Now, how to plant a strawberry plant?

I also got a strawberry plant for Mother's day, in a pot. I'd like to plant it outside. Is it better in a container, or in the ground, and how much sun does it need?
Now, how to plant a strawberry plant?
Strawberries need at least 8 hours of sunshine, and I plant mine directly into the garden soil. Keep it damp and don't cover over the crown of the plant or it will rot.
Reply:First what kind of plant is it? There are various kinds of strawberry plants. Most are creapers so they are good either way in a pot or the ground. However there are some that are called hanging strawberry plants. The plant actually drops the stems of the strawberries over the side of the planter.



If you are limited to space look in your local gardening store for a strawberry planter. It allows you to have at least 4 or more plants in one pot at different levels so to make it easier to pick the strawberries.



See below for two methods to growing strawberries.

Planter Method:

Strawberry planters are mostly made of terracotta and are great for decks and patios. Only a few strawberries from these.

Can be planted in pot but watering is hard. A tip to fix this is to place a plastic piece of water pipe down the centre of the pot with holes drilled into it so that water gets to the lower plants.

Use fertilizer for fruits and vegatables once a month during active periods of growth.

Bring in for winter.

Hanging plants can go into a hanging planter but are more decorative then fruitful. Great in a sunny kitchen window.

Ground method:

Great if you have some really good recipes for jam, pies and desserts. It's really fruitful for the work put in.

You need at least 4ft x 9ft space for success it will take a couple of years for the plants to grow into it but once you have it you will have strawberries all year.

Again fruit and vegatable fertilizer and mulch if you have it.

In fall when you do the last grass cutting take the lawn mower over the patch. Leave old plants there as spring fertilizer. In spring like grass they come back stronger from the roots. My mother did this every year and they still have strawberries 30 years later.

If you find birds and squirrels get to the strawberries then cover them with netting you can get from the gardening store.

When the strawberries grow in high summer you will need to be picking them twice a day morning and night to help beat the squirrels to them.

I believe my mother put down 12 plants initially and I can't count them anymore.

Make sure you direct shoots to where you want new strawberry plants before they put down roots so that you can avoid as much damage to the roots as possible.
Reply:Strawberries love the sun %26amp; do best in the garden, but when fruiting they are prey to snails %26amp; slugs. A good snail bait is essential, and there are many ways of protecting your pets %26amp; kids from these baits. I like to put a good straw mulch oround them, it keeps the fruit up from the soil %26amp; helps keep the plant moist. The good thing about strawberries is, they spread %26amp; send out suckers to form new plants. When these take root, just divide them, making the new plants.
Reply:strawberries love sun. So as much sun as you can give them.

It is a good idea to mulch around where you plant the crown as this will keep the berries off the soil. The reason they are called strawberries is because in days of yore the growers would mulch around the crowns with straw for the fruit to lie on.
Reply:They like full sun, and well drained soil. I'd plant it in a raised garden or flower bed. Mulch with straw to keep weeds away from it.



Nothing beats sun warmed strawberries straight from the garden!