I've just bought some strawberry plants (Red Gauntlet and Hapil).

I've never grown strawberries before, so I have a few questions:

Can I plant them outside now?
Can I grow them in growbags?
If so, how many in one growbag?
What, if anything, do I fertilise them with?

Many thanks.

On Wed, 26 Mar 2003 15:20:43 -0000, "Jack" wrote:

I've just bought some strawberry plants (Red Gauntlet and Hapil).

I've never grown strawberries before, so I have a few questions:
with all the accumulated wisom of one year's growing them I reply
(ducks)

Can I plant them outside now?
yes
Can I grow them in growbags?
I wouldn't - you want to let them grow for several years and the
growbag can provide neither sufficient room or nutrition
If so, how many in one growbag?
What, if anything, do I fertilise them with?
mulch with animal manure (rotted) and homemade compost then later
straw

--
Derek Turner

Outlook Express is worth precisely what you paid for it.

We have a thriving strawberry patch that started with just four plants
planted out, looking somewhat sad. They were from a friends garden. We've
never watered them, mulched them, fertilized them or in any way cared for
them. The soil wasn't prepared either. The dogs trample them every year
(big Labradors) and yet they provide use with enough strawberries every year
to eat with most meals with some left for freezing for tarts and lots of
bramble jam!

Many books say to baby them, but we never have. I'm not an expert, but I'd
say just water them and clean them up every year.

Charlie.
"Jack" wrote in message
...
I've just bought some strawberry plants (Red Gauntlet and Hapil).

I've never grown strawberries before, so I have a few questions:

Can I plant them outside now?
Can I grow them in growbags?
If so, how many in one growbag?
What, if anything, do I fertilise them with?

Many thanks.

On Wed, 26 Mar 2003 17:31:23 +0000, Derek Turner
wrote:


Can I grow them in growbags?
I wouldn't - you want to let them grow for several years and the
growbag can provide neither sufficient room or nutrition

OTOH I walked through the commercial strawberry farm in our village
today (after posting this reply) and all theirs are planted in special
'growbags' clearly marked 'strawberry' but I've never seen them in the
shops. 8 to the bag, all appear to be young plants (maybe suckered
last year???) perhaps you can source a supply of these
made-for-starwberry bags? they are all supplied with 'leaky hose'
irrigation so I guess that keeping them well watered might be your
biggest problem. They are also on long benches at waist height but
whether this is to keep them away from pests or just to make PYO
easier I couldn't say.

hth

--
Derek Turner

Outlook Express is worth precisely what you paid for it.

"Jack" wrote in message
...
I've just bought some strawberry plants (Red Gauntlet and Hapil).

I've never grown strawberries before, so I have a few questions:

Can I plant them outside now?
You can plant them anytime in my experience. All year round you can pull off
the runners and pot them up.

Can I grow them in growbags?
Yes.

If so, how many in one growbag?
I use growbags for my tomatoes but I'm sure the bag says its suitable for 3
tomato/pepper plants or 6-8 tomatoes.

What, if anything, do I fertilise them with?
I imagine tomato food would work well.

Martin