strawberry's under cover?

[4390evans]

I read somewhere to cover my strawberries to force them to grow?
Is that the right term? Well they have been covered by a sand dump bag for about a month now, when should I uncover them?

[Nicos]

You can force them to grow...think about the Victorians growing them under cover for winter fruit!

I grew mine under fleece on year to see what happened.
The plants grew well, and earlier than the ones not covered over.
Once the flowers began to appear I threw back the fleece whilst I was at the lottie ( 4 times a week minimum) for the bees/insects to pollinate them.

They certainly did better than the uncovered ones.


I'd be tempted to remove the bag you are using and let some light get to them or they'll be all spindly and more susceptible to the frost...or are they like that already???!!

[Mikey]

I've not tried this myself, so I'm speaking with no wisdom whatsoever, but I would have thought the covering was meant to be clear plastic or fleece like a big cloche so the light can get to them but the earth stays warm, if you leave them in the dark like rhubarb won't they die?.

I've forced rhubarb and I had some success with carrots and beetroot last year, but I don't know if you'll bring them much further forward than a few weeks unless you have a way of extending the daylight hours aswell.

I could try forcing strawberries this year I have two separate beds now, I'd be interested on others thoughts of how best to achieve it. Do commercial growers have to hand pollinate, or do they put a beehive in their big polytunnels?

[Olorin2001]

Most strawberry varieties are light and temperature dependant, they need both in the right amount to grow, flower and fruit.
The everlasting types are only temperature dependant, so will fruit when kept warm but don't need additional light.
I think commercial grower import hives for pollination, or roll the sides up during days when wild bees are flying.

[4390evans]

Ive not been checking on them tbh, Ill pop out and take the covers off them now and leave it off for a few days. I think it was on the Victorian farm I seen it, I like stuff like that.

Thanks
Jen x

[polc1410]

The Victorian's often hotboxed their straws.

Planning to do that for mine, if my polycarbonate ever gets here for my lights (Oh and I get round to actually going and getting some fresh poo...)

My understanding (which is pure anecdote) was that they needed a cold spell to tell them spring was due so covering them now may not be the right thing as we have't really had much cold. If they aren't flowering I'd have thought a good frost for a few days then cover with a cloche.

We need a proper growfruitandveg science corner to run a series of properly designed experiments into these kinds of things and see what difference they make. All the questions about potatoes and earthing up etc... Must be some way we could design a multi-location controlled trial of earthed up vs non earthed up spuds and cloched strawberries vs non-cloched. Same variety. Same general location. Measure the date of first crop and last crop (so do you extend the season or just move it earlier and yield in kg over the season. Wont tell you if they taste half decent but they'll probably still taste better than the stuff from Isreal thats being imported just now...!