Help with Strawberries

[JoshRonin]

I would like to plant some strawberries, but thus far, I've had really no luck.

It started off with my first garden a few years ago, I got a few strawberry plants from walmart and put them into pots.  I was a beginner gardener and lost all but 1 of the plants.  The next spring I transfered that one plant to a bed.  I've never gotten any more than a small handful of berries from it, and they are mostly dime sized berries.  Its also never produced any runners.

Two years ago I bought 25 berry root balls from Parks.  I also got one of their strawberry growing bags.  Filled the bags with compost and peat, watered and stuck in the starters.  They never grew, they just seamed dead.  Last year I bought some from the hardware store and still had no luck.  Tried to soak them in a bowl of water for a few hours before I planted thinking that might do the trick but still nothing.

Any tips or suggestions to make a better berry grower.

[Ggirl]

Hmmmm, what part of the country do you live?

[Johnny-Max]

I have not tried growing any yet

[JoshRonin]

Live in Kansas.  Should I start some like I start the seeds to get them to awaken? 

[OffGridGrower]

josh: that plant you got from walmart sounds like the alpine strawberry, which in fact does produce very small berries and no runners, although their supposed to be very sweet., I've been able to get seeds started by broadcast them in a tray and keep the top on until most of them sprout. Keep moist until you transplant them. a seed heat mat would be helpful too, my goat got to my strawberry patch last year so i didnt get any either! I'm not sure if i will try again this year but if i do I will make sure the goat wont be able to get at them!