Strawberry 'Toscana' – Sweet Garden Strawberry (Set of 3 or 6)

Strawberry 'Toscana' gives you sweet, plump berries from a plant that is as good to look at as it is to pick from.

It is a vigorous, well-tempered variety with good disease resistance, which makes it a sensible first strawberry for anyone who has not grown fruit before, and a reliable one for anyone who has. Growth is compact enough for a patio pot or a raised bed, and the plants crop well in the ground too. Expect medium-sized, conical berries with a full, sweet flavour.

Grow it in full sun in fertile soil that holds moisture but drains freely, and water regularly once the fruit is setting. A high-potash feed every week or two through flowering and fruiting will improve the crop. Strawberries are self-fertile so a single plant will fruit, but bees visiting the flowers noticeably improve the shape of the berries, which is a good reason not to net the plants until the fruit is actually forming. Plants tire after three or four years and are replaced from runners. Each plant is supplied as an established 1 litre root ball.

Cultural Information

• Common Name: Strawberry
• Fully Grown Height and Spread: 20cm to 30cm tall by 30cm to 40cm wide
• Growth Habit: Low, compact, spreading perennial
• Perfect For: Patio pots, raised beds, hanging baskets, kitchen gardens, growing with children
• Foliage: Dark green, glossy, three-part leaves, semi-evergreen in a mild winter
• Flowering Time: Late spring into autumn
• Planting Position: Full sun. Grows well in patio containers and baskets
• Soil Type: Fertile, moisture-retentive, well-drained
• Hardiness: Fully hardy across Britain, though pots and baskets appreciate some root protection in a hard winter
• Maintenance: Water and feed through fruiting, remove runners if you want fruit rather than new plants, replace after three or four years
• Seasonal Interest: Spring, summer and autumn
• Type: Hardy perennial fruit, grow your own