Wild Strawberry Pink Marathon (everbearing) - Fragaria x vesca

Ideally, plant this variety in autumn. Choose a sunny location. It appreciates rich, deep, and well-drained soils that are slightly acidic. A few months before planting, loosen the soil and add a generous amount of well-rotted compost. If your soil is limestone, provide a mulch made of acidic materials (pine needles or bark). Remove weeds and rocks. Strawberry plants are good companions for garlic, beans, lettuce, onions, leeks, thyme, and spinach. However, they do not appreciate the company of cabbage and other brassicas. Strawberry plants remain in place for 3 to 4 years.

In the ground

Space the plants 35cm (14in) apart in all directions. Dig a hole, place the strawberry plant (the collar should be level with the ground), and cover with fine soil. Water thoroughly. If your soil is moist, plant them on mounds 10 to 20cm (4 to 8in) high.

In a pot

Place a layer of gravel or clay balls at the bottom of the pot to facilitate drainage. Fill the pot with a mixture of potting soil, garden soil, and compost. Place the strawberry plant, cover with soil, and firm it down. Water thoroughly.

Regularly weed. Mulch around the plants in summer to maintain soil moisture. Install a protective netting before the fruits turn red to avoid sharing your harvest with birds. You can also place ash or coffee grounds near the young plants to drive away slugs and snails. Water regularly, especially in hot weather. Remove dry leaves in autumn.

Apply compost on the surface in spring. In cool regions, install a tunnel in spring to protect the plants from spring frosts during flowering.

The plants need to be renewed every 3 or 4 years. This variety multiplies through adventive stems, which are small creeping stems that naturally root in the soil, forming new plants. To avoid exhausting the parent plant, cut the adventive stems and replant them if desired.

Wait 4 years before replanting strawberry plants in the same location.