Slow Strawberries

[Jill @ Lilliworm]

I started strawberries indoors from seeds (more like root bunches). I moved them outside to my new garden, but they are still so small?

Do strawberries take a long time to get started? Any berry-specific advice?

[Gustav]

I haven't planted strawberries from seeds as it is my understanding that they take quite long to become a decent plant. I rather purchase an adult plant & leave it to make runners for new plants. I baught 22 plants last year & have more than 1000 produced from them.

I'm gonna plant some alpine white & yellow & giant red seeds in 2 months time since I can't get the plants anywhere.

[applestar]

I haven't intentionally started strawberries from seed either. But FWIW, two winters ago, I noticed a tiny strawberry seedling starting to grow in a container of another plant. I believe it may have grown from a whim experiment -- strawberry seeds left in the bottom of a home made strawberry smoothie (frozen home grown strawberries from previous season) that I scratched into the soil.

I took care to put the plant in a cool window to help the baby strawberry plant, and in spring, I separated it and potted it up in its own pot. I set it outside in my kitchen garden where I could keep a close eye on it and it grew well through the season. After its second winter, this time outside, it has been producing flowers and fruits this spring.

Sometimes, I see strawberry seeds of varieties specifically described as "will bear fruit this season". I believe they are supposed to be started in January. So I would infer that most strawberry varieties will NOT bear fruit within the same season they are started from seed.

[Jill @ Lilliworm]

Good to hear. Today I can see four more little plants coming up- and the ones that are already up have a few more leaves.

I had heard certain types can take a season before they'll flower, but I wanted to hear it from some experienced berry-growers.

Thanks!