Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: Dantheman on February 09, 2018, 23:57

Title: Straw
Post by: Dantheman on February 09, 2018, 23:57

Hi,

What's the best hay/straw to use as mulch around my strawberry's to protect the friut?

Thanks

Title: Re: Straw
Post by: mikem on February 10, 2018, 08:10

For me it is the cheapest! :lol:

Title: Re: Straw
Post by: ilan on February 10, 2018, 08:14

I would only use straw and then it would depend on the quantity you require Birds tend to be the bigger problem so the jam jar or plastic bottle cut works well to protect the fruit

Title: Re: Straw
Post by: rowlandwells on February 10, 2018, 13:26

 I tend to use wheat straw I find its better than barley straw  not a lot of farmers seem have barley straw these days more wheat straw used round hear and most farmers do large bales these days as apposed to the small square bales

so depending on what area you have to cover may be a friendly farmer mite let you have a bag or two of wheat straw like my farmer friends when the strawberries have been picked I clear the straw of and mix it in my manure heap

we have quite an area on strawberry bed  so we straw round I put a wooden frame round the bed and completely net the bed  and fingers crossed we haven't had any probs from birds only a minimal amout of sug damage nothing to worry about hope this helps and good luck with you strawbery crop

Title: Re: Straw
Post by: Dantheman on February 10, 2018, 19:08

HI,

I would have to look into the different types of straw available around my area.  My wife and two girls have Coeliac disease so need to be careful what sort I get.
The strawberry's will be going into a fruit cage when I manage to get it built.

Thanks

Title: Re: Straw
Post by: Eblana on February 10, 2018, 21:37

I stopped using straw because mice decided to nest in it and eat all the strawberries 😳. I now plant my strawberries into black weed suppressing fabric and net them from the birds.

Title: Re: Straw
Post by: Dantheman on February 11, 2018, 20:19

Hi.
Might have to try that myself as it's too much of a risk for using hay/straw in case it does my family some harm. 
Thanks for the reply's.

Title: Re: Straw
Post by: rowlandwells on February 12, 2018, 19:41

hi Dantheman you didn't actually say about the problem that straw could cause to your family on your original question so when you ask he question so I gave you some advise regarding using straw on a normal bassis

but i would seek further profecinal advise when thinking about using any straw because my advise is only for the  home gardener normal use

thank you

Title: Re: Straw
Post by: Dantheman on February 12, 2018, 20:40

Hi,

Sorry I mentioned it after your comment, my original questions was about using straw as a mulch but then looked in to it further and saw what it was made up with.  I then done a little more research. 
In the summer when it's dry I think it could give off harmful dust so going to give it a miss.

Thanks.