Bit OT. Strawberries ...

[Arfa Daily]

Not really DIY - except I suppose growing your own is more 'DIY' than buying your own from the supermarket. Anyways, I'm sure there's a wealth of experience on here from the usual suspects ... :-)

Basically, I grew some strawberries from seed this year just for a bit of fun. I finished up with over 30 plants in the end, and had them all in their own little pots. When the early starters got a bit big for that, I transferred a bunch of them into one of those biggish clay pots with a couple of rows of holes around it. The rest have stayed in their pots, but are getting a bit big for them now. They have pretty much all flowered, and produced little edible strawberries, which I was quite surprised about. Up until now, they are all along the windowsill in the conservatory. The original seed packet suggested that come September, they should go out into the garden, so what should I do ? Can the 'urn' go out 'as is', or should the plants be removed into something else, or the ground ? Likewise, the ones still in individual pots ?

I'm a bit loathe to plant them actually in the garden, as I have a nightmare of a time trying to keep the weeds down, as I back onto an open field that kindly gives my garden huge amounts of nettles and blackberry brambles. You only have to look away for 5 minutes, and they're back.

Any advice gladly received ...

Arfa

[Tim Streater]

Weeds - yes that is difficult. I'd be inclined (except I'm a lazy sod and its actually SWMBO wot does it) to take the war to the field and spray anywhere near you. We've got arable behind us so the farmer sprays it. The field next to our old house had Dobbin in it so a bit harder weeds-wise.

We have ours in a fruit cage, but SWMBO just told me that they'll do OK in pots. Keep them watered and give them some protection against frost in deepest winter, though.

[Hugh - Was Invisible]

We used to back on to a field in rural Norfolk. Had to give up growing fruit and veg in the back garden. Farmer used to spray carelessly and write them off.

[Hugh - Was Invisible]

We found birds a bigger problem than weeds. However well we netted them we would come home and have to let the odd bird out!

[Gordon Henderson]

The great thing about strawberries is that the spread like weeds - left to their own, they'll provide total ground cover which will suppress all but the most presistent weed - unless you like thinks in neat rows that is.

So just thrown them out and let them get on with it. We started with one of those pots with holes in it and now they've spread everywhere

- they're growing in the cracks between slabs, in the gravel and are approaching the tiny veg. plot now... I've given up caring. Free tasty strawbs!

Gordon

[Gordon Henderson]

Ours survived last winter OK. The olive tree died though.

Gordon

[Arfa Daily]

OK ! That's what I wanted to hear :-)

Thanks all for the good advice as always.

Arfa

[Tim Streater]

It's been slugs this year. But yes, we too've had a dopey bird or two inside.

[Jules Richardson]

Maybe that depends on the variety; we're snow-bound here for 5 months of the year and it often gets down to 30 below, but we've got a couple of big strawberry patches that always make it through OK.

I agree with Gordon - they throw runners out all over the place (eventually) and blanket most weeds; the only problem we have is with tall grass growing up amongst them.

Something ate some of ours this year - not the fruit, but the leaves themselves. No sign of deer prints around them; maybe rabbits or birds.

cheers

Jules