Fragaria vesca

Alexandra is an alpine strawberry with deep red fruit. An everbearing plant that sets fruit buds when temperatures at night are below 50 degrees F. Alexandra produces no runners but grows in a clump like manner. Height 6" to 10" tall. Excellent as a ground cover or in rock gardens or borders. The species is native to the Scandinavian forests of Europe. Fruits are soft, flavorful, and gourmet. Zones 3-7. Space 1' circle. Pictured is a 3/4 gallon size.

Strawberries are among the first fruits of the season
Strawberries grow best in good garden soil. Space plants 1'to 1 1/2' apart. If you are putting them in rows, the rows should be 4' apart. Remove the strawberry from the pot, gently loosen the soil from the bottom and sides of the root mass, combing a few inches of roots away from the root mass. These roots should be incorporated into your soil. Don't plant the strawberry in the ground deeper than the pots' soil line.

Compost, fertilizer, manures etc. do not need to be around the newly planted roots. These can be applied on the ground after the plant has taken hold in your soil.

Watering regularly will give the best results, especially after planting & up to3 weeks after planting.

Keeping weeds out will help the runners get established. Do not over fertilize, 1/2 pound to 1 pound of 10-10-10 for a space 10' by 10' is fine, and can be applied in the spring and late summer.

Mulching newly set plants will make for a clean bed and cleaner fruit. We have always used sections of baled straw @ 2-4" thick. We lay the squares up to the newly set plants covering the exposed soil When these mother plants send out runners, the runners will root through the straw.

As the seasons progress (usually the following spring) bed renovation will keep your plants productive. After fruiting the plants can be mowed with a lawn mower at its highest setting. Cultivate the row back to a 12-18" width by hand or with a rototiller. Remove weeds and excess plants, so that each plant has 3-5" spacing. Fertilize, compost and water well.

For Selva, Tristar & Everbearing Wild Red (Everbearing Day neutral Culture)

Because of their unique fruiting habits, the culture for these varieties need extra attention. Recommendations are as follows:
1. Spacing should be 7" between plants in staggered double rows. Distance between rows is most efficient at 42-48".
2. Plants do best if grown on raised beds with black plastic mulch (a thick straw mulch is a good alternative). A mulch will retain moisture, maintain a cool soil temperature and keep weeds down.
3. Since fruit is most prolific from the mother plant, it is recommended they you remove all runners during the first year. By removing the runners, all energy goes to the mother plant for producing fruit.
4. To support the extended fruiting season these varieties require an ample supply of water (1-2" per week) and nutrients by regular side dressing throughout the summer.
5. Size and productivity may drop off slightly during the heat of summer but will return with good flavor with cooler fall weather.
6. To help plants over for a second year, mulch plants in the fall as you would with other strawberry varieties. In early spring, remove the mulch and place in between rows. Do not renovate the bed as with June bearers.