Hanging basket strawberry Fragaria × ananassa

• Type: perennial everbearing fruit plant, trailing
• Botanical name: Fragaria × ananassa
• Height and spread: 15–20 cm, runners trail 30–60 cm
• Harvest: May–June until autumn, in flushes
• Light: full sun
• Soil: fertile, slightly acidic, evenly moist
• Hardiness: in a basket overwinter in a cool room or insulate
• Use: balcony, terrace, hanging baskets, fresh berries
• Size: hanging basket

Planting. The basket is planted and ready – hang it after the last frosts in a sunny spot sheltered from wind. When repotting, use a container at least 25 cm wide with good drainage.

Watering and feeding. Baskets dry out fast – water daily, twice in hot weather, but avoid standing water. Feed every two weeks during flowering and fruiting with a potassium-rich berry fertiliser.

Care. Pick ripe berries regularly to encourage new flowers. Remove dead leaves. After the last harvest cut off surplus runners. For winter move the basket to a cool, bright room (0…+5 °C) and water sparingly, or plant it out in a strawberry bed.

Gardener's tip. Hanging strawberries crop best in their first two years; after 2–3 years replace the plant or root the strongest runners close to the mother plant.