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alextb

By Alextb

London, England Eng

I was browsing B&Q Garden Centre and saw pre-planted strawberry planters with big plants in them.

So I bought 2 planters.

I also noticed that at least 1 plant had flowers starting to turn in to strawberries.

The tag lacks information with the only advice as follows:
*Water Daily
*Protect from frost
*Full Sun
*Harvest from Mid-June to September

The tag doesn't even tell me the type of strawberries.

My questions are:
*How often should I feed the plants?
Is Tomorite a good feed for them?
*If Tomorite is fine, is it the same dosage as tomato plants?
* When the strawberries are harvested, will the plants flower again?




Answers

 

Personally I wouldn't feed your strawberry plants anything just keep watered as advised. No once the plants have flowered and fruited that will be it for this year. You'll need to remove any runners that grow and pot them up or put into the garden. Also be aware that the actual strawberry plants are only good for about 3 years, this is why you grow the runners on.

19 May, 2015

 

Thanks Moon_grower.

19 May, 2015

 

Is there any particular reason you advise not to feed?

I have heard of feeding them, and the tag says to.

Does it change the taste?

Just curious. :o)

19 May, 2015

 

So long as you are using a feed for fruit and veg. it shouldn't change the taste. We've never fed ours but in a container it might prove useful and tomorite will be fine.

20 May, 2015

 

Thanks MG.

20 May, 2015

 

Unlike many other plants that send down roots and tapers to search for moisture and food, strawberry plants are shallow-rooted. Because the roots grow near the surface, the plants tend to use up the nutrients near the top of the soil very quickly. So I would feed them with a balanced NPK fertiliser, Tomorite or similar would be fine, especially if they are in hanging baskets or small containers.

The reason why a lot of people are cautious about feeding fruit bearing plants too much is because the fertiliser will usually go to feed the foliage at the detriment of the fruit and you could end up with a very bushy healthy looking plant with deap green leaves and little fruit.

As MG said, grow the runners on for next year or even this years fruiting. When you see shoots coming off the main plant, stake these shoots down just below some damp compost in small pots. After a couple of weeks they should send out roots. When they have, cut the plantlets off the mother plant and you will have new plants to grow. This can be done indefinately to produce many more strawberry plants.

If you are growing your strawberries in hanging baskets then just put some damp spagnum moss or even compost in some cling film and wrap it around the bottom of the runner. When you see a good growth of roots, cut it away from the mother plant and pot it on.

21 May, 2015

 

Thank You Myron. Your comment was very informative and helpful.

The plants are in terracotta planters with the holes on the sides and a larger one at the top.

23 May, 2015

How do I say thanks?

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