Topic: ALPINE STRAWBERRIES

[betula]

My Alpine strawberries have germinated beautifully but they are so tiny.

Do you try to prick them out and pot on or put them onto the bed in a block.?

Help please. :)

[ceres]

I'm trying these too but my germination has been poor.  I've left them in the seed trays until they are big enough to handle then pricked them out into pots.  Seems to be working.  Last year I tried pricking them out when they were still tiny and they didn't survive the process.  I haven't tried planting them out in a block.

[tonybloke]

Prick out asap, they resent being too crowded. very small fruit, about 6 per teaspoon! intense flavour, ideal in fruit salad

[cockadoodledoo]

Yes, I used to have some of these......didnt realise how small they would be......I used to pop one in each section of icecube tray......used for drinks when we had bbq s......look really cute! ;)

[loopyloulou]

i grew the ones in the 99p shop and mine too are teeny weeny but i guess if they dont like being crowded id best try n tease them out into bigger pots? elsewise im waiting till next door go on holiday and pilfering theirs out the patio cracks, they dont eat them but theyre overrun!!! not fair! and youve got some patience freezing them i used 2 check my parents plants daily and eat them as soon as they were ripe :) just like sweeties! yum! lou x

[star]

I had some and dug them all up! They were really tasteless, I wonder why, I heard they were wonderful too..........sigh

[carolinej]

We have loads of wild strawberries in the mountains where we live. I suppose they must be a type of alpine....they are tiny too. The taste though is out of this world, and the smell. It's like a whole punnet of flavour and aroma have been packed into one tiny strawberry :o I wouldnt grow them at home, as they are free to pick and survive everything the weather and animals throw at them.

Only disadvantage is that I try to pick ones from areas where no doggie could piddle on them :-X

cj :)

[star]

Why were mine 'orrid?

[carolinej]

No idea :(

I have heard that you shouldnt water strawberries after the fruit have formed, or they will be a bit insipid. Dont know if that had anything to do with it, but here in Wales it rains all the time, so the wild ones have always been overwatered ???

 You can tell a Welsh wild strawberry as they have developed stripey wellies to keep the wet from their feet ;D ;D

cj :)

[star]

Oh no Caroline's jokes are seeping into all the threads ;D ;D ;D ;D

They were very insipid, I didnt water them at all and they were in a semi shady border. Maybe thats what was wrong :-[

[betula]

Caroline,I am looking at these little seedlings with new respect.Your decription of them has made my mouth water. :)

[caseylee]

i bought a little grow your own pack from the 99p store, not germinted yet, they are in a cold greenhouse is that going to be alright?

[betula]

Just checked the seed packet for you.

Mine says keep at 20c till germination :)

[carolinej]

they were in a semi shady border.

Mmm, our wild ones are usually under the dappled shade of trees, so maybe that's not it ???

Your decription of them has made my mouth water.

Actually, I work for the ASAS (alpine strawberry appreciation society) ;D ;D ;D ;)


cj ;D

[PurpleHeather]

Whilst in the south of France about 10 years ago, I saw a chef waiting for his launch to the posh cruise ship parked out to sea, with a punnet of these (amongst other luxury foods) he called them wild strawberries He told me that they had cost the equivalent of £6 for the punnet,  then he let me try one.

Exotic.

I did not realise that these were the same as alpine strawberries until I saw some in some ones garden and tried one.Same wonderful taste. I stole some seeds which I have planted for this year.

And they are mine, all mine. I shall tell everyone else that they are poisonous only for ornamental purposes and that they should not touch them.

[star]

I might get some seed then and try again, maybe I had an inferior bunch ;)

[delboy]

Reckon you were plain unlucky.

Do they really multiply out and over and over by self seeding?

[loopyloulou]

i think my neighbours trample them round the garden so thats probably how theyres spread, theyre in the oddest places so i know its not deliberate, but personally id eat all the strawbs so wouldnt be any seeds left to spread  ;D and im not pooping in the garden.... :-X

[Tyke]

I tried growing them twice in the last year without any germination at all. The packet said that they were very easy to grow. Must be something to do with how i watered them i think.

[betula]

 stand your pots and trays in water till the compost is moist.

Overhead watering can move the seed :)