[Tommy54321]

Hello
Does anyone know what i need to do with my strawberries bed, currently it is obviously looking very brown and old, I had a good crop last year with them, what do i need to do with them as this is my first full year with the allotment so not sure what i need to do? should i remove the dead brown leaves and all the straw left only from the previous year?....any helpful tips for a newbie on this. Thanks

[Hungry Caterpillar]

Hi Tommy,
I usually clean out the straw from my strawberries in the summer when they've finished fruiting, but as yours is still down, I'd probably wait until this freezing weather is over before tidying them up, if you have tender growth under the straw and debris, it might not like a hard frost!

Did you plant them last year or did they come with the plot? The plants only last 3 or 4 years so if they're old, it would be worth potting up some runners in the summer to replace them in due course.

More useful information here if you've not found it yourself yet https://www.allotment-garden.org/fruit/strawberries-growing/

[Tommy54321]

Hi
Thanks, they came with the plot, so i dont really know how long they have been there for, i suppose i wil have to wait in the summer to see if i have any growing....if not then i know why. Good idea about the straw, i will wait till warmer weather.

[Christine]

Even if you don't get a great crop this coming season you should be able to let the plants put out runners which you can pot on as soon as they show a bit of root. Then you have your next set of strawberry plants free.

In the meantime, feed and care for what you have with an eye to saving money for the future. 

You should also plan your planting for the coming season so that you have a clear space in the autumn if you need to start a new strawberry patch. Then you can clear the old space to grow something else. You know the rule of not planting strawberries in a space where you have just cleared them out don't you?

[Tommy54321]

You should also plan your planting for the coming season so that you have a clear space in the autumn if you need to start a new strawberry patch. Then you can clear the old space to grow something else. You know the rule of not planting strawberries in a space where you have just cleared them out don't you?

Well I do now, thanks. I think I will see how they go this year and be ready to move next year

[Christine]

Grins. No use me keeping what I've found/learned/been taught a secret is it? Don't repeat my mistake eh?

[Tommy54321]

agree, appreciate the help. Thank you

[Blackpool rocket]

You know the rule of not planting strawberries in a space where you have just cleared them out don't you?

This is something I didn't know about.
I cleared a patch of strawberries in the Autumn and planted a new variety.
Are they doomed?
Is it too late to move them?
Is it for crop rotation reasons or is there something else?

Please,do tell. 

[mumofstig]

Also don't plant strawberries after potatoes ...

Strawberries should not follow potatoes or tomatoes because both crops can infect the soil with verticillium wilt, a disease that seriously affects the growth of, or kills strawberries. Potatoes left in the ground can also bea problem and getting rid of them may interfere with the roots of the strawberry plants.

https://www.kenmuir.co.uk/image/data/pdf/Growing%20Guides/Strawberries.pdf

[Blackpool rocket]

Thanks for the link mum, that's really useful.
What about the plants I planted in the Autumn, should I move them?

[mumofstig]

I would, as long as the ground dries out soonish. They'd still have time to settle before cropping