Alpine/woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca)
Generally trouble-free perennials, Alpine strawberries are hardy in the UK where they will produce berries from June to October. They will grow in full sun but do better in areas with a bit of dappled shade, so are ideal as groundcover for underplanting fruit bushes, perennial kales, etc. (they will fruit with as little as four hours of sun a day).
Alpine strawberries are not fussy and will survive in most garden soils, but they bear the most and best-tasting fruits in soils that are well-aerated, moisture retentive, and rich in organic matter. They will quickly naturalize in the garden and plants will self-seed readily once established.
Plants can easily be transplanted, though they should be watered in well if the weather is warm and dry. Alpine strawberries have shallow roots and will benefit from mulching if surrounded by areas of bare soil. You can use compost, leaf mould, pine needles, straw or other organic material.
After a couple of years, dig up and divide mature crowns in early spring. This will rejuvenate and multiply your plants.
Seeds are best sown in late winter or early spring. Sprinkle evenly over a tray filled with a well-drained potting mix. Just barely cover the seed, then water with a fine mist. The seeds will not germinate all at once, so don’t disturb the seedlings for a few weeks after the first ones emerge. After about a month of growth, the seedlings should be sturdy enough to be replanted into individual pots. Small plants can be quite frost tender, so plant outdoors when all danger of frost has passed.