I ordered some strawberry plants from Marshalls and they arrived last week. I wasn't expecting them so early and my bed wasn't ready yet so i put them together in a pot with slightly damp compost and put them in my shed covered with a sack as advised in the leaflet that came with them.
I can't plant them quite yet, though my bed is nearly ready, but what i'm worried about is the cold. I won't plant when the soil is soggy or frozen but the weather forecast says we are due for some really cold weather so what should i do? As said above they are in the dark at the moment which can't be good for them.
Any advise is welcome as i just wasn't expecting them until at least the end of feb.
Cold won't kill them..but they are restricted under covers with damp compost around roots..they might get mouldy.
Mine came not long ago too..and I've potted mine up..individually..and they are in cold GH, so they will freeze, but that haven't hurt my strawbs before and after all, they do freeze outside too.
Once the weather allow and and my plants have started to make some new growth, I can then plant them up with good rootball already on them.
You can carry on as they are now..but make sure the compost is just damp. They are dormant now and don't really do much..so they won't need much neither. But as soon the temperature where they are rises..the plants will wake up, and if you ground is not ready, you will need to deal with them ASAP.
So as for now..keep eye on the plants and temps.. ;)
Thanks for your reply.
So just one more question...so if conditions are ok ie no frost and not too wet, can i plant outside without any protection, or would it be better to to pot up and leave for a month or two.
so if conditions are ok ie no frost and not too wet, can i plant outside without any protection
yes..I would say so..but it is always judgement call. Those plants will put root growth on first before the tops start growing..so it is really the ground conditions that will influence how they will do.
If you can sort the ground out reasonably soon..perharps lay sheet of black plastic sheeting on to warm it up that little bit 'more'..you can then get the strawbs planted and their roots will soon put growth on.
Wet soil will take ages warm up if its frozen.
Like many other things with gardening..its 'should I or shouln't I' game..I rather play safe than sorry and that's why I potted mine up. I've got no hurry with them and can carry on in my pace with preparation.
Thanks again...I think i'll do what you have done and pot them up
Mine are all sitting in pots, in the open, and looking extremely healthy. Don't worry about cold, they're quite hardy. Pot them up, and they'll do their thing once it warms up.
I have left my strawberry runners out until this afternoon and now they reside in an unheated greenhouse to give to give them a little bit of protection due to the weather forecast.
Planted 12 new runners last week like Robert said they are hardy as soon as they see a bit of sun they will be away :D