How to care for strawberries – and create a clone army

I spend an awful lot of time writing long, philosophical posts about how great gardening is (because it is) and how much it has changed my life (because it has), but I’d like to spend a little bit more time actually writing about the plants I grow, some tips for growing them yourselves and asking you guys for some advice (because I always need it).

This week, given that we’re in the height of strawberry season, I thought it would be good to share some tips on growing these wonderful plants.

Growing strawberries in containers

Strawberries are one of those plants that do very well in containers, this is due in part to their shallow root structure. The roots of a strawberry plant sit very close to the surface of the soil and instead of growing deep down into the soil, they fan out, much like the plant does above ground. This makes strawberries an ideal container plant as you can grow them in practically any container available. The only thing is, you’ll need to watch out for the roots, which can often come above the soil; top them up with fresh compost if this happens. 

There are special pots you can buy for strawberries, usually a ceramic urn with holes around the side, but I would urge you to make your own or reuse some old containers you have lying around. I’m a big fan of upcycling in the garden. Old gutters are great for growing strawberries and look lovely on a shed or a wall, just ensure you pop some holes in the bottom for drainage.

Growing strawberries in containers also had the added advantage of helping to protect your berries from disease and rot. When growing strawberries in the ground, it is often necessary to place straw or mulch over the soil to prevent your berries from rotting as they sit on the damp soil. If you grow them in containers, particularly in hanging baskets or in old guttering, the fruits hang over the edge as opposed to sitting on the soil.

Planting and caring for your strawberries

Strawberries are difficult to grow from seed, so plant young plants instead. Space your plants about a foot apart. Strawberries need one very important element of care and that is keeping them well watered. Strawberries will produce lovely fat fruits if you water them properly, but if the plants are too dry, the fruit will shrivel up. 

Strawberry runners

Here’s my favourite thing about strawberry plants: strawberries clone themselves. Strawberry plants send out runners, also known as stolons, long stems which root themselves into the soil creating a clone plant. With most plants, if you want to plant more in the following year, you collect seeds, with strawberries, you build yourself a clone army. 

Simply let the new plant root on the spot if you don’t mind your plants spreading out. If you’re growing in smaller spaces or containers, you can fill a pot with compost and place the new clone onto the soil and wait for it to take root before cutting it from the mother plant (mothership) and voila: strawberry clone army. 

Strawberries usually have their best crop in their second year and in good conditions will crop well for five years. However, after three full years, the production of strawberry plants slows considerably so it pays to take runners every year so you have a constant yield of fruit.

Protecting strawberries

Strawberries are undeniably delicious and unfortunately we’re not the only animal to think so. Birds are absolute strawberry savages and you need to net your plants when they begin to ripen or they’ll be savaged by your local bird population. And while I’m all for feeding the birds (cue that song from Mary Poppins) there’s nothing worse than spending weeks excitedly waiting for your strawberries to ripen only to have them eaten by someone other than yourself. 

Strawberry varieties

I grow a very popular variety of strawberry called Elsanta. These are a very reliable cropper and produce large, sweet fruits. I’ve just begun to harvest my strawberries this week and they’re delicious. Strawberries generally fruit in June but there are some ever-bearing varieties that produce fruit twice a year. 

Now, go forth and multiply. Build your strawberry clone army. Protect them from the rebel scum. Build a sweet empire.