Soil for bedding

[snowdropparty]

I am a total novice to gardening and started last year with some patio pots lobelia/geranium/toms/strawberry.

I have just left them as they were over the winter and obviously all have died.

i wondered if I empty everything out can I put fresh soil in in March to get the containers ready and leave it until April /may to plant would that work?

Or is that too cold/long to leave the soil or should I keep some of the old soil?

Any advice is gratefully received!

Are the strawberries definitely dead? They're very Hardy so might just be looking scraggly in the winter. Give the strawberry plants a little tug to check that they're still rooted. If they're not, tip out the soil into another container and check for little white grubs. Strawberries in containers are notorious for getting a pest called vine weevil that eats the roots away.

• If Strawberries are rooted just cut off the dead looking leaves when the new leaves have come through.
• If they're riddled with vine weevil, chuck that soil.
• If no vine weevil, you don't need to replace the soil., maybe just get some plant food and revitalise it for next year. I'd maybe give fresh soil to the tomatoes though, as they're quite heavy feeders.

Great thank you. I will check the strawberries!