Repotting guide

When & how to repot Mignonette Alpine Strawberry (Fragaria vesca 'Mignonette')

Also called Mignonette Alpine Strawberry, Alpine Strawberry, Fraise des Bois.

More about mignonette alpine strawberry

About Mignonette Alpine Strawberry

Fragaria vesca 'Mignonette' · also called Mignonette Alpine Strawberry, Alpine Strawberry · edible

Mignonette is a classic French alpine strawberry selection producing small, conical red berries with exceptional fragrance and a rich, aromatic flavour. Runner-free and long-bearing, it crops reliably from early summer into autumn. An ideal edging or container plant, it tolerates more shade than garden strawberries and requires minimal maintenance once established.

Mature size: 20–25 cm tall, 20–30 cm wide

Watch for — Vine weevil larvae: Grubs eat roots from late summer onward, causing sudden wilting and plant collapse. Apply pathogenic nematodes (Steinernema kraussei) to moist soil in late August–September for biological control.

How to tell mignonette alpine strawberry needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For mignonette alpine strawberry, watch for these signs:

Roots circling the bottom of the module or pot, or poking out of the drainage holes.
The seedling dries out within a day and growth has visibly stalled.
Roots are white and matted in a tight spiral when you tip the plant out.
It has outgrown its current container for the stage of the season — pot mignonette alpine strawberry on before it becomes hard root-bound.

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot mignonette alpine strawberry

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot. Mignonette Alpine Strawberryis grown for one season, so the question is really “how often to pot on” — keep moving it up before the roots circle. Compact, runner-free rosette forming a tidy mound; spreads slowly by self-seeding in suitable conditions.

What size pot to step mignonette alpine strawberry up to

Pot mignonette alpine strawberry on gradually — a seedling jumped straight into a huge pot sits in cold, wet, airless soil and stalls. Step up one or two sizes at a time as the roots fill each container, finishing in a large final pot or the ground. The aim is roots that never circle and never check.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot mignonette alpine strawberry

Pot mignonette alpine strawberry on through the active growing season, whenever roots fill the current container — there is no single date, just "before it becomes root-bound". Avoid potting on during a cold snap.

Step-by-step: repotting mignonette alpine strawberry

Pot on before it is root-bound. Check mignonette alpine strawberry regularly; move it up as soon as roots reach the edge of the cell or pot, not after they have circled.
Step up one or two sizes. Choose the next container up — not a giant one. Cold, wet, unused soil around a small root system stalls seedlings.
Knock it out gently. Support the stem, tip the pot, and ease the rootball out without breaking it. A little teasing of circled roots at the base is fine.
Pot into rich mix. Set it into fresh humus-rich, free-draining loam; ph 5.5–6.5 at the same depth (tomatoes are the exception — they can go deeper to root along the stem).
Water in and grow on. Water well, keep it in good light, and resume feeding once it is established and growing again.

Aftercare

Water mignonette alpine strawberry in well and keep it in bright light; a freshly potted-on seedling can wilt for a day while roots settle, so do not overcompensate by drowning it. Do not fertilise for about 1 week — fresh mix already carries nutrients and feeding freshly disturbed roots scorches them.

The right soil mix for mignonette alpine strawberry

Mignonette Alpine Strawberry wants humus-rich, free-draining loam; ph 5.5–6.5. Incorporate well-rotted compost or aged manure before planting. Avoid compacted or poorly draining soils. For containers, mix peat-free compost with 20–25% perlite or horticultural grit. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting mignonette alpine strawberry — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot mignonette alpine strawberry?

Pot on seedlings as they grow; not a perennial repot for mignonette alpine strawberry. Mignonette Alpine Strawberry is a seasonal crop, so you pot it on as a growing plant rather than repotting a perennial. Step seedlings up gradually into humus-rich, free-draining loam; ph 5.5–6.5 so the roots never circle the cell, ending in a large final container. A root-bound transplant stalls and never fully recovers.

What size pot does mignonette alpine strawberry need?

When is the best time of year to repot mignonette alpine strawberry?

Can you put mignonette alpine strawberry straight into a much bigger pot?

No. Even a fast-growing mignonette alpine strawberry should only go up one pot size at a time. A vastly oversized pot holds a reservoir of wet soil the roots cannot reach, which stays cold and soggy and rots the roots — the opposite of what you wanted.

Should you fertilise mignonette alpine strawberry after repotting?

Not immediately. Wait about 1 week after repotting mignonette alpine strawberry. Fresh mix already contains nutrients, and feeding freshly cut or disturbed roots burns them. Resume your normal feeding routine once you see new growth.