When to plant out strawberries?

[4390evans]

Hello my fine friends hope you are all well on this delightful day.

I was wondering can I plant out strawberry plants at this time of year?

I have some runners off last year that have over wintered in pots, they have been left outside all year so is used to the weather but I dunno if I should disturb them yet?

Thanks guys
Jen

[Martin H]

I would get them into the ground as soon as it's going to be mild for a few days. So down here that would be tomorrow.

[4390evans]

Oh fab, I am trying these ones out in guttering. I have some in the ground as back ups but testing these ones out at a height as the snails got most last year. Well it was either them or the toddler

[Gillykat]

It was slugs and the polytunnel vole that got 90% of mine last year This year I'm not playing fair and am putting them up high in baskets!

[4390evans]

Its soo annoying isnt it gillykat, I thought about baskets but I would only get a few.... well I suppose a few more than last year haha. Ive got 6 lengths of guttering up so should do well. If not Ill just change the compost and use them for lettuce or something.

[bario1]

I'm trying mine in baskets in the polytunnel this year as well... though they are currently still in the ground outside.

[Gillykat]

Funnily enough, since I read your post about trying them in guttering this year it has had me thinking that that may be a better way to do them....easier to suspend from roof of polytunnel and easier to reach the fruits How do you do it? Just use a normal bit of plastic guttering....drill a few holes in the bottom so it doesn't get waterlogged etc?

Mmm my two little grey cells are ticking over now

[Matty1985]

People considering the gutter grown strawbs should read this article Gardening FAIL: Growing Strawberry Plants in Rain Gutters |

It lists some errors made by the original poster you should avoid. I was tempted to try it but don't have he time this year with all the other garden projects going on but will definitely do it next year. I would be very interested in following how you guys get on with this year.. Keep us posted and good luck!!

[Bigmallly]

I personally don't think you can compare that article with growing in the UK.

[Alison]

I personally don't think you can compare that article with growing in the UK.

I'd agree. Strawberries are very hardy and are very unlikely to be killed by the cold in the UK - I've had mine in 3" pots under a foot of snow with no problems.

[lolie]

I personally don't think you can compare that article with growing in the UK.

I tend to agree.

Much as I love the idea of gutter gardening, I know that my climate will kill most things planted in such shallow soil.

Also, the later comments mention that the widely circulated pictures of abundant strawberry crops in gutter gardens are actually of hydroponic systems in Korea.

[4390evans]

update on guttering strawberries....

So I planted a few strawberry plants in the guttering and had a few strawberries off them but unless you have a drip feeder on them they just dry out far to quickly, I also find the leaves get burnt from the wind and the compost gets blown or sprayed away so you have to top it up every week. I think as someone suggested the guttering is just not deep enough neither.

I also put some on the ground too and although I haven't had much bother with snails this year, what snails was there must of got to the berries as we only got 2 off the ground out of about 30 plants!

I managed to get some hanging bucket things that go over your fence which is about 7-8 inches deep and the width of a sport and soccor cup so I've put some plants in those for next year. See how they go...

[veggiechicken]

I managed to get some hanging bucket things that go over your fence which is about 7-8 inches deep and the width of a sport and soccor cup ........

Haven't a clue what size that is??

[4390evans]

think they are about 6 inches round

[cheops]

A neighbour last year planted strawberries in guttering he mounted on the fence. As 3490evans says they WILL dry out very very quickly. As happened to my neighbour the first scorching day dried and killed his plants while he and his wife were at work.