Strawberry 'Sweet Colossus'

• Strawberries should be planted out as soon as possible - only plant outdoors once all risk of frost has gone.
  Plant in a sunny and sheltered position in fertile, free-draining soil. Poor soil can be improved by adding compost or well-rotted manure prior to planting.
• Give your strawberries plenty of space. Dig a hole with a trowel big enough to take the roots of the plant. Plant them 45cm (18in) apart, leaving 75cm (30in) between rows - the crown should be level with the soil surface.
  If you plant strawberries too deep, they might rot, but if you leave the crown protruding from the soil, the plant will dry out and die. Firm your plants in well and water thoroughly.
• If you're planting into a basket, it's best to limit yourself to three or four strawberry plants in a 30cm (12in) basket. Add water-retaining granules and slow-release fertiliser into the compost before planting.
• Check the compost daily in hot weather – water if the top half-inch of compost feels dry.
• If growing strawberries in pots or hanging baskets, feed them every two weeks during the growing season with a balanced fertiliser. When flowering begins, switch to a high-potash liquid fertiliser to encourage good fruiting.
• As the fruits develop, place dry straw or mulching fabric underneath to stop splashes blemishing the fruit.
• After cropping, remove any straw and netting to allow better air flow around the crown of the plant.
• As the summer progresses, keep on top of weeding and continue to remove any runners. Clear away dead foliage as this can harbour pests and diseases over winter.
• Each spring spread a general-purpose fertiliser around your plants along with a mulch of well-rotted manure or compost.

Please allow us 3-5 working days to dispatch your order. Pre-ordered items will be sent as soon as possible after the date quoted and we'll generally ship your entire order with your pre-ordered items. When your order is dispatched, we'll send you another email with details of how to track it.

Most orders are sent on a fully-tracked courier service with Yodel. To avoid perishable items being stuck at depots and deteriorating, no signature is required, and our courier is asked to leave your order in a safe place on your property.

We'll send a tracking link when we dispatch your order, so you know when its due to arrive. Please note, once delivered we cannot be held responsible for loss or theft from your property. If you have any specific delivery instructions, please let us know - there's an option to enter a short message for the courier at the checkout.

Smaller, lighter, single-item orders may be sent through the post with Royal Mail - in which case no tracking is available.

Our experienced nursery team will always send your plants nursery fresh in the perfect condition to thrive when you plant them, so although most plants are very tough and will not be affected by all but the most extreme frosts or heatwaves, we avoid dispatching the most perishable plants if extreme weather is forecast, or over Bank Holiday weekends.

Please note, we cannot guarantee delivery on a certain day or time. Delivery to outlying postcode areas may take 1-2 days longer, dependent on your location.