Growing
Water frequently while new plants are establishing. Also water during dry periods in the growing season. Try to avoid wetting crowns and fruit as this can promote disease.
In early spring, apply general fertiliser such as Grow more at a rate of 50g per sq m (2oz per sq yd). During the growing season, give strawberry plants a liquid potash feed – such as a tomato feed – every 7 to 14 days.
Netting may be required to protect from birds. If squirrels are a problem, protect with wire mesh. In May, protect your bed with fleece if overnight frost threatens developing fruits.
As fruits start to develop, tuck straw or fibre mats underneath plants to keep fruit clean. This will also help suppress weeds. Pull out any weeds that do emerge.
After cropping has finished, cut off old leaves from summer-fruiting strawberries to allow fresh leaves to develop. This isn't necessary with autumn fruiting plants, instead just remove old leaves in the end of season clear up. Also remove the straw mulch, fibre mat, or black polythene, to prevent a build-up of pests and diseases. Take off any netting so birds can feed on any pests.
Expect strawberry plants to crop successfully for four years before replacing them. Rotate your strawberry patch onto fresh ground to minimise the risk of disease build up in the soil.
Planting
Strawberries are so versatile – they just need sun, shelter, and fertile, well-drained soil. Avoid areas prone to frost and soils that have previously grown potatoes, chrysanthemums, or tomatoes because they are all prone to the disease verticillium wilt.
Strawberries are traditionally grown in rows directly into garden soil. In poor soils grow in raised beds, which improves drainage and increases rooting depth. Alternatively, try growing in containers or growing-bags.
Avoid windy sites which will prevent pollinating insects from reaching the flowers.
Buy plants from a reputable supplier so that cultivars are true to type plants are disease free.
Strawberries can be bought as potted plants or bare-rooted runners.
Strawberries for sale in pots or packs (normally from late spring onwards) can be planted as soon as you buy them.
Runners look like little pieces of roots with very few leaves. Don’t be alarmed, this is how they should look. You can buy runners from late summer to early spring, and they should be planted in early autumn, or early spring (avoid planting in winter when the ground is wet and cold).
You can also buy cold-stored runners. These can be planted from late spring to early summer and will fruit 60 days after planting.
Strawberry types
Summer-fruiting varieties have the largest fruit. They have a short but heavy cropping period over two or three weeks. There are early, mid-, and late fruiting cultivars cropping from early to mid-summer.
Perpetual strawberries – sometimes called everbearers – produce small flushes of fruits from early summer to early autumn. The crops are not so heavy as the summer-fruiting ones and the fruits are smaller, with the plants less likely to produce runners. Perpetual strawberries are useful for extending the season.
How to plant
Prepare your ground by digging in two buckets of well-rotted manure or garden compost per sq m (sq yd). Add a general purpose fertiliser such as Growmore at 100g per sq m (3oz per sq yd).
Measure out planting holes 35cm (14in) apart. Space rows 75cm (30in) apart. Dig out a hole large enough to accommodate the roots. Trim the roots lightly to 10cm (4in) if necessary, then spread them out in the hole. Ensure that the base of the crown rests lightly on the surface before firming in gently. Planting at the correct depth is important: if the crown is planted too deeply it will rot; if it is planted too shallowly the plants will dry out and die. Water the plants in well.
If planting in the autumn or early spring, remove the first flush of flowers of perpetual strawberries, but remove flowers of summer strawberries only if the plants are weak.
If you've planted cold-stored runners in late spring to early summer, leave the flowers on. These will produce strawberries in 60 days, reverting to their natural cropping period the following year.
|