Planting - Strawberries

Strawberries were the first plant I decided on whey I started thinking about what to grow; they're one of those luxuries that I can very rarely justify buying at the supermarket 'cos they cost so much and never fail to disappoint!  I rember the beauties that we used to bring home from (okay, eat at) the pick-your-own-fruit farms when we were little and would just love to recapture that flavour.

For my foray into strawberry growing I have chosen a selection of different strawberry plants housed in this very stylish planter from Lakeland.  It has handy side drainage to prevent me waterlogging the plants and lots of little pockets on the side for them to poke out of.  The pockets could possibly use being a little larger but with a little help from my scissors the baby strawberries nestled comfortably into their new home.

My crop will consist of:

• Honeoey: Early Season -"Fine bright red, firm fruit with superb flavour.  Heavy-cropping plants with easily picked fruit.  Good for dessert and freezing."
• Hapil: Mid Season- "Very large orange-red, conical fruit with delicious flavour.  Vigorous, heavy-cropping, lush plants"
• Cambridge Favourite: Mid Season - "Medium-large, pale pink/red conical fruit with good flavour.  Vigorous heavy-cropping, disease resistant plants. Good for jam making"
• Rhapsody: Late Season - "Large, glossy red fruit with flesh that is juicy, firm and flavoursome"

Obviously with only 10 plants I won't be gorging on strawberries all summer but I'm hoping that these will take well and provide me with runners to tend through the winter resulting in even more delicious fruit next year!