Nurturing Strawberry Back To Life

[darloboy]

Hi

I picked up a Roman variety strawberry for 10p in a local shop a few weeks ago, that was looking very worse for wear.

I removed a lot of the dying leaves and replanted into a 6 inch pot on my window sill, and watered sparingly but regularly, so as to not drown it.

It has quite a bit of healthy green leaves now, but they are quite small and not increasing in size, so i'm not really sure what I can do to help it along its way.

I've never grown this variety before and never had any experience with it, so any guidance would be great!

Thanks

[roitelet]

I am not familiar with this variety but if it has new leaves then it is alive but it won't grow much this time of year. Wait until spring and then see what happens. If it is like the ordinary strawberries then it needs a period of cold so don't mollycoddle it too much. I'm sure that someone will be along soon with more advice.

BTW welcome to the vine.

[redser]

I've been taking runners throughout the summer and they have all more or less slowed right down now. The most recent ones have only a few small leaves too. I'm sure they'll be fine. It's the roots and crown that count at this stage so I would leave well alone. Just dont let it dry out completely or get waterlogged and leave it outside. Gradually increase watering (starting with just a little and seldom) when it starts to show new growth in the spring. Tough buggers

[redser]

Oh and repot it with some fresh compost when it takes off.

[Dusty Rhodes]

Hi

I picked up a Roman variety strawberry for 10p in a local shop a few weeks ago, that was looking very worse for wear.

I removed a lot of the dying leaves and replanted into a 6 inch pot on my window sill, and watered sparingly but regularly, so as to not drown it.

It has quite a bit of healthy green leaves now, but they are quite small and not increasing in size, so i'm not really sure what I can do to help it along its way.

I've never grown this variety before and never had any experience with it, so any guidance would be great!

Thanks

Sometimes it gets chilly by a window at night, thus thwarting it's growth. Maybe move it to a warmer spot for the evening. Perhaps it needs some fertiliser...

[Alison]

Sometimes it gets chilly by a window at night, thus thwarting it's growth. Maybe move it to a warmer spot for the evening. Perhaps it needs some fertiliser...

As said above, at this time of year you can't expect them to be doing much. If it looks healthy then leave it be, fertiliser in the autumn could promote young growth which wouldn't cope well with colder temperatures. Much better to leave it be, keep an eye on it and then transplant in the spring when it should be thinking about growing

[Dusty Rhodes]

...fertiliser in the autumn could promote young growth which wouldn't cope well with colder temperatures. Much better to leave it be, keep an eye on it and then transplant in the spring when it should be thinking about growing

The strawberry is being nurtured as a house plant. It may require additional nutrients if it is to stay indoors until Spring...

[redser]

Strawberries need a cold spell so should not be raised as a house plant. They can be brought under cover in spring to force an early crop but during the dormant season they should not be fed or pampered.

[zazen999]

...so i'm not really sure what I can do to help it along its way.

Pop it outside and get on with something else for the winter. Strawbs are hardy and will grow back next year. You wouldn't bring an apple tree indoors because it loses it's leaves in the autumn...

[darloboy]

Thanks for your help everyone, much appreciated! It has been outside a week and seems to be coping with the arctic North East temperatures we have been having overnight!

My only other question would be whether to leave it in the pot until Spring or plant it before winter sets in?

Thanks!

[redser]

Either or but they do better in open ground than pots. They do well enough in pots/containers but need watering and feeding and can get accidentally neglected. You can dig manure in the site if you put it in the ground and that wold provide some long term feeding.