How To Grow Strawberries

A sought after crop, it is well worth growing strawberries at home to enjoy the greatest flavour – far superior to what you can buy at the supermarket. It is relatively easy to cultivate this plant, as they are suited to growing directly in the earth or in containers, so you don’t even need a garden! As the fruits develop they are vulnerable to rotting and thievery by garden creatures. Read through GYO’s top tips about producing this crop and how to keep fruits protected so only you can eat them!

The Ideal Environment
Growing strawberries in the right conditions is key to helping a healthy crop develop. Choose a sunny, sheltered spot, so that the plants are protected from extreme conditions – this also aids pollination as insects are less likely to visit flowers in strong windy spots. Fruit crops do not tolerate frost, so make sure you avoid frost pockets, too.

A top tip for when planting strawberries is to not put the plants too deep in the soil. The crown should be above or level with the surface to prevent rotting or roots drying from too deep or shallow planting respectively. If you have unfavourable soil in the garden or not much room then growing strawberries in pots or hanging baskets is a great way to maximise space.

Produce Bumper Berries
Caring for your strawberries as they grow is very important so you can get on top of any issues, and get the best possible harvests. Watering is a vital task that can influence your plant’s health – too much and the earth will become waterlogged, while too little will make it dry out. When the strawberries have just been planted, watering them aids good establishment, so don’t be too shy on this resource at this stage. Use the technique of watering the base of the plant – doing this from above can increase the likelihood of fruit rotting. Strawberry specimens can be given a liquid potash feed as they grow every one to two weeks, too.

As the yields develop they are vulnerable to rotting if they are left on the bare soil. To help keep the fruit in prime condition you can put straw underneath to reduce the contact with the earth. As well as preventing rotting, it will also reduce the growth of weeds, which compete with the plant for resources.

Post Fruit Production
Once the plants have finished producing fruit, it is time to carry out some routine maintenance. The foliage that is older can be taken off summer-fruiting varieties. Use secateurs to do this easily without damaging the plant and only once they are no longer producing fruit. Towards the end of the season it is also important to take away the straw that you placed under the strawberries when they were developing.

Although it was vital for earlier health it can now be responsible for attracting pests and diseases, so dispose of it after fruiting is complete to prevent this problem occurring.

Ensuring your strawberry patch or containers are efficient at producing fruit and to reduce the issues with pests and diseases residing in the earth, it is important to substitute the older plants for new ones once they have passed their third cropping season. Doing this will make sure your strawberry patch is productive for years to come.

Strawberry Types
Summer-fruiting varieties of this crop have a high-yielding cropping time of two to three weeks. The fruits are large in size, and cultivars available include early, mid and late varieties. Perpeptual strawberries produce their smaller yields in early summer and crop to the beginning of autumn. Choose plants from a good quality supplier to guarantee a healthy plant. If you purchase cold-stored runners then early summer is the time to plant these specimens, and fruit will appear in around nine weeks time.

Pests & Diseases
Grey mould is a disease known to commonly affect strawberry crops as they develop, including the foliage and fruit. Make sure you water appropriately as stronger specimens are less likely to be affected. If wounds are present then this is a target spot for the mould to enter. Crowding is another factor that will worsen the likelihood of this disease, so when planting strawberries, don’t put them in every space available, leave a bit of room. Vigilance is also important when it comes to preventing diseases spreading – take away any infected matter as soon as you spot it.

Another problem is that birds and small mammals may eat the strawberries before you get a chance. To help protect the yields you can use specialised fruit cages to keep them safe from these hungry creatures. If using netting make sure that wildlife doesn’t get caught in the structure.

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