Strawberries not growing

[Alison M]

Hi
Could anyone please give me some advice as to what i am doing wrong with my strawberry plant. I have sown some Alpine strawberries from seed on 9th May i have transplanted them into grow bags when they were around 2 inches tall and they have never grown since they are really green and healthy but just not growing at all.They are in my greenhouse in growbags.
Thanks for taking the time to read my thread.

[FROSTYFRECKLE]

I sowed Alpine Strawberry seeds in April, and from the sounds of it they are the same as yours - lush and green. I don't think we will see much happening (apart from a bit of die back in winter) until next Spring.

[Shadylane]

I sowed mine in Jan I think and they fruited a little the first year but the second year they really went for it. May is too late for alpines if you want fruit the same year cos they take ages to get going. Next year you should see some action

[Alison M]

thank you both i feel better now its not just mine, so do they fruit next season and then die ? or do they fruit every year?

[Shadylane]

They should keep fruiting every year. Not sure if they behave like normal strawberries and lose their vigour after 3/4 years. I read in Jamie Oliver's book that they keep going for years but I'm not convinced as everywhere else I've read they need replacing after 3 or so years. Mine are sending runners all over (at home) but I think they're wild/woodland not alpine. I have some alpines on our allotment I think, and they're quite dense so not sure if they've run - I heard they don't but unsure. They supposedly self seed easily though, but if you're growing in pots or grow bags you might want to sow a batch every couple of years to keep em going.

[Davyburns]

Never had any luck with Strawberries, although my neighbours grow them like weeds. Planted 12 crowns from T&M last year - all died, tried 6 from the pound shop last year, they didnt die, but just sat there, tried 6 from B&Q, that just dissappered, although one of them from the pound shop I planted last year, has about a half a dozen sorry sqeemish fruits on it to date, but nothing worth buying cream for

[GlenAmple]

I think your Alpine Strawberries might do a lot better outside, I feel it might be a bit too warm for them in the greenhouse as they are very hardy. I grow mine outside and have been doing so for the past 5+ years that I've had them. I've never even moved them indoors in the winter and after the past two harsh winters, buried under 12 inches of snow, my Alpines have fruited better than ever. My first was bought as a potted plant and all the others are self seeded, my first fruited in the first year but the self seeded ones didn't friut until the following year. My Alpines have never sent out runners and even the oldest is still very vigourous. Hope this helps

[BUFFS]

think about what they are,they are alpine strawbs,naturally in poor stoney scree,eking out a living in harsh conditions,i grew my seeds in compost 3/4 sand in the march, in the may put them out in the poorest soil in the garden,with a bag of sharp sand over the area,they fruited 3rd week of july and kept going til the frosts,that was 4 years ago,earlier today i filled an icecream tub totally for the second time so far this year,they selfseed easily and in may ,from my 30 plants,i lifted over 120 seedlings,sold on now or given away,so treat them mean,permanantly outside,they love the winter cold,and you will then get plenty of fruit,we have all been guilty of caring about our young plants but with these ,once in the ground,water them in and let them get on with it....enjoy.....