alpine strawberrys.

[karlandben]

i have grown alpine strawberries from seed this year. have been told not to let them flower in their first year as this will increase the crop next year? does anyone know if this is true

[Alison]

Dunno but the ones I sowed in January are forming loads of fruit now and look incredibly healthy. I'll make sure they get fed well and take it from there.

[Cutecumber]

I take that advice as being for the large fruiting strawberries - I don't touch my alpines and just let them do what they want.

[abby]

What do you feed em with?...

[julesapple]

Is it ok...

.....to ever-so-slightly hijack this thread? I don't want to be rude

Whilst we were on the Alpine Strawberries theme, I have seed bought from Wilko's last week for 20p (the bag was torn, but seed packet is fine) am I too late to sow them now for planting out next year or whenever some wise gardener tells me I should?

I've also ordered some Alpine strawb seeds for a yellow-fruiting variety and another variety called Ruegens. Looking forward to getting them.

Jules

[bramble]

This is my second year for my Alpine strawberries and I am already getting fruit.
I sowed them from seed which I bought in Spain.
I have to say whilst they taste delecious I was slightly disappointed with the small ammount of fruit I got from them. If theres anyone else out there who is growing them or knows anything about them perhaps you could tell me if its too warm to keep them in a greenhouse as they are constantly drooping while my ordinary big fruited ones are fine.

[Alison]

I had mine outside and they are perfectly hardy but then again, I don't think it's really worth the space to keep strawberries in the greenhouse anyway apart from a few in a pot to get an earlier crop. All I know is that the ones I grew / am growing are an alpine variety (no idea which) and cropped ridiculously prolifically in their first year and I will be picking again soon this year.

[abby]

I have put some in a grow bag but it says they are better in the shade where have you got yours?... And what do I feed em on?

[Alison]

Mine get morning sun on the back of the house in a large window box along the total length of my conservatory. Feeding is a bit eratic, depending on what I've got, generally some seaweed stuff as a foliar feed.

[Mchanen]

My Starwberries are growing well (First time i've grown anything ) but i'm concerned about them as the wind seems to have blown a few petals off the flowers- will they be ok and still fruit?

[abby]

Think the petals fall off before you get the fruit so they sound ok...