Strawberry

‘Fragaria’ means fragrant, and most supermarket strawberries are neither sweet nor fragrant. They are hard-fleshed and deceptively disappointing compared to true summer and autumn heirlooms. Different types of strawberries require different maintenance techniques. Woodland strawberries (F. vesca) and Alpine strawberries (F. vesca semperflorens) are bushy, runnerless and the easiest to manage. Strawberries with large fruits are divided into two groups: summer and ever-bearing. They are best grown in matted rows using weed mat, pine needles or straw as a mulch.