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Strawberries from seed.
Just a few tips on growing strawberries from seed.
1) Remember that seeds, unless bought in a named packet, may not produce plants that are exactly like the parent plants. This is due to the opportunity of cross pollination which is possible even in commercially grown fruit. Runners have the exact genetic code as the parent plant so you know that it will the same variety.
2) I always prctice stratification on all seeds of plants that grow in cooler temperate climates. This aids successfull germination. With strawberries I leave in the freezing compartment for no less than one month. Then a week in the fridge to defrost and acclimatise.
3) Using a heated propogater helps with germination although it may still be several weeks before all seedlings show. I am very successful on a windowsill with a radiator below.
4) I place my seeds on seed compost in one of those clear plastic punnets you get mushrooms in from the supermarket. A good depth of soil allows for retention of warmth. Just sprinkle seed over the surface and press in LIGHTLY. keep the compost moist but not too wet. I place a folded kitchen towel under the punnet and place in a zip lock freezer bag. I water when the surface looks dry by trickling water down the side of the bag so the kitchen roll paper is saturated. Closing the zip lock to 3/4 keeps the humidity level correct and so less need to keep watering.
5) Patience is essential. It may take a month or more to see seedlings and then they grow VERY slowly.
6) Transplant to cells filled with good quality all Purpose compost when they have at least two serrated edged leafs and are easily handled. It is tempting to transplant ASAP but waiting another week or so until the seedlings look sturdy is worth the wait.
7) Grow on under protection even if the last frosts have gone. This ensure a good start by giving the seedlings chance to form a stong root system. Always remember that a good rooting system for all plants is the key to growing success. It is the roots that bring water and nutrients to the leaves, flowers and fruit so to pamper the roots and do not let them dry out or even worse, get waterlogged. Treat them gently when transplanting or planting and you will succeed.
8) Try this method for other "hard to germinate " seeds.
9) Please check if you are growing seeds from a new varety that the variety is not under license. Much financial and horticultural research investment is put into developing new strains and so some varieties can only be grown by registered growers commercially. I am not clear about the legality of growing such plants for ordinary own use. maybe someone can enlighten me. https://www.bspb.co.uk/royalty-collection.php
Thanks for reading this and wishing you all good growing for the 2018 season.
1) Remember that seeds, unless bought in a named packet, may not produce plants that are exactly like the parent plants. This is due to the opportunity of cross pollination which is possible even in commercially grown fruit. Runners have the exact genetic code as the parent plant so you know that it will the same variety.
2) I always prctice stratification on all seeds of plants that grow in cooler temperate climates. This aids successfull germination. With strawberries I leave in the freezing compartment for no less than one month. Then a week in the fridge to defrost and acclimatise.
3) Using a heated propogater helps with germination although it may still be several weeks before all seedlings show. I am very successful on a windowsill with a radiator below.
4) I place my seeds on seed compost in one of those clear plastic punnets you get mushrooms in from the supermarket. A good depth of soil allows for retention of warmth. Just sprinkle seed over the surface and press in LIGHTLY. keep the compost moist but not too wet. I place a folded kitchen towel under the punnet and place in a zip lock freezer bag. I water when the surface looks dry by trickling water down the side of the bag so the kitchen roll paper is saturated. Closing the zip lock to 3/4 keeps the humidity level correct and so less need to keep watering.
5) Patience is essential. It may take a month or more to see seedlings and then they grow VERY slowly.
6) Transplant to cells filled with good quality all Purpose compost when they have at least two serrated edged leafs and are easily handled. It is tempting to transplant ASAP but waiting another week or so until the seedlings look sturdy is worth the wait.
7) Grow on under protection even if the last frosts have gone. This ensure a good start by giving the seedlings chance to form a stong root system. Always remember that a good rooting system for all plants is the key to growing success. It is the roots that bring water and nutrients to the leaves, flowers and fruit so to pamper the roots and do not let them dry out or even worse, get waterlogged. Treat them gently when transplanting or planting and you will succeed.
8) Try this method for other "hard to germinate " seeds.
9) Please check if you are growing seeds from a new varety that the variety is not under license. Much financial and horticultural research investment is put into developing new strains and so some varieties can only be grown by registered growers commercially. I am not clear about the legality of growing such plants for ordinary own use. maybe someone can enlighten me. https://www.bspb.co.uk/royalty-collection.php
Thanks for reading this and wishing you all good growing for the 2018 season.
. A very prolific and delicious flavoured "mini" strawberry is " Mignonette". These wild or Alpine varieties do not send out runners but the plants can be divided easily. I do this in Autumn every 2 years and raise the divisions in pots in the greenhouse to get a good root system before planting out in Spring. Remember to remove any flowers & buds so all the energy is used in rootformation rather than fruiting. It's interesting the white variety appears more easily germinated than the red.
. I am rather elderly and was a Rural Sciences Teacher in a past life as well as coming from a family who had farms, orchards and a market garden. My real love however is ecology and I bore the family and others to death with my ratures over soil structure and, to me , fascinating growing facts gleaned from scientific papers etc on line .
somewhere) that companies are trying to licence wild plants, the sort that have grown in our countryside for centuries. 
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