Talkback: Growing strawberry plants - Talkback

09/03/2009 at 19:32

hiya i planted strawberrys last year and had no luck ,this year i turfed them up about a month ago when i was making a veg patch in my front garden will they produce fruit this year and how can i help them ive already put loads of organic matter in the soil and when do i put the straw on to stop fruit rot

Gardeners' World Web User

09/03/2009 at 21:31

Strawberry plants produce a bigger crown for their second year, so hopefully you'll get a better crop. It sounds as if you have carried out good soil preparation, so a great start. The main point of using straw is to hold developing fruits clear of the soil, avoiding them resting on the ground or being covered with mud when it rains. Personally I'd avoid using straw, as the only time I have ever done this I introduced loads of weed seed into my plot! My main problem when growing strawberries is the blackbirds. You will probably have to develop methods for keeping birds away, possibly using netting.

Gardeners' World Web User

10/03/2009 at 06:06

Poor old Blackbird he seems to be getting the blame for the damage done to stawberry crops, I think slugs are the main culprit, leave some for the blackbird along with a nice juicey slug, that's what I say.

Gardeners' World Web User

10/03/2009 at 17:50

thank you adam do you think its worth me taking up the straw then,and to save some money this year ive got a massive drum and im going to make a cumphry and nettle feed because ive heard there both full of vitamins and minerals and when soaked in water for 2 weeks use the water and poor in on your veg will this help all of them or only certain types

Gardeners' World Web User

15/03/2009 at 17:10

can anybody help me i cant find or buy bifenthrin anywhere ass too all the problem solutions they say to use bifenthrin.

Gardeners' World Web User

17/03/2009 at 10:56

Sidd, to find out exactly which garden pesticides contain different ingredients you can look them up on a Government web site, and check which ones are currently approved. Check out: https://secure.pesticides.gov.uk/garden/prodsearch.asp Products containing the active ingredient bifenthrin include: B&Q Bug Free Bayer's Bug and Disease Killer Scotts Bug Clear and also their Bug-Free Miracle-Gro Bug Spray for Houseplants .... and several others Any good garden centre should have trained staff who can help you choose a suitable product.

Gardeners' World Web User

24/03/2009 at 12:49

I grew strawberries for the first time last. As I did not have enough space outside I grew them in a greenhouse in in growbags. The kids had a great time pinching them. The instructions all said water the plants sparingly over winter which I did, however all the plants died. The compost was kept damp, but not soggy. Can anyone tell me what sparingly means? I am going to have another go this year.

Gardeners' World Web User

24/03/2009 at 17:48

i h ave just planted about 60 strawberries on a pach of land on the allotment

Gardeners' World Web User

26/03/2009 at 20:22

I heard planting them from seed means that they can take a few years to bare fruit, can anyone confirm this?

Gardeners' World Web User

06/04/2009 at 21:30

just like to say that I was tempted and purchased a punnet of strawberries I'll not be tempted again by these tastless foreign imports, seasonal that is a word that we should bring back, I know now why they are, ours are truly the best and worth waiting for.

Gardeners' World Web User

08/04/2009 at 19:21

2 years ago i purchased some stawbs from a catalogue they didnt look so good so i put them in a bit of spare ground i had by the shed.now i have so many that im having to dig them up and put them into pots, they have literally ran everywhere ,do they only like certain ground

Gardeners' World Web User

15/04/2009 at 21:21

hi this year im growing 6 pot bought along with 6 that grow wild in my garden, cant wait to see the difference, aleady the shop ones look bigger and stronger

Gardeners' World Web User

17/04/2009 at 19:12

how long do strawberries take from seed

Gardeners' World Web User

20/04/2009 at 10:09

Steven, strawberry plants should flower and set fruit within about 5 months from sowing seed. However, much depends on the rate of growth and conditions. Plants from seed form a small crop in their first year, but larger crops as their crowns develop in future years.

Gardeners' World Web User

15/05/2009 at 21:04

hi they they well do all yar round hope good crop off them thish year they easy to doo did last year

Gardeners' World Web User

28/05/2009 at 16:39

hi ive got a load of strawberrys growing and they have loads of flowers on the plants and they are producing the runners as well, is it best to cut the runners of while the strawberrys are forming to put more taste and energy into them, or is it ok to leave the runners on and pin them down. thanks for your help in advance. thanks neil bowden.

Gardeners' World Web User

24/06/2009 at 17:57

what exactly does 'peg down runners mean'? i have 3 runners on my strawberry plant, I'm assuming they stay on the main plant to work. but does the end of the runner go under the soil or sit on the surface and held down?

Gardeners' World Web User

29/06/2009 at 13:36

Kazamus, just lay the root side of the runner on the soil or onto a pot of compost so roots can develop. Do not detach from the parent plant at this stage By pegging down we securely simply mean holding the runner in the soil/compost until it has rooted. Runners can root without doing this, but I prefer holding them firmly by pushing an upturned U-shaped piece of wire (or similar) down into the soil over the runner. Only when the runner is well-rooted should it be detached from its parent.

Gardeners' World Web User

08/07/2009 at 17:43

Hi, I wondered if anyone can help! I've started to grow my first strawberry plant and they been doing well so far, I've had it for a bout 2months but I noticed recently that ive started to get tiny little black blobs around the top of some of my strawberries and some ants. I did have a spider on one but it didnt seem to be any bother however, over the weekend that strawberry went rotten. Ive had a few small green ones fall off aswell, I'm not sure what I should do the birds dont seem too interested but I cant be sure. Any ideas? Thanks!

Gardeners' World Web User

05/08/2009 at 17:00

hi i,m growing strawberrys this year what do i have to do to get them through the winter i stay in scotland