Wild strawberries

[quanglewangle]

I am conflicted about wild strawberries.

On one hand they are a terrible rampant weed especially in a dry spring, but on the other hand they are wild strawberries.

[Nicos]

I love them! Well, I think I do
Never actually found real wild ones but did grow some stunningly delicious alpine ones in my flower boarder….are they the same thing?
I find the birds don’t seem to spot them as readily as the normal big red juicy ones.

[quanglewangle]

Actually the birds have taken over a plot in our garden where they farm wild strawberries: sow the seeds in bird poo to ensure a good start; keep it free of slugs (they don't bother in the rest of the garden); and then eat them at peak ripeness before we can.

Wild strawberries are endemic around here, but you do need to look hard - other than in my garden that is.

[Snoop Puss]

They sound like a marvellous thing to have, QW. I'm positively jealous.

Plus, clever birds!

[Nicos]

Oooh…I’ve loads of chicken poop- I might just buy a few more seeds next time I see them. Thanks for that tip

[Mr Bones]

Bought some back from a Cornish hedge many years ago and they did quite well on our sandstone walls for a number of years. Didn't taste of much but the birds loved them. Sadly wood pigeons thought they were lovely too and finally pecked them away.

[Bren In Pots]

I used to have some growing on a stone wall not sure what happened to them.

[Snoop Puss]

Stone walls I have aplenty. What did you do, Bren In Pots? Grow plantlets from seed and then plug them into gaps in the wall?

[quanglewangle]

They spread along our Cornish hedges (earth packed stone wall - Google for full skinny). They are a well drained, airy, but nutrient poor environment, with their own range of species.

We run the clippers over ours early spring to clear away brambles, ivy, and crocosmia. The light and air lets the strawberries and violets grow.

Edit. Just in case anyone should mistake a Cornish hedge for a stone wall...
With acknowledgement to Place Architects Ltd

[Plot70]

There are wild strawberries on my allotment.
They produce quite plump fruits on brick-making clay.
I bet the fruits will be a bit dry if they are growing in a stone wall.

[Snoop Puss]

Thanks, guys.

Brilliant diagram, quanglewangle. Our stone walls are terrace walls, but not very different really. If I bung in enough, there'll be plenty to go round eventually. The biggest problem is going to be finding seeds (can't buy from the UK now).

Plot70, spring rains should ensure sufficient water in the subsoil being retained by the walls. Worth an experiment, anyway.

[Nicos]

I think the Alpine strawberry is called Mignonette but I’m not 100% sure if that’s the true wild variety.

[Nicos]

Franchise sell them Snoop!
Found online in Eire….

https://www.irishplantsdirect.ie/Str...Stagioni-Seeds

I imagine we can import seeds from there?

[quanglewangle]

If your 'wild strawberries' have yellow flower petals and are dry and tasteless/bitter they may be mock or Indian strawberries. Quite similar otherwise.

see https://dengarden.com/gardening/Wild...k-Strawberries

[Nicos]

Interesting read there- thanks Q.

By reading through various sites just now I think mine are the alpine red and white varieties They have slightly pink coloured petals….so mine aren’t the true wild strawberries after all.