Cinnamon Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 My early strawbs are fat & reddening up now Do they need to have a bed of straw under them, as my neighbour says? Would Aubiose do? Any other tips on how I can keep them thriving? I feed them once a week with liqued seaweed, is that enough for them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 The straw is to keep them off the ground and the dirt and keep them clean and they need covered to keep the birds from them - your strawberries are well on and I am very as we love them and the ones in the shops meantime are rubbish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 You need to keep them clean and the birds and slugs off them. We are a way off ripe strawberries yet but we did have some nice British ones from Morrisons reduced section on Monday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redhotchick Posted May 21, 2009 Share Posted May 21, 2009 You must have a good sunny spot for them Sarah. My early ones are getting fatter but still green. I bought some Belgium ones today (that's what the trader said anyway!) They are small and tasty. Yum yum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 Lidl have an offer on at the mo for 6 strawberry plants so I went and bought 7 packs with the intention of filling this................ .....well when I say filling, I mean standing it near a wall so I only have to fill the out-pointing face. The lady I freecycled it from said it had about 40 holes, I can see nearly 30 just nearest the camera Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 You'll need to put some sort of 'tube with holes' in the middle of that Sha, so that you can water it easily and frequently. A piece of drainpipe with holes drilled in, or even hosepipe with holes stabbed in , will help. Lucky Sarah! - mine aren't going pink yet, which is good as we still need to get the roof netting back on the fruit cage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 Lidl have an offer on at the mo for 6 strawberry plants so I went and bought 7 packs with the intention of filling this................ .....well when I say filling, I mean standing it near a wall so I only have to fill the out-pointing face. The lady I freecycled it from said it had about 40 holes, I can see nearly 30 just nearest the camera Sha x Wow Sha! That is going to be a lot of strawberries!!! YUMMMMMMYYYYYY Strawberry jam, strawberry trifle, strawberry smoothie, strawberry.......... I am very Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted May 22, 2009 Share Posted May 22, 2009 I cant wait for my strawberries to come but i just have flowers at the minute! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted May 22, 2009 Author Share Posted May 22, 2009 You must have a good sunny spot for them Sarah. My early ones are getting fatter but still green. I bought some Belgium ones today (that's what the trader said anyway!) They are small and tasty. Yum yum. I got those packs from Aldi with 3 different types in, & they very early ones are reddeneing up now. The mid seasons are teeny & the lates still in flower. Hubby built a pigeon proof cage for them, & I just need to weed them now & lay the straw which I got today. I am stupidly excited to have my own strawberries growing in the garden Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redhotchick Posted May 26, 2009 Share Posted May 26, 2009 I got the ones from Aldi too! I have one fat fruit starting to turn red, with a couple of green ones not too far behind it. I've covered the truss (is that the right word?) with a net off some clementines. Hopefully that will keep the birds from getting to them before I can! Mine get the sun early and until one or two o'clock, not the sunniest spot, but sheltered. Edited to add. I put straw under some last year but it only served to attract the chickens who proceeded to scratch them all up, until I put a fence up to stop them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 A few of mine are turning too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing cloud Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Most of my strawberry plants are on their 3rd year now (some are their runners from the last couple of years) and I can't freeze them fast enough at the moment ! At least I won't have to buy any for a very long time and picking home-grown is amazingly satisfying (and they don't all make it as far as the kitchen ). Breakfast this morning was a banana and just-picked strawberry smoothie - absolutely yummy! Thanks to fellow omleteers, I've also got some excellent suggestions as to how to use the frozen ones:- viewtopic.php?f=20&t=45499&view=unread#unread Hope you all get bumper crops too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperman Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 We've been eating ours (two each). Quite a novelty to find them intact. The birds and the slugs normally get to them first hollow them out and just leave the shell We took countermeasures this year. A netted cage over the top to stop the birds and an electric fence to stops the slimy hoards and I also planted them through lanscaping fabric to keep them clean. Seems to have worked, so far so good, I just wish I had planted more, we do have a few runners so I will have to get propagating. Kev. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Shame you don't live closer Kev. I potted up 30+ runners last year and still have 10 left. No space to put anymore in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theherd123 Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 Oh my strawberry patch is looking really promising now - loads of little green strawberries EVERYWHERE!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted June 5, 2009 Share Posted June 5, 2009 We have had about 400g of strawberries this week - very early compared to normal. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffyknickers Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 Oooh SO pleased this is here. Have never grown strawberries before so total novice. I have two strawberry bag things and plants from Lakeland. I potted them in multi-purpose compost and water them daily (unless had loads of rain!) The have flowered and now have green strawberries on them and TWO are nearly ready for picking! I have never fed them with anything nor covered them or anything else so PLEASE tell me if I am supposed to be doing something. I have these runner things coming off them - what am i supposed to do with them? Will the birds start to see my lovely red juicy strawbs and come and get them? How do I stop this? Sorry I dont mean to boycott this thread. Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redhotchick Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 Birds and slugs love strawberries! You might avoid the slugs as you are using the bags, my usual slug control methods, copper tape to form a barrier (vaseline has also been suggested) or crushed up eggshells around the plants. You need to cover them with a net to gain protection from the birds. I have been using the nets you get citrus fruit in and covering individual trusses (where I only have a few) I'm going to pin a big net over the ones in the border just as soon as they start to turn red. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunshinesupernova Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 I'd like to know what to do with runners too if anyone can enlighten me I've only got 4 plants - though all now have green berries, and each plant has big long runners.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redhotchick Posted June 10, 2009 Share Posted June 10, 2009 Sorry meant to mention about the runners. If you want the plant to get stronger you are supposed to take them off. I never have, so I don't know what difference this would make to the parent plant. If you leave them on, a new plant will take root and once it roots and sends up new leaves the runner can be cut. You can put a plant pot with soil in position and pin the runner down to encourage the new plant to root. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 taking off runners = better crop of strawberries Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 I take off the runners for the first two seasons, root them and grow them on discarding the parent plant on the third year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 I love your new avatar DA You are better to remove them and pot them up if you want to if this is their first season. Runners do seem to have formed very early this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffyknickers Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 Ah right ok. I dont know if I will do anything with them but if it helps the main plant I will chop them off. You have to bear in mind I am a total novice hence this question....whereabouts do I cut them off from - right at the base or just anywhere and do I just cut it off with scissors? I have borrowed some netting from a neighbour as every time I have a red strawberry the birds have eaten it which has really upset me. However I am wondering how they are going to get any sun covered by the netting. Thank you, I dont know what I would do without this site x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted June 11, 2009 Share Posted June 11, 2009 What kind of netting? If it the green type with holes about the size of a penny it will be fine, infact most netting I would think would be ok, but if there are still flowers you need to let the insects in to pollinate them. Cut the runners off near the base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
