Polytunnel strawberries

[Jo H]

Ive got a really good crop in hanging baskets from crop bars, only way to keep the mice off. The only problem is the TASTE. It's a bit bland. The variety is Mae and I left them outside till February as usual. Can anyone please recommend a good taster for early cropping under plastic?
Thanks
Jo

[cevenol jardin]

Mara de Bois
Remontant or perpetual- i grow these so i have a continous trickle into the kitchen.
These are the closest relative to the wild woodland strawberry and so have a very strong tasting fruit.
I have not grown them undercover so don't know if they'd like it. Under normal conditions my notes are as follows:

Harvest May - November
Spacing 30cm x 30cm
Care: Manure strawberry bed. Plant to ensure crown is level with the surface. Firm and & water thoroughly. Mulch pine needles.
Propogate in July. Peg runners into ground (or 8cm pots) to aid rooting. In late summer carefully lift the rooted plantlets sever from the parent and pot on or plant out late summer and autumn for an early crop next season. Runner production coincides with the end of fruiting on cropping plants.
Companion: Onions, garlic, borage, French beans. NOT brassicas.

[richard p]

ours are the result of half a dozen plants bought at a boot sale, havent got a clue what variety, they have spread round the tunnel , i just dig up a few of the larger(hopefully older)when i want to plant something else. i tend to keep them on the dry side as i think this helps the flavour as it does with the tomatoes. started picking a few in mid april this year, got a soup plate full yesterday, plate was empty as soon as the kids found it in the kitchen

[Jo H]

Thanks. I will try Mara de Bois and Gariguette recommended by Ken Muir although they say that all strawberries forced under cover will have loss of flavour. You can't have it both ways!