[aine butler]

Hi All
I have strawberries in pots in my polytunnel from last year. I didn't have much fruit from them but i'm blaming it on the awful weather.
Can anyone tell me what's the best way to look after them from now on? Do they need feeding since they're in the same pots as last year or should they be repotted?
Thanks for any advice
Aine.

[Greengage]

It is important to plant strawberry plants to the correct depth - too low in the ground and the growing crown may rot, too high and the roots may dry out.
Strawberries need lots of water to establish but do not leave them sitting in water as they will rot and sufer from mould. You will need to feed the plants in the spring, with a weak solution of tomato feed which is high in potassium. Feeding with a nitrogen rich feed will only encourage leaf growth at the expense of fruit growth. The best time to feed the plants is when you see the fruits forming. In Late May the plants should start to produce runners which have 'nodes' along them - these nodes are the beginning of new strawberry plants. The runners should be removed because they will sap the strength from the plant resulting in less fruit.
Birds and slugs can be a problem along with small fingers when the fruits swell.

[aine butler]

thanks a million for that! Hopefully i'll get a better crop this year.

[pollen jim]

hi, flowers should be remove at the expense of the fruit the 1st year, so the crown can get the energy instead of the fruit, although very few people can resist. strawberry plants should be replace after 4 years as they don't crop as well so collect runners. just fill small pot with compost, sink pot near runner and where runner has new leaves starting , you see 2 little spikes starting to form, these are where new roots will come from, then use a thin cut of wire and fold it over into a u shape and pin down runner.feed tomatoe feed as fruit form as Greenage says, although phostrogen is also good,. put straw or fabric under fruit so they don't go mouldy from the damp soil and cover with net to keep birds having dessert. mulch around plants to protect in winter. for some reason the fruit taste nicer when grown outside. also remove dead leaves in spring and summer , not winter.jim