Strawberry Mignonette

Mignonette is a larger fruited alpine strawberry, prized for its fine flavour and wonderful aroma. The fruits can be enjoyed through summer and autumn, and as a perennial the plants will fruit again in future years. These are neat, bushy plants and they do not produce runners, making them ideal for edible edging, containers, or hanging baskets. SOW: in autumn or spring. Start seeds in a tray of soil free compost, barely covering the tiny seeds with finely sieved compost. Keep at around 20C until germination, either on a warm windowsill (moving them at night) or in a propagator. Prick out when large enough to handle and grow on in small pots. GROW: harden off before planting out allow 25 to 30cm between plants. Keep the area weed free, as they dislike competition. They prefer rich, moisture retaining soil and do particularly well with a little shade. Mignonette also grows happily in containers. ENJOY: the small, conical fruits are a real delight. Grow them where you’ll walk past often and you’re likely to be the first to spot them and eat them.