Growing Alpine Strawberries from Seeds

[applestar]

My Alpine strawberries sprouted!

Now that they have shown themselves to be alive and well, I wanted to document the process until they are planted out. Crossing fingers nothing dire happens to them

-- this is my first time *intentionally* growing strawberries from seeds, so any tips and advice would be greatly appreciated.

I sowed two varieties -- Yellow Wonder and White Soul -- in a thoroughly dampened gritty mix of DE (UltraSorb), coir, and Espoma organic potting mix... put the container in a polyethylene produce bag, and put it out in the unheated garage for two weeks to cold stratefy as instructed on the seed packet. Then brought the container inside, bottom watered thoroughly, and placed it, still covered, over the heating mat so the temperature would be around low to mid 70's during the day and fall to mid to upper 60's during the night. I misted the top a couple of times when condensation failed to form on the inside surface of the plastic bag.

I discovered the seedlings had sprouted this evening

image.jpg (86.53 KiB) Viewed 15052 times

I've positioned risers over the heating mat so the top of the container is close to the T-5 tubes and the seedlings will get plenty of light. This would also remove the container from the heat mat and lower the temperature a little bit, so if it seems like they NEED the extra warmth, I'll move the container up to the 2nd shelf.

[applestar]

I was going to take another picture this morning, but there really isn't any change. I was told Alpine strawberries are very slow to grow -- they are definitely not like the tomato seedlings!

[jbockenfeld]

They look good. Mine were slow but I only have 1 left now. I credit it to the crappy light and I turned the thermostat down to 70 making it dip lower and the next day only one was not withered.

[applestar]

It's SO disappointing when they sprout but fail to thrive.

...will you try again? Even if they don't grow to size enough to bear fruits, since these are perennial,myou'll at least have started plants that will bear earlier and more next year.

I have limited space and will need the space for something else that will be started so if these fail, I may try but will have to do it on a smaller scale and in a different location.

[jbockenfeld]

Yes I am going to try restarting this weekend. I didn't freeze the first ones before and only the white souls sprouted. I only have one survivor of them so I'm going to move it into a different tray Without actually removing it from the soil. I don't have a warm mat either but it is next to a floor vent. Are the mats that important?

[rainbowgardener]

Yes, the mat is that important. Bottom heat works a lot better, because it is the soil you want to warm. As long as it is above freezing, the air temperature doesn't matter very much. And in front of a furnace vent is very drying/ dessicating. Very hard on plants.

The mats are not that expensive and once you have it, then you have a lot more flexibility about where your plants can be.

[jbockenfeld]

They aren't directly on the vent only near but my old house is cool and the new furnace air isnt as hot as the old ones. I will be getting a mat before I restart. My lone white soul can attest to the slowness. It may be my fault fit for the light issue and a weAK start without warm soil.

[applestar]

I almost didn't see these tiny true leaves

[rainbowgardener]

awwww..... so cute!

[jbockenfeld]

How old are they? My lone white soul is still in that stage. I started new seeds with the germination mat. Do they need light before they sprout?

[applestar]

According to my notes:

Strawberry Alpine, White Soul
Strawberry Alpine, Yellow Wonder

1/15/15 sowed in 1/2 gal Rice Milk. Inside veg bag, cold stratefy in garage 2wks.
>> 1/30 moved to WP1 over heat mat (low to mid 70's°F)
>> 2/8 sprouted! Uncovered veg bag. Raised container closer to light tubes.
>> 2/15 first true leaf

[jbockenfeld]

Here is mine. He's not alone anymore. I'm not sure how but after transfer To a small container I am getting a new sprout I think. He's small but right in front.

[applestar]

How are your little babies doing?

I noticed mine have 2nd true leaf now:

image.jpg (47.53 KiB) Viewed 14864 times

...this is VERY slow growing especially since they are inevitably compared to the broccoli/cabbage etc. and tomatoes/peppers, etc. that are growing right now.

I can't help thinking they are wasting all that space under the lights....

[jbockenfeld]

Here is the two survivors from the first round of seeds. They love the window but I'm repotting them this weekend and don't have a window suitable for the next pot cause of the cat. Round 2 seedlings are doing much better than round 1 did. I had a bad bag of red alpine seeds so I really hope these are white.

[applestar]

Yay! Looking good!
Mine have another tiny new leaf coming up.

[Joyfirst]

I got some alpine seeds from Baker Creek, the ones, that make runners. So I will join you soon. I already forgot -do I need to cold treat them?

[applestar]

Here are two of the alpine strawberry plants I started from seeds in the OP. I lost track of which ones are which so I don't know if these are Yellow Wonder or White Soul but -- can you see? -- they are starting to bloom and set fruits!

