Strawberry mulching.

[bobbin]

I used straw to protect around my strawberries this year. However with all the rain early in the year then the heat I feel the warm damp environment caused some of my strawberry plants to wilt. Also we got some more straw from a different farm in error. Do you think straw can be contaminated enough to have a bad effect on strawberries?
What do you folk use? Anyone tried Strulch around strawberries? I can't use weed suppresent as the plants are not in rows.

[Aberdeenplotter]

what makes you think the straw was contaminated? This has been the hottest summer since 1976 and it is distinctly possible your strawbs wilted simply because they were too dry. A straw mulch would have helped prevent evaporation of moisture and without it your strawbs may have been in real trouble

[veggiechicken]

Bobbin's earlier thread with some background at https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...mas_97061.html

Shall I merge them for you, Bobbin? It always helps us to see what's happened previously.

Another Strawberry thread at https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...ent_96917.html

[Gman]

Wood chips to mulch strawberries?

Hi, sorry to recycle old post but seemed relevant.

I made a couple of raised beds, filled with a mixture of manure, leaf mould and soil and planted strawberry runners in them this year.

The plants seem ok, growing slowly and are starting to flower with a few wee fruitlets on some plants.

I know I need to mulch them at some stage, but read that if I do it too early I can lower the temperature of the soil. I also read that you can use strawberry mats or straw. I have neither, but do have a whole pile of wood chips from where we had some trees taken down in January.

My questions therefore are:

1. When should I mulch them?

2. Is it ok to use wood chips? (Alternatives i already have in garden are lots of cedar needles, or partially rotted down leaf mould if these would be viable alternatives) or should I acquire strawberry mats or actual straw?

Cheers

[greenishfing]

I like using straw as it keeps the strawberries nice and clean and lifts them up. I buy a large bale (just fits in the car boot) every summer from a local farmer for about £3.

[nickdub]

Hi, sorry to recycle old post but seemed relevant.

I made a couple of raised beds, filled with a mixture of manure, leaf mould and soil and planted strawberry runners in them this year.

The plants seem ok, growing slowly and are starting to flower with a few wee fruitlets on some plants.

I know I need to mulch them at some stage, but read that if I do it too early I can lower the temperature of the soil. I also read that you can use strawberry mats or straw. I have neither, but do have a whole pile of wood chips from where we had some trees taken down in January.

My questions therefore are:

1. When should I mulch them?

2. Is it ok to use wood chips? (Alternatives i already have in garden are lots of cedar needles, or partially rotted down leaf mould if these would be viable alternatives) or should I acquire strawberry mats or actual straw?

Cheers

The cedar needles and partially rotted down leaf mould would be my choice for now - strawberries are adapted for woodland growth and quite like acid conditions. I wouldn't use the wood-chips this year, as when they rot down they take nitrogen from the soil, but if you stored them in a bag or a pile they'd be good to use next year.

[Greenleaves]

I have never bothered....still get good resuts

[chrisdb]

I have never bothered....still get good resuts

I use strawberries as a groundcover under shrubs and trees, leave them to reproduce and look after themselves, and still get quite a few after the birds and slugs are done. It has the advantage of being zero effort and going some way to suppressing weeds.

[Gman]

Thanks folks