Strawberries after potatoes?

[Scottishnewbie]

I grew a few strawberries this year in pots and I now need to plant them out to make watering easier. The only bed I have free is the one I've just lifted potatoes from.

Does anyone know if I can safely plant strawberries after potatoes, and if so, what should I add to the soil before I plant them out?

Many thanks

SN

[rustylady]

No reason why not, just add some general fertiliser

[esrikandan]

Your Straws will be fine, just bear in mind thet they'll probably occupy the space for the next three years. A little compost/well rotted manure might be worthwhile but probably not essential.

[rana]

After potatoes I would add plenty of rotted manure to beef up the soil. Also bear in mind that you will get the odd rogue potato plant appearing in the strawberry bed over the next year.

[Scottishnewbie]

Thanks folks, I've added manure and also some fertiliser so hopefully they'll get enough to growm me lots and lots of yummy strawberries next year!

[womble]

I'm bringing this back up because I have the same question, only I have read that Terry Walton, he of R2 fame, advises whatever you do, don't plant strawberries after potatoes.
Which is annoying as I was planning to do that and it's the only bed available.
Has anyone done this and how did it turn out please?

I harvested all the potatoes about a month ago, so I'm hoping it will have given it a bit of a break.

[Dottie]

Don't grow strawberies after potatoes, as they are all prone to the disease verticillium wilt.

[rustylady]

Found this link for you. Royal Horticultural Society | Advice Search | Verticillium wilt However, if your potatoes showed no sign of this disease then there is no reason why you shouldn't plant strawberries.

[Scottishnewbie]

I planted strawberries a couple of months ago in my potato bed (added some rotted manure first) and the strawbs are flowering like mad and we've had some nice fruits already. They look healthy enough to me!

[Dottie]

If disease is already there, then there is not a lot you can do, but we don't always know it's there. This year I have found that 2 of my beds has club root, brussels sprouts got it, but my cabbages were ok this year and last year. I didn't get a chance to grow brussels last year, vandals pulled them out while they were still young.

It could just be that all my beds have it and I might not know unless I try to grow brussels in them. Seems my other brassica's are more resistant, even though the seed packets don't say so. Really surprised I have club root, because I filled my beds with so much new good stuff and 1 of the beds that was affected had previously had raspberries there for years. My plot is at the end and 2ft lower than others, so it could be that as the water drains from others plots into mine, I get anything that is carried in the water.

Only you can decide what's right for you from all the comments on here, just bear in mind that if successful your strawberry plants can stay in the same bed for 3/4 years. So it's best to make sure you have the right site and it's prepared accordingly. Good luck.