Kitchen Garden Forum

3 years ago I bought 2 lots of Strawberries - Mae and Marshmellow. Marshmellow I had grown before and knew it to be, as East Grinsted has recently described it, the best garden variety there is. I had hoped that Mae would be an earlier version, but no. Not only is it not earlier but in all other respects it is a little like comparing a premier league player (Marshmellow) with a non-league player. Its taste identifies it as a strawberry, but is 'firm', which presumably makes it good for commercial use. But worst of all it is very susceptible to mildew, botrytis, etc. In 3 years I have seldom got much edible fruit.

I would be interested to hear other peoples comments.

I'm also a big fan of Marshmellow....I have had a load of fruit from my original 10 plants that I got at GWL last year, and the first year runners have been a suprise, also a fair bit of fruit (even though I know you are supposed to stop them...)

I also love Gariguette, it's taste is just fantastic.

Bit late here with this but hey!

We bought three varieties of strawberry last year, Mae, Marshmello and Florence. We managed some fruits off Mae and then the weather detroyed the almost ready to eat berries of the other two.

This year Mae - plants dead or at best shrivelled and no berries. The other two prolific! Thought it may just be this year but, after reading this, looks as though the remaining plants will be pulled up and replaced by some runners from the other varieties

My Mae, Florence and the other one have been fabulous....loads of fruit off them all and loads of new runners too......I don't know what i've done apart from give them a good manuring in the winter and some seaweed in the spring.

Taste was wonderful on all of them too.