On Tue, 26 Jun 2012 18:15:09 +0100, Moonraker
wrote:

I have now received the strawberry planters recommended by Jake, they
are just what I wanted, and seem very strong, thanks Jake.
Now I want to select strawberries to fill them with. I would really like
to have Buddy, but they are as rare as rocking horse sh*t. In the Autumn
I can get runners, however will these be satisfactory and well rooted?
Otherwise can anyone suggest a good mix, bearing in mind that there is
room for a total of 20 plants in the 2 planter?

Glad you're happy. I work on a mix of 25% earlies, 25% mid season and
50% everbearers.

Elsanta's my mid choice and I plant it around the bottom tier as it's
a more upright plant and so the fruits don't dangle on the ground.
Some say it's mildew prone but I don't have a problem - this may be
because with 1 plant per pod or bay there's plenty of air around them.

I have Aromel as the everbearer - this will produce a few fruits in
June but takes off from mid August and the fruits are big and juicy.
I've read that you can induce a bigger crop by removing flowers until
July but have never tried this trick. These plants go round the middle
layer and the outside of the top (I'm growing 24 total plants in the
bigger planters of course). It produces few runners and I usually end
up buying new plants every 3 years.

The middle of the top layers are my earlies but I have to admit I've
forgotten the variety other than I think it begins with E. Whatever it
is, it's my oldest set, produces runners prolifically and I think I'm
on my 4th generation of runner raised plants now.

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Ethiopian proverb: When spiders unite they can tie down a lion!

Urgling from the East End of Swansea Bay. We don't yet have a
"dah dah dah dah dah dah dee" theme tune but we're working on it.

I can't tell an astilbe from an aranthus
but I can from an acanthus!