STRAWBERRIES SEASON BY SEASON

Delicious, vibrant, easy to grow and easy to maintain. What's not to love about this most succulent of fruit

- David Patch

Strawberries are probably the most common ‘gateway drug’ into the world of fruit growing. The plants are small, so don’t take up a lot of space and can be very successfully grown in containers or pots. The plants themselves are relatively cheap, so the initial investment isn’t as daunting as buying an apple or pear tree. As fruit goes, getting a usable crop is pretty straightforward and the fruit is utterly irresistible, whether picked warm, sweet and delicious, and eaten straight from the plant or cooked into jams, coulis, sorbets or syrups and stored for later.

SPRING

Spring is an excellent time to plant new strawberry runners. In March and April you will find them in pots in any garden centre, and planting new means you take less risk of any losses over the winter. The plants will already have a good root system on them, and should be in full leaf, so you can make sure they are healthy before you buy. Plant as soon as you get them – strawberries are very hardy plants – and they will start to establish quickly. As with any new plant, keep well watered for the first couple of months. Even though strawberries prefer a free-draining compost, new plants need good moisture levels while they are finding their feet in their new home.

MULCHING