[oldgrunge]

This season I'll be starting a new strawberry patch, not grown them seriously before. Any hints on preparation and varieties, please?

[mumofstig]

Just don't plant them where you have recently grown potatoes, they just give up and die - I speak from experience

[Nobbie]

I find Honoye to be really productive and tasty. My best tip would be to space them out properly with 2ft between rows as it makes harvesting and weeding a lot easier. Also reduces chance of grey mould in a damp year.

[snowdrops]

All that & plant them on top of a ridge to assist drainage which they need, also plan in how you are going to net them against the birds who will harvest them before you given half a chance

[Middlesexbloke]

Following! Dug out my old strawberry bed last week as it was a crowded mess. Will be creating a new patch in Spring and will be planting each plant AT LEAST 30cm/1ft apart, and with a good 60cm/2ft between rows. Should hopefully be much easier to harvest and keep on top of trimming excess runners etc. Varieties I've tried and liked are Sonata, Gariguette, Marshmello and Flamenco. Good luck 

[oldgrunge]

Thanks for the info. Would growing them through plastic be advisable, or would that just provide slugs with a bit of cover?

[Christine]

It would give the slugs plenty of cover. 

[mikem]

I got hardly any damage to my strawberries this (last!) year when I put down the weed membrane but I put a lot of slug pellets underneath first.  Previous years I had quite a lot that had been munched.  I have lifted the membrane over winter so the birds can have their lunch on any slugs and bugs that remain. 

[LILLILEAF]

We planted 50 strawberry plants,on a patch of cleared ground,which had been left for 15yrs,we had so much trouble with slugs and they were giants,so we shall be using hanging baskets this time round for alot of young plants,and tonnes of slug pellets on the strawberry patch,slugs are Not going to win i am this is war

[Middlesexbloke]

Slug pellets are essential lol. But how do you stop woodlice and red ants munching on your strawberries? Had issues with both last year.

[snowdrops]

Only trouble with the slug pellets is that the birds will eat the poisoned slugs & be killed off too

[mumofstig]

Only trouble with the slug pellets is that the birds will eat the poisoned slugs & be killed off too

If the strawberries are netted, the wildlife can't get to them, plus the newer organic slug pellets are not toxic.
http://www.organiccatalogue.com/p1821/ADVANCED-SLUG-KILLER-575g/product_info.html

[snowdrops]

Only trouble with the slug pellets is that the birds will eat the poisoned slugs & be killed off too

If the strawberries are netted, the wildlife can't get to them, plus the newer organic slug pellets are not toxic.
http://www.organiccatalogue.com/p1821/ADVANCED-SLUG-KILLER-575g/product_info.html

Thanks mum, are they all safe, I never buy any  at all so although I know you can get 'safe' ones was not sure if the other ones are still available. Will read the link

[Yorkie]

The metaldehyde based bright blue slug pellets are the toxic ones and are still available.

The ones based on ferric phosphate are more green and are the organic, safe ones.