My strawberries Elsanta

[sclarke624]

Went out today and all of them from various years are in flower bud (not open yet). Seems a bit early but I am not complaining can't wait. Gotta get feeding them now and purchase some straw in anticipation.

Hope not too late to repot daughters I gave her as she is waiting till I come up to her on Thursday as she didn't understand my email about being careful with the crown, at the mo' they are just in cut off 5 ltre bottles. Still I have loads more she can have if they look bad.

They are supposed to be Mid june to mid July fruits. Sure they didn't bud this early last year. Black currants new this year have little roundballs on them I assume these are berries in waiting. Blueberry is in small flower its there first year as well. Rasberries Autumn gold looking good nice leaves along the stem ...their first year.

[WelshGirl]

My strawberries are flowering too - have been living in the greenhouse since I got them a few weeks ago though. Last year my strawberries didn't flower until late May, so it is a bit early!
I also have blackcurrants/whitecurrants that are covered in flowers, and the blueberry is just coming out as well!

[gojiberry]

Strawberries in beds on the lottie doing very well and flowers starting to appear in the crowns. Unfortunately one of the beds up near the house has been decimated by vine weivel, not a single plant standing. I have replanted with fresh runners but can't rid the ground of the grubs. I have some provada but you can't use it on edibles.

Ian

[starloc]

Strawberries in beds on the lottie doing very well and flowers starting to appear in the crowns. Unfortunately one of the beds up near the house has been decimated by vine weivel, not a single plant standing. I have replanted with fresh runners but can't rid the ground of the grubs. I have some provada but you can't use it on edibles.

Ian

Have you tried nematodes?, im thinking of trying these

Nemasys Nematodes | Vine Weevil Larvae Killer 12m2 Pack £8.95

[sarah_h]

Yes, Nematodes, that'll fix 'em up. I used them last year and saw a marked decrease in slug activity and actually got to taste some of my own strawb's!

[chrispy]

my strawbs are starting to develop flower buds, and are looking great.....
I was off to work this morning at 3.00am and the temperature was -1, and im sure that a bit of frost improves the plant ( await correction on that )....

they are also Elsanta, and the only worry i have is that i keep hearing what a pig they are to grow as they suffer from so many ailments...

will wait and see

[sarah_h]

Hi Chrispy,

Frost does indeed harden the plants. They like a bit of frost over winter BUT NOT when they're flowering. They'll get black eye (my term where the centre of the flower goes black) and fail to produce fruit from those flowers. This happened to me a couple of times last year. I'm not taking any chances this year though and cover mine with fleece whenever I see there's going to be a frosty night.

I have had some great (and very easy) success with Elsanta last year. Don't overwater though. One of mine wilted and died because of this. Other than that they're just as easy as all the rest I think. Some are more suseptible to mould (especially in a summer like last year), and some with V.Wilt but I don't think you should worry.

my strawbs are starting to develop flower buds, and are looking great.....
I was off to work this morning at 3.00am and the temperature was -1, and im sure that a bit of frost improves the plant ( await correction on that )....

they are also Elsanta, and the only worry i have is that i keep hearing what a pig they are to grow as they suffer from so many ailments...

will wait and see

[chrispy]

cool....thankyou sarah

[Lurch]

Mine too have buds, and are elsanta variety.