Advice on what to plant strawberries in

I put mine in plastic bins and drill holes around the side to feed through the strawberries and use a mix of multipurpose, blood,fish and bone and potash. I also run a 2" pipe down the centre of the bin (do this before you fill and make sturdy with crocks for drainage or grit), also with holes drilled in them for watering and then plant up the top!

Thanks for the reply...not sure a bin is a good idea for me here...do you think I could grow some of the plants in hanging baskets? I've got two attached to the fence that I tried growing tumbling tomatoes in last year [unsuccessful as I planted them out to early].

With a hanging basket is it a good idea to use that water retentive stuff, to keep the soil moist - I've nver used this in the past, so do you know if it's OK for strawbs?

The strawberries should be O.K. in hanging baskets (how many depends on the size of basket). I grew tumbler toms. in 2 baskets last year & although I'm not keen on it I mixed some water-retaining granules in with multi-purpose compost, we ate the toms & lived to tell the tale so it can't do any harm but if you just keep an eye on watering you shouldn't need it. I have strawberries growing outdoors all year round so they must be fairly hardy (some in the ground, some in strawberry pots) but you could start them off in pots in your shed or under polythene or fleece outside until the weather warms up.If you want to grow them in gro-bags I've seen people with between 3 to 6 plants per bag & in the ground mine are only about 4-6in apart.

I went to B&Q today and checked out growbags - and will get some at the w/e when I've got the car and partner in tow [I'm a learner driver so not allowed out in the car alone].

I was also looking for water rataining granules but couldn't find any - just slow release plant food - where can you get the water retaining granules from and is there a particular brand to look out for?

Also going to get some blodd,fish and bone stuff as Andrewo suggests.

I've decided to grow the strawbs in grow bags on my table and create a framework over the top to hold a fleece over them to protect them from the birds and cold tremperatures.

First year for strawberries, so quite excited about it!

blodd,fish and bone stuff ...

Is this the welsh version

Oh Nick...........!!!

Eskymo.
Because you have bare root plants they need to establish a good root system before you expose them to the freezing Scottish air, so fixing fleece as you are thinking of, or a sheet of polythene over the frame would be a good idea, you should fold it up on sunny/warm days & cover up on frosty days & at night. You're also supposed to pick off the first flowers & not let fruit develop until the plants are established but I bet you won't be able to wait for a crop! If you put some in baskets don't put them out without some protection either until about the end of May. Blood,fish & bone or bonemeal mixed in with multipurpose compost & maybe a bit of grit would be O.K. in the baskets, strawberries like well-fertilised & well drained soil in a sunny spot. You can get water-retaining granules or 'swell gel' in most garden centres, B&Q should have it, look for Phostrogen-they also do hanging basket packs which contain slow release food & swell gel if you're not growing entirely organically. Ken Muir Fruits plant 10 plants in each grow bag on their strawberry frame but the bags are 1metre long and well-filled, not like the skinny 99p ones I use.Someone- I think it's Levingtons-are doing extra thick grow bags with food etc. in them Organic & non-organic for about £3.99. Good luck!

thanks for the info - I will keep you updated on the progress!