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Overview
With the fruit swelling on your strawberries it's time to protect them and cover the soil around the plants with a mulch. This will prevent the crop getting splashed with mud when it rains. And don't forget to net the plants against birds and keep them well watered in dry weather.
Do it:
April - June
At its best:
harvest from June to July
Takes just:
20 minutes
How to do it
-
Weed around your strawberry plants and remove any dead or dying leaves. Lift the foliage and fruit to place a 5cm - 10cm layer of straw on the surface of the soil. -
Placing a length of seep hose under the straw allows you to connect it to a hosepipe which will stop soil splash during watering. -
If you are allergic to straw or find it difficult to source, use a synthetic mulch fabric to cover the soil under strawberries, cutting slots out to accommodate the plants.
"Cover your strawberries with netting to stop the birds getting the crop before you do. But remember that birds can get trapped by nets, so only use it if you can check it regularly."
