Strawberries

Special tips for strawberries...

See more in the video.

Once fruiting finishes, an easy way to maintain the bed and to sustain plant growth for next year, is to cut them down almost to ground level. You are not cutting into the crown, but just through stalks of all leaves, at almost the lowest point you can.

Then drop on top, around an inch/2.5 cm of any kind of compost, including old manure, whatever you have. Preferably not with too many weed seeds. This nourishes the soil and makes plants healthier, plus with better fruits next summer.

Next, in autumn, you will have a vibrant patch of brand new leaves. In addition, there will be runners developing, even from August, and if it's wet, these will make new roots. If you want new plants, it's a good idea to water the patch to encourage rooting of runners. Then cut off rooted runners you want for plants, say in September, and plant a new bed somewhere else.

Otherwise, just keep removing runners so that you maintain the original plants and plant spacing. This prevents overcrowding. I find that about 1 foot or 25 to 30 cm between each main plant is allowed space for growth and ripening of decent sized fruits. Also with less overcrowding, which prevents accumulations of too many slugs and snails.

How long can you keep a patch going? Often, it's sad that after three years, the plants get tired and stop fruiting so well. Actually there is no rule. It depends how well you maintain the soil and prevent overcrowding. It’s the third summer of my Marshmello plants fruiting, they are very healthy and strong. There was a lovely harvest so I'm going for another year.

Have your plants fruited well? It may be a lack of moisture causing this, and I have watered twice weekly since early May. If your strawberry patch is close to a hedge or trees, that makes it hard for plants to find enough moisture, and you need to water more.

Small garden, strawberries before cutting, fruiting has finished

After cutting and then compost spread on top

EVERBEARING TYPES

These are different, they make many fewer runners and I never cut them back. It's easy to remove unwanted runners, or replant them if you wish that. Mine are still cropping seven weeks after starting and the flavour is extraordinary. Probably because they fruit in small amounts with concentrated sugars.

Flowers annual and perennial with strawberries everbearing