Strawberries from seed

[MissMoustache]

Hi all!

I'm wondering if you've grown strawberries from seed and what your favorite (s) were? Any tips or tricks I should know? I'm winter sowing and cold treating this year.

I have Pineapple and Mignonette (alpine) from Renee's Garden Seeds. I'm thinking about ordering seeds for Mara de Bois and either Toscana or Merlan.

I know I can't grow them from seed but I'm also planning on buying some pineberry plants and growing them.

My fruit gardening first priority is flavor I can't get from the local no spray you pick farm. The second is beauty. I prefer ever bearing for at home since I can get what I need for preserving locally and without chemicals. If it matters I can plant into raised beds or pots only.

So I'm considering doing a whole bed of strawberries with pink or red flowers (Toscana, Tristan, Ruby Ann, or Merlan) or maybe doing a bed that mixes in white flowered cultivars too. The other bed will be either pineberries or Mara de Bois (or both).

Which non white flowered strawberries taste the best? Anything I'm planning on buying not worth it? (Disease etc) And what are your favorite alpine strawberries?