Advice on strawberry plants needed please

[TwoToTango]

I've just been and bought a strawberry jar with plants in it. Is it OK to put it outside or is it to early (I know I can't put tomatoes outside yet but didn't think to ask about the strawberry plant). It doesn't say on the label.

TIA

Is it right that you should pick of the first lot of white flowers?

mine are outside, but in a sunny sheltered spot. not sure about the picking the 1st flowers though, interested to know trhe answer

Think I'll put it outside and cover it with newspaper if we have frost just to be on the safe side. Thanks

or an old blanket, then if it rains you wont be picking bits of pater up for ever, or windy chasing them round the garden
good lick, i grow strawberries every year but in the summer my 2 year old goes out after breakfast and eats them all

the flowers become the berrys so no don't pick them. you should pick off the 1st runners so that the plant puts energy into making berries and not more runners.
i leave my outside all winter uncovered and they come up every year.

Hi TTT.....I should think it would be OK to put the plants outside, as long as they're in a reasonably sheltered spot. I know that with plants in the ground (as mine are) you'll get an earlier crop of fruit if you give them a bit of protection - a cloche or suchlike - but this may be tricky if they're planted up in a sort of tower arrangement. Good idea to cover them up at night, though. A bit of garden fleece might be easier to manage, but newspaper ought to be OK too.

The flowers will turn into the strawberries, so leave them on!

The BBC gardening website has some useful info on strawberry-growing here

Thanks for the info - espec on the flowers (I'm a bit of a novice and nearly made the same mistake on my tomatoes last year!!)

At the risk of sounding silly - what is garden fleece (didn't notice any at the garden centre

It usually comes in rolls and is just a thin synthetic material, a bit fleecy though not especially thick in texture, that you cut up to size and drape over whatever needs protecting in low temperatures. Garden-centre staff should know! It's quite useful, I find - I go outside at dusk and tuck up my tender plants at this time of year when there's still a bit of a chance of frost - like tucking kids into bed!

thanks Thrice - will get some tomorrow.

I've got some wire and some plastic and have made a homemade cloche over mine. I leave them in all year and water them with some comfrey about 4 times a year. I pick off first lot of runners for more fruit. I also threaten my kids with no tv if they go out and pick the ripe fruit before i notice them .