Is it too cold to grow strawberries in Wellington?

aldis, Feb 7, 10:15pm
My mother grows really lovely juicy, sweet and large strawberries in her garden in the Waikato. She has an abundance of them.
Here in Wellington, near the sea in Petone I struggle to get any decent strawberries. The plants were put in before Labour weekend (same time as I planted mums) into nice and lush, rich potting mix. They have also been irrigated with a dripper in the soil. I'm just wondering if the cold maritime air temperatures don't suit growing strawberries? Tomatoes are also a problem, there seems to be enough green fruit but they stay green a very long time.
tigra, Feb 8, 1:26am
I'm in Lower Hutt which is mostly 2 -3 degrees warmer than most of Wellington. been growing strawberries for years picked something like 30 kg from my 50 plants this year. Coming to the end of fruiting now tho.
tigra, Feb 8, 1:28am
Just re-read the #1 putting them in just before Labour weekend is a bit late but should be good for next year. Just clean out all the old dry leaves and give them a good side fertiliser about August.
crackerjack19, Feb 8, 1:46am
We grew Strawberries in the UK and I have grown them in the Wellington area too. So location, (sunshine) and drainage and fertilizer supply are determining factors. Strawberries are gross feeders but over doing any of the afore mentioned can result in (literally) heartless fruit.
aldis, Feb 8, 2:27am
Thanks for your reply, I guess lots depends on the microclimate, we are very close to the coast. I read somewhere they like hot soil, which I guess is why the commercial growers cover the strawberry mounds with black polythene.
ira78, Feb 9, 4:43pm
We get at least a few strawberries every day for most of the summer in Whiteman's valley, and we're generally a few degrees cooler than Wellington.
macandrosie, Feb 9, 4:57pm
We have them & were in Southland. Heat & water! Don't let them get too dry!
lythande1, Jul 9, 2:43am
Potting mix. bleh.
Use compost, home made.
They also really like leaf mulch.
And they don't like too much water - water when dry, off the leaves, a long soak now and then, not shallow watering.