Alpine Strawberrys

[uulwyn]

Hi all,

When is the best time to sow alpine strawberries and what variety is best, as my goal is to be totally strawberried out next year. I intend to grow them in pots, so what size pot would i need once they have been taken from there growing modules?

All advice welcomed.

[bramble]

Hi Uulwyn, I have grown these for a few years now. I started my seeds in a heated propagator in very early spring. When they germinated i took them out of the propagator and kept them on my windowsill until they were big enough to pot into the first size pot.
Their final pots were 8 inch and I got a fair crop from them. I assume you know they are very small so you will need a lot of plants if you want to be self sufficient. I found they were no trouble at all but would still rather grow the regular berries. They produced right through the summer and into the autumn.
Didn't have a variety name as they were bought in Spain and just said "Strawberry"
Good luck and let us know how you get on.

[ginger ninger]

I grew B&Q's Alpine Strawberries this year, 98p a pkt. I've got to say they were so easy to grow, I put 3 plant's in a 12" pot, and I have 4 pot's, I've had some really tasty fruit of them, not pounds but enough to make me want to plant some more. I have standard strawberries as well but I prefer the alpine for flavor.

[Jeanied]

Hi Uulwyn- I grew Baron Solemancher from seed years ago but I found the flavour a bit too 'bubble-gum'-y for my taste so I didn't mind only having a few on each plant and mixing them with regular strawbs to eat. Sorry - so long ago I can't remember when I sowed or how! (I think that was the year I sowed 200 packets of seed!)

[Two_Sheds]

I bought some pink-flowered alpines from a front doorstep in the next village. They have just had a 2nd flush of fruit, but I find them too fiddly to pick so I'll be digging them up and eBaying them in the spring.

[uulwyn]

Thankyou all great info as usual.

Out of interest, what do people think that would make i.e 2 people self suffient in alpine strawberrys next year...how many plants would you think I would need?

Thanks

[Two_Sheds]

^^^^ lots

[kirsty b]

I have a clump of alpines that I grew from seed last year, and they are more for thenovelty purposes. they make great ground cover, and I am considering growing more as ground cover instaed of regular bedding plants. I let the local kids come in and pick them sometimes - they are fascinated by the fact you can actually eat them.

[Sanjed]

i'd say you probably need more than 50 plants to get lots of strawberries consistently, they do crop for ages, mine are still producing (oct 17th) a few fruit and i'm sure they'd produce more if i took care of them properly.

i started seeds in february i think, they take ages and can be a bit disheartening for months, but once they get going, they grow like crazy. i have a load of them in flower buckets, they went in spaced out fairly well and now the entire soil layer is thick with growth, they need to go somewhere bigger ! i also have some in the ground, they're very pale and haven't made many strawberries, but they spread out brilliantly, so i would agree that they'd make very good ground cover. they're so vigorous that they'd stop other weeds from getting a hold.

[susieq100]

I use them as ground cover in the back garden - and not intentionally either!! Once they're in they're the devil to dislodge. They grow through the black ground cover sheeting that is supposed to stop weeds! So I've got squillions of them - I think the birds get more of a benefit than we do.