...I planted others in other areas of the garden -- one in a hanging basket, 3 in the top opening of a strawberry jar, couple more in a windowbox on the patio... (I even have a few more that I haven't planted yet and are looking a bit stunted) But these two planted in cement block holes were first to be planted, and the first to bloom.

[ucan]

I cheat and use a lee valley seed starters with the water wicking felts set on a seed starter warm mat .. to grow my alpine straw berry from seed..I'm very impressed I would not have the patient's to do it the way you were able to..

[ucan]

I get my alpine seeds from the strawberry store .. all types of alpine strawberry seeds .

[applestar]

Thanks! I like trying different seed starting methods to see if they work as well as to practice those methods so I understand how they are supposed to work.

So have you grown Alpine strawberries before? How long do the plants last and how big do they get?

[applestar]

...just copying over some posts from elsewhere to update this thread...

10/31/15
Subject: Fruit Harvest from season to season

...

I'm actually harvesting some white alpine strawberries since I planted some in containers and brought them into the Garage V8 Nursery

11/26/15
Subject: Fruit Harvest from season to season

I'm still harvesting the White Soul alpine strawberries -- only one or two once or twice a week, but I brought the 3 gal container of another plant that was out on the patio inside -- and it currently has about a dozen berries at various stages -- so we will have more in addition to the two garage plants, soon.

My DD says that we have to wait until the berries are absolutely ripe, and refused to pick more than three from the ones in the garage yesterday. She is right that at that stage, they are scrumptiously and mouthwateringly sweet with delightful fragrance and full strawberry flavor. They also get soft and mushy in hours from picking. So not at all market-able and you'll never see them at a store. We gave the three berries to my parents yesterday when we went to visit.

As you might imagine, my elderly parents were very skeptical of these tiny "strawberries" that were ivory white with greenish cast to them from the seeds, and they wouldn't touch them until I MADE them eat them. But it was totally worth seeing their eyes light up with surprise and pleasure.

[applestar]

As I mentioned earlier, I overwintered some of the White Soul Alpines that were started from seeds last year.

Here's an update -- Different conditions. One still producing a few every week. Ones in the collage top left photo were picked a couple of days ago.

Top-right and Middle-left are in Garage V8 Nursery area.
Middle-right is in the house (Green Room by the window but far from supplemental lights)

Bottom-left was probably overwatered, and Bottom right got dried out plus it's in “Siberia” – uninsulated side of the garage near the garage door with overwintering Sweet Pepper SIPs (temp occasionally drops to near mid-20's).

[applestar]

Hopefully the few plants that were left outside will be winter hardy and come back in spring, but if not, these can be planted out later, and I should make sure to note which one is which (where they had been kept over the winter) to see how well they recover and grow during the season. That way, I'll have a better idea of the best way to overwinter them.

[HoneyBerry]

I have some type of wild strawberries. They are small and very good, better than the bigger strawberries that the supermarkets have. I've never heard of alpine strawberries before. I wonder if that is what I have. I want to plant more, so I think I'm going to try alpine strawberries. Applestar, you are such an inspiration. I'm going to have to quit my job so that I can keep up with all these gardening ideas coming from you - monarch butterflies, alpine strawberries, dehydrated garden tomatoes.

[applestar]

[HoneyBerry]

:flower:
I don't know where you get such super cool smileys. I'm not very smiley-savvy.
I can't stop thinking about growing alpine strawberries. The birds would love them, I am sure. That's fine because I don't mind sharing with the birds. Alpine Strawberries - that name makes me think of meadows and wikdflowers and snow capped mountains.

[applestar]

Here's the White Soul Alpine Strawberry plant that was overwintered in the garage V8 Nursery in the rounded rim terra cotta pot. It was starting to wilt every day so I Uppotted it in this hanging basket.



-- Last year, I decided it was too tedious to pick the berries from the ground -- even the cement block raised bed.

It's mild enough for it to stay out 24/7 so I'm hardening it off to the sun and then will hang it up. Right now, every time I'm on the patio, I enjoy the scrumptious smell of the ripening berries.

[AnnaIkona]

Hey Applestar, I just purchased some alpine strawberry seeds and was wondering if you have any begginers' tricks/tips/steps to get me started on these?

[applestar]

I was a beginner last year. Go back to the first post in this thread-- I described how I did it. All I can say is it worked. Haha.

[AnnaIkona]

I was a beginner last year. Go back to the first post in this thread-- I described how I did it. All I can say is it worked. Haha.

Do you think it would work if I just placed 'em under a desk lamp? I have successfully grown tomatoes and peppers that way.

[gardensgalore]

Wow, @applestar! Thanks for this diary growing guide for alpine strawberries! I'm such a gardening newbie that some of the terminology is beyond me, but I put ~10-20 alpine strawberry seeds in the freezer last week and will try to follow your steps.