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Alpine strawberries are much prettier than the beefy modern garden varieties, with small white flowers and fruit held high, often above the leaves. They bear fruit throughout the summer months, with production peaking in mid-summer, and are tough little plants that can tolerate a variety of soils and withstand drought. Great as a cover crop to prevent those nasty weeds from taking over your garden.
Plant 12 inches (30 cms) apart, and if you want them in rows, these should also be 12 inches apart. They should go into well-manured soil that you keep damp until they’ve settled in and are growing away.
There are ways to encourage larger berries. Alpines are very hungry strawberries, more so than their more popular cousins, and research shows that they need a soil that is rich in humus and slightly acidic (remember they’re primarily woodland plants). So, adding bucket-loads of well-rotted compost to the soil every year will please them no end.
They’ll also appreciate the wood ash from your bonfire for the potash content, though don’t overdo this as wood ash is alkaline.
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