in a bed about 4 ft by 6 ft and I have a dozen in - 3 across and 4 down.

[wannab]

Thanks! I planted mine in an upright strawberry planter also I only put about 8 plants(roots!) in that's how many holes were in the sides. I kept them in the conservatory so I needn't worry about the frost but what about bugs do I need to do anything to keep them away?
Also I was told to give them some tomato feed - is this OK? I want them organic if possible as the kids will b eating them (HOPEFULLY!)
I do have a big enough garden both front and back but I think I learn the basics first by planting in pots before I'd be brave enough to plant out doors.

[Gardenwitch]

Strawberries are growing like gangsters, I only lost one root from the 25 I ordered; so I'm happy with that
Do you fertilize them after they flower?

[FB.]

We planted about 60 of our runners in some barrels last autumn. We planted two at each location, just in case of some losses; at each location, we had one without many leaves and one without many roots, to get the best of both worlds. Every one has survived. It's amazing how bad they can look and still grow well.
Ours have recently been putting out lots of new growth.

[chicken slave]

I compost my strawberry beds in the autumn, and feed them with tomato feed when they are flowering and fruiting always get a good crop. I bought a new variety last year and they were bare roots they fruited in 90 days and have returned this year bigger and better (if the chooks would stop breaking into the bed). The runners from last year I planted in flower bags and they have put on a lot of new growth. Remember to cut them back hard at the end of the season to remove any disease and they will reward you next year.

[Gardenwitch]

Sounds great! Thank you

[wannab]

OK there is nothing happening with the roots I planted so bought 12 strawberry plants in Aldi!
I will leave the roots a while just in case and I will put the plants in some baskets.