A plentiful supply of delicious fruit can easily be grown at home
Site and soil preparation
Above all, strawberries do not like wet roots, preferring a well-drained site with a preferably slightly acid, medium loam. They tolerate shade but thrive in sunshine. Avoid frost pockets. If in doubt, protect the early flowers overnight, with horticultural fleece. To avoid disease build-up, grow strawberries in a different plot every three years.
Strawberries are prone to many pests and diseases and attention to detail may well save the day: add lots of well-rotted manure, turning it in well so the roots do not actually touch the manure. Also note that manure left on the surface will attract slugs. In the spring, fork in a balanced fertilizer such as Growmore, at 100g per sq m (approx 3oz per sq yd.).
Planting and feeding
Strawberries should be planted in early autumn or in the spring. If in spring, de-blossom the plants in the first season to enable their roots to establish. Crowns should be at soil level, 40cm (16in) apart in the row with 1m (3ft) between the rows. Many gardeners grow strawberries through black polythene. This suppresses weeds, conserves water and stops soil splashing on the fruit. Otherwise, tuck straw under the developing trusses.
Little feeding is required but you can apply sulphate of potash by the end of January at 17g per sq m (approx 0.5oz per sq yd) in order to raise potassium levels.
Strawberries can be propagated in late summer, but no later than the first week of September, by sinking 9cm (3.5in) pots of cuttings compost into the beds and inserting individual runners into them. Sever the new young plants from the parent plant when rooted.
For details of cultivars to extend the season click here
Aftercare
After the final harvest, tuck spare runners into the row to fill in gaps or replace old plants. Remove any unwanted runners. Some gardeners prefer a continuous or matted row in the second and third year rather than spaced plants; the total yield may be higher although the quality of the fruits is not so good. However, it is important, to maintain spacings between rows for ease of cultivation.
Cut back the remaining foliage to about 10cm (4in) above the crown to allow the new leaves to come through. This can be done with either secateurs, garden shears or, on larger areas, by careful use of a strimmer.
To minimise the risk of pests and disease clear away and burn the cut foliage and any straw or other debris from around the plants. Leave nets off the plants until the next crop to encourage birds to tidy up any pests that may be left behind. Water thoroughly and feed with a multi-purpose fertiliser such as Growmore or Vitax Q4.
Perpetual-fruiting cultivars are not defoliated, just tidied up, with the old leaves being removed in autumn. Where plants are grown through a plastic mulch make a fresh planting unless they are thriving.
Fiona Dennis