Strawberries are the quintessential British summer fruit and we love them! Growing your own is one of the real joys of summer – pick a few for a pitcher of Pimm’s, harvest a handful for a bowl of strawberries and cream, or just eat a cheeky one or two as you’re doing the weeding. Yum.
How to grow strawberry plants
You should get at least 3 seasons of strawberries from one strawberry plant.
Choose a nice sunny, sheltered spot for strawberries (if it’s too windy, they won’t receive many pollinating visitors!) Growing them in containers in a greenhouse works well, or in rows in the garden with a cloche for extra warmth.
Plant them 30-40cm apart.
Water well and frequently when you first plant them. Thereafter, make sure they are watered well when it’s dry and give them a tomato feed every fortnight.
When they start to flower, make sure greenhouse windows and doors are opened, and cloches removed during the day so that pollinating insects can get to them to do their work!
When the fruits start to form, add a layer of straw around the base of the plant so that the berries don’t start to rot if they touch the soil.