Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa)
The common Strawberry is one of the easiest and most satisfying fruits for the home gardener to grow and is cultivated all over the world for its delicious and fragrant fruit. The plant itself is compact with glossy green leaves, producing attractive white flowers in spring followed by clusters of plump red berries. Depending on the variety they vary in flavour from sweet to quite tart and are a highly prized fruit for their flavour and bright colour. Strawberries are technically not true berries in that they are actually a member of the Rose family Rosaceae and bear seeds on the outside of the fruit. The common strawberry was selectively bred from wild strawberries to produce the large sweet berries we are familiar with today. It is distinct from the Alpine Strawberry or Woodland Strawberry (Fragaria vesca) which grows throughout the Northern Hemisphere and also has a long history of culinary use.
There are many varieties of strawberry available which vary widely in their growth requirements and flavour, making them a very versatile and popular garden plant. Strawberries will grow well pots and containers, and are excellent for small spaces such as courtyards or balconies as they will grow well in pots, hanging baskets and vertical gardens.
They can also be easily grown in garden beds, if you choose to plant straight into the garden raised beds or mounds are best as maintenance is easier this way.
Strawberries grow best in a slightly acidic well drained rich soil, with a good layer of mulch surrounding the plant. Pea straw, Lucerne or Pine needle mulches are all suitable mulches, alternately black plastic can be used instead to keep out weeds and discourage runners. Plant in April to May, a few weeks before the last frost, most varieties will begin fruiting in September from winter plantings. There are new varieties that have been selected to extend the growing season. Your local nursery will stock varieties that are suited to your area and climate as they vary widely and there are many different cultivars now available. Some interesting varieties to grow are:
Hokowase- A large highly sweet Japanese variety with almost no acidity
Alinta- Bears large fruit year round and is disease resistant
Strawberry Pink- Prolific fruit with low acidity and unusual pink flowers
Keep moist, watering roughly twice weekly, drip irrigation is ideal for strawberries as they do not like their root zone to dry out completely but can be susceptible to problems with humidity and dampness above soil level. Fertilise with a small amount of a low nitrogen fertiliser such as chicken manure or blood and bone, once when planting, and then again in Spring and Summer to encourage prolific fruiting.
Strawberries will send out runners from the main plant, which should be removed to encourage continuous fruiting. Often these shoots will already be growing roots and can be easily cut off and replanted for a second crop of strawberries. Strawberry plants are susceptible to fungus and moulds, this is best managed by positioning them in full sun and mulching with a light material such as straw.
Fruit should be kept from resting on ground and checked for slugs and snails when ripening. Verticulum wilt is a disease common to strawberries and other food plants, and reduces fruit yields so buy certified disease-free stock and replace every few years to ensure good crops of berries.
Further reading
Growing your own food (quick guide)
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