Are strawberry plants a pain to deal with?

[loopyloo]

I was looking to add some sweeter options to my garden and everyone keeps telling me to stay away from strawberries. They are spreaders and they can take over a yard. This seems like something that can be fixed easy enough with containers or barriers.
Would I be making a mistake if I planted strawberries in the yard this year?

 

[Tmann]

I had mine in a raised bed and they found their way out of that bed, I finally just got rid of them. They didn't produce very much either.

 

[claudine]

Oh no. I plan to plant strawberries too, I had no idea they can cause problems. I remember my mother grew some strawberries some time ago and she wasn't doing anything special with them...but they didn't produce too many fruits.
If they're such a spreaders I think I can deal with it - I love strawberries

 

[lovinglife]

I got gallons of strawberries from my plants. When I weed I nip off the runners and they produced very well. It did take more time to remove the runners but the yield was well worth it. My plants are three years old now, so they may not produce as much, I will get in and thin them out real good this spring.

 

[claudine]

This is good to hear. I want to get gallons of strawberries too . Who knows, maybe soon I'll be able to.

What do you think about this? It would be convenient to have containers like these:

 

[DrCase]

We have a guy in town that is growing them to sell
They are all on pulled up raised beds , the Mexicans cover them and uncover with the temp
I looked out at them today they are growing good

 

[iluvmario]

I have the hardest time with strawberries. First I bought seeds which take two years to fruit (I found this out later). Then I killed them with fertilizer. Then I finally got some to grow and snails killed them. Sigh, I am going to try again this year.

 

[loopyloo]

I think that I am going to try pots. My MIL had the hardest time with the snails and ended up killing the plants to deal with the pests. Its to bad because they are a very beautiful plant. I love the way the red splashes color on the green in the garden.

 

[sharp square]

I live in the south and they tend to do pretty well down here with minimal effort. I have been planting mine in a seperate raised bed which allows me to fertilize them as needed and offers plenty of room for them to grow. Production varies from year to year depending on the weather conditions but overall i have seen some great results.

 

[Arzosah]

If your soil suits them - then go for it! They don't have *big* roots like a tree or anything, and they spread through runners so they're very easily seen - just needs a bit of easy maintenance, thats all. I've got loads of strawberries volunteering to come live in my garden and I love them.

 

[dconklin]

I think that I am going to try pots. My MIL had the hardest time with the snails and ended up killing the plants to deal with the pests. Its to bad because they are a very beautiful plant. I love the way the red splashes color on the green in the garden.

The first year that I had my strawberry plants I started them in pots. I kept them in the pots for the season but found it was not enough room for them. I transplanted them into the garden and still didn't have much luck with them. The plants didn't take over like the wild strawberries we have all over (they literally take over if you do not pull them.) The ones I planted didn't really produce much either, even tho the plants looked healthy each year.

We will see how they do this year, if nothing I may pull them out. I wish you luck with them! I am sure it was just me that had problems with them tho.

 

[loopyloo]

I saw a photo online of a great strawberry garden. It was a series of troughs like a rain gutter above head. As the strawberries grew they cascaded down. It was both beautiful and efficient. It would be a great way to shade a deck or have a garden arch. I wish I had a large yard so I could try these things with out without giving up my current working garden. I might try a small run of strawberries off my handrail on my porch and see if I can get good growth.

 

[dconklin]

I saw a photo online of a great strawberry garden. It was a series of troughs like a rain gutter above head. As the strawberries grew they cascaded down. It was both beautiful and efficient. It would be a great way to shade a deck or have a garden arch. I wish I had a large yard so I could try these things with out without giving up my current working garden. I might try a small run of strawberries off my handrail on my porch and see if I can get good growth.

Let us know the secret if you get a lot of fruit off of them please My plants are always nice and green and they also have been spreading (tho not too far), but I just can't get more the 5 strawberries across the 4 plants I have planted. I am sure it is me as we have local farmers with beautiful strawberry fields!

 

[mrsbatista]

I don't think so, my grandmother plants some every spring. Her strawberries always grow to a good size and he get so many. she doesn't use anything special just plants the seeds and waters them.

 

[headfullofbees]

I grow strawberries in containers.
I find the runners useful, and I replace approx 1/3rd of my 50 plants every year with them.
The problems are trivial, and my missus loves her strawberries.