There’s nothing quite so reminiscent of a British summer than sitting on your Supremo Carina garden furniture enjoying a bowl of strawberries and cream, and if the delicious red berries are freshly picked from your own garden, even better! Cultivating strawberries is simple, and they can be grown successfully in a container on a patio, terrace or balcony. Here’s how to do so.
Varieties
Strawberry plants come in three types. Summer fruiting varieties produce a single, large crop over a two- or three-week period between June and August, depending on when they are planted. Ever-bearers produce fewer, smaller fruits more gradually over a longer period. Alpine strawberries produce tiny, intensely flavoured fruits and are ideal for shaded conditions. Examples of the most popular varieties are Cambridge Favourite, Royal Sovereign and Sonata.
Containers
Most large pots are fine for strawberries, but if space is at a premium, tiered strawberry planters are an excellent way to layer planting and maximise your crop. Strawberries can also be cultivated in hanging baskets – Elan and Toscana are lovely varieties that cascade for easy picking. All varieties do best when planted in a peat-free potting compost with good drainage.
Care
Strawberry plants can last up to four years but need overwintering indoors. Remove dead leaves from last year’s plants and replant in a fresh container. If you’re starting afresh, seedlings or small plants can be planted now and simply need regular watering, access to sunlight and a feed now and then with a specialist plant food.
Choose an early fruiting variety, and you could have your first harvest ready just in time for Wimbledon!
