When I was little my dad and I planted 10 strawberry plants, and then just kept multiplying and multiplying.... and then one year they were crowded by weeds. (That lazy father of mine!) My family recently moved, and before we left, I managed to find about 8 tiny strawberry plants and I potted them and brought them with me. They were doing well until they were infested with bugs, and all but one plant died. It has been a couple of months now and this little lonely plant is still going strong, howerver it is still very tiny because my cat just cant help himself from biting off its leaves. Against all odds, my strawberry plant is still alive and I am hoping to plant it in the ground this year. I am now living in northern Maine, and I'm pretty sure my hardiness zone is zone 4. I dont want to kill this plant, so please help me! Is it possible for this plant to make runners, or do I need to plants for that to work? Will it survive in the ground up here in the cold?

Kurlie77,

Can I ask a couple of questions about your plants?
When you first got your strawberries before they got the bugs, how did you plant them??
Very important!!!
Planting them the right way is HALF your battle of growing strawberries...

If you plant them too deep they will struggle, maybe even die, if you plant them too far out of the ground, again, same thing can happen....
Whe they struggle they often send out signals to bugs, they aren't happy as to HOW they are planted and that's maybe why they got the bugs.
The plants need to be planted half way in/half way out....(*I desperately need a pencil here.*)
The roots need to be in the dirt, and the bottom of the plant needs to be allllllmost setting on top of the soil...

When your plant is happy, it will send out runners alllllllll on it's own... but remember
when the plant is busy sending out runners, it really doesn't produce fruit...
And you really should make sure it establishes it's root's first before major fruit production.

Also, the dirt, what kind is it, clay, sandy,
organic??? They don't like to sit in wet.....
Nice tilled dirt and compost mixed in...
plant and cover the area next to the plant
with something like newspaper and put a nice
layer on top of newspaper, and not toooooo close
to the base of the plant, you don't want it to get too moist and invite more bugs..
And the compost and newpaper will moisten up, and that'll make a nice area for your runner's to run to and make a new plant.

Weezie

P/S Welcome to The Garden Helper's Forum!!!!
We are very glad you found us!!!
There's so much to do here, lot's to keep you busy!
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Jump right on in!!!!

* * * *
Weezie

Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2





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Kurlie77,

Here's some info from here at the Garden Helper..
Growing Strawberries

I also found one for you, that has some pictures of how to plant your plant...
Growing Strawberries from The University of Illinois Extention
It shows how to not have it too deep or too far out of the ground...

quote:

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I used regular potting soil, is that okay?

---

I personally have never planted them that way, persay, I do use a potting soil/compost mix to start them from the pile if I want one to root from the mama to the pot in the summer, but I've never left it there..
Mine are in the outside dirt with compost..
But they do come that way, and I do root mine in it, so I don't see the harm, especially if you are planting it out side come spring/summer.
I do see kits for sale when they sell the stackable pots, straw. berry plants and do send a bag of potting soil to plant them in...
So, again, I don't see anything bad about it.

I would try to add some drainage though, or tilt it to one side to keep the water away from the plant and the roots can go to the water and not have to sit in the water, does that make sense?

quote:

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Also, I still dont know when to plant it in the ground.

---

Without being in your state, but being in the upper North East with you, I'd have to say around,
Very late April/ May.... *****depends on your area, snow, frosts, we've had snow here on May 8th one year.****
But strawberries are very cold tolerant, but what I would do is wait a bit for putting it out...

Do you have it in the house growing???

If you do, I'd leave it where it is for right now, you have to harden your plant off before you can put it completely out side...
Hardening off, could be wait until your days start to get a wee~bit warmer, and set your plant out side, BUT NOT IN THE DIRECT SUNLIGHT AT FIRST!
Dappled sunlight is great, let it get used to the sun, and breezes against it, couple of hours each day, and then eventually leave it out a little bit longer each day, and a wee bit into the night hours..so it can get used to out door temps and night temps...
I have everything planted "by the grace of GOD" by Memorial Day Weekend... I would think you'd be along the same schedule..
*Do you know your growing zone?..*
Here's a Growing Zone Map from TGH.
You might even be a zone higher than me, so you should be looking at an earlier growing time than me...

Hope this helps to narrow some of it down for you!

Weezie

P/S Please keep us posted on your little strawberry plant, we LOVE updates , to see how they did or didn't do Good or bad
That's how we all learn!!!

* * * *
Weezie

Don't forget to be kind to strangers. For some who have
done this have entertained angels without realizing it.
- Bible - Hebrews 13:2





http://photobucket.com/albums/y250/weezie13/