Buying Plug Plants?

[Garfiun]

Is it ok to buy plug lants and if there are any what are the downfalls?

[stanhol]

The only type i wouldnt buy is any brassics. If you dont have club root in your garden you dont want it because once there you cant get rid of it. Brassicas obviously carry this so always sow your own.

Good luck, Sandra

[Garfiun]

So do you think it would be ok to get grape and strawberry plant plugs?

[Lesley Jay]

Strawberries are fine as plug plants and its probably the best way to buy them. Grapes though will be sold as a vine - only a short vine, not a big one. Fruit bushes can be expensive to buy and for the last few years the supermarket Aldi has been selling bare rooted fruit trees and fruit bushes for about £1.99. They usually start selling them in February and you might get a grape vine there. There are different special offers each week on these fruit bushes and because of the price they sell quickly. I think you can sign up for their newsletter which lets you know the week before what the offers are. Woolies, Wilkinson and Lidl also sell fruit bushes.

[Garfiun]

Thank you and if i bought strawberry plugs or a small grape vine then would they grow even now so late in the year?

[Lesley Jay]

It's getting too late now. The ideal time to plant new strawberry plants is March. You can buy both plug plants and bare rooted plants (which are plants that do not have any soil around their roots). I think you will find that the bare rooted plants are cheaper. The ideal time to plant Grape vines is between October and March when they are dormant. However, container grown fruit bushes can be planted at any time of the year.

[Garfiun]

I would container grow them and i have bought 2 strawberry plug plants.

[Lesley Jay]

Sorry Garfiun my last sentence about container grown plants is not clear!!

What I mean't to say was that fruit bushes bought from the garden centre already growing in pots or containers can be planted at any time of the year.

Bare rooted fruit bushes, which are usually sold in a plastic bag, must be planted while the plant is still dormant which is over winter before March.

The strawberry plants you have will die down over the winter but start growing again next spring.

[Garfiun]

I have recieved my strawberry plants and they came in pots and i also now have got a small grape vine.
What is the best way to look after them ?

[jamesmiddz]

Buying plug plants is fine for brassicas and the such like, but I have to say, if you can afford the room, it's great growing your crops from seed. You learn a lot more about a plant when you see it into the world. You save a lot of money too, especially if you buy near-sell-by-date seed stock (car boot sales are a good place to look for this).

There really is something amasing in seeing your seedlings pop up out of the soil; it's one of the greatest perks of gardening.