Erm.....A little help please.

[Jason Cartwright]

I've kinda neglected my trough.
I've been too busy at work and not had time or energy to look after it.



There's meant to be 5 strawberry plants, a blackberry plant, raspberry plant, tayberry plant and loganberry plant.
The Blackberry plant has produced some fruit, the Raspberry plant had some fruit but then went mouldy before ripened properly the other 2 haven't produced fruit but i kinda expected it because they were only planted as young canes last year.
Thing is i don't know what i should do to help them for next year.
I had a look at the compost and it seems to be covered in some sort of cobweb type thing and the leave have holes in them as if somethings eating them.

Any help would be greatly received.

Thanks

[Paulieb]

Seems an awful lot of plants for a small area! If I was starting from scratch I'd probably put less in, but as they're in there are a few things you can do to try to help them as much as possible.

Try to keep the compost moist. Watering will help with fruit development, and things like blackberries and some raspberries flower (and fruit) on last years growth so they need to be growing strong this summer for lots of fruit next summer.

Some of the leaves on the strawberries seem to be showing 'interveinal chlorosis' (light green between the leaf veins), which means they could do with a feed.
A regular feed with tomorite (while fruits are growing) or general feed will always help - but follow the instructions on the bottle (don't over feed).
Or you could feed with comfrey feed or nettle feed.

And also a mulch (on moist compost will help to keep moisture in the soil.

Finally, mould will thrive in areas with poor airflow where there is lots of foliage. This can be kept to a minimum by removing branches of rasps and bb's once they've fruited, but read up on strawbs for when to do this as I'm not sure whats best.

[rustylady]

That trough is nowhere near big enough for the number and type of plants you are trying to grow in it.