Strawberries Gourmet
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Landscaping
Strawberries Gourmet series are of a compact growth habit and are a perfect addition to the kitchen garden or as a border plant where young and old can easily pick the delicious fruit during the summer months. Ideal for container-pot on a patio or balcony. To make good use of limited space try a pyramid pot. Also great for baskets.
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Culinary & Nutrition
Strawberries have lots of vitamins, minerals, fibre and antioxidants. Other than just having this amazing sweet flavour that only strawberries have, they are actually healthy for you. To get the best out of your strawberries use ripe strawberries for best flavour and nutrient availability, if they can’t all be eaten or used, freeze surplus fruit quickly to preserve nutrients.
The only restriction on how to use strawberries is your imagination….
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Growing Conditions
A good sunny, well draining spot is all you need for Strawberries, might this be in the garden, containers/pots or in baskets. Keep foliage, flowers and fruit dry when watering, this helps prevent fungal diseases.
Growing your own Strawberries is the only way to ensure your fruit does not have any pesticide residues that are often used on commercial grown fruit crops.
Incredible Strawberry Varieties
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Incredible Experts
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Strawberry ‘Loran’ is part of the Gourmet strawberry series (3 varieties, Loran, Merlan and Tristan) All 3 varieties have a similar compact growth habit, (few or no runners) all are Day-neutral varieties, this means that they will flower and fruit all summer and well into Autumn compared to Short-day varieties that only fruit in spring and early summer.
For best fruiting all strawberries prefer a good sunny position, apply straw or similar around the strawberry plant to keep fruit nice and clean and help prevent fungal diseases. Apply a fertiliser that is a little high in Potassium (K) to encourage flowering (fruit). If watering is required during the summer months, try to keep the foliage and fruit dry, again to help prevent fungal diseases. Have bird netting handy to cover the strawberries as they colour, up as birds tend to get them before they fully ripen and are ready for picking.
The Gourmet strawberry series, due to their compact growing habit, are suitable for all types of planting positions, from kitchen gardens, to containers as well as hanging baskets.
Specifics of the 3 varieties;
Fragaria x ananassa ‘Loran’
Spreading habit
Compact plant with eye-catching deep green leaf
Strong everbearing (Day-neutral)
Few to no runners
Height 20-25cm width 25-35cm
Flowers and bears fruit onside crowns and runners
Single white flower
Large conical deep red fruit
Fruit has a sweet flavour
Yield per plant 500-750gr per plant
Fruit weight 14-25gr
Fragaria x ananassa ‘Merlan’
Spreading habit
Strong everbearing (Day-neutral)
Few to no runners
Height 20-25cm width 25-35cm
Single soft pink flower
Flowers and bears fruit onside crowns and runners
Deep red fruit with light sweet flavour
Yield per plant 500-750gr per plant
Fruit weight 10-25gr
Fragaria x ananassa ‘Tristan’
Spreading habit
Strong everbearing (Day-neutral)
Few to no runners
Height 20-25cm width 25-35cm
Single deep rose flower
Flowers and bears fruit onside crowns and runners
Elongated mid size fruit with a sweet flavour
Yield per plant 500-750gr per plant
Fruit weight 10-25gr