[Eblana]

Hi folks,

Once again I need your valued advice.

My strawberry bed is in a bit of a state!!  There seem to be hundreds of strawberry plants in it and they are all over the place, this is their third year in there so I have some that are three years old, some that are two years old and others that are just babies.  I have been trying to dig out the babies and tidy up the rest but after a hour and a half it doesn't really look a whole lot better.  My OH suggested digging the whole lot out, feed the soil and put down weed membrane, replant the two year old ones and the babies and getting rid of the older ones - what do you think should I perservere or should I go with the drastic plan of action?

[simonwatson]

Your three year old plants should be in their prime so it seems a bit harsh to rip them out now, and the two year olds will reach the same state next year. Why don't you take out some of the babies and pot them up for the summer. Once the three year olds have fruited you could remove a few and replant the babies in better positions. Rinse and repeat next year and the year after until you have a more ordered bed and you'll still get a good crop.

[surbie100]

I think it's worth it - I'm taking all mine out and re-doing.

It's a real labour, cleaning the roots and potting up before prepping the bed and replanting. But I had lovely strawbs from them last year, and I don't want to chuck them. Given the state of the couch grass and bindweed in there, I think planting through membrane is a very good idea!

I've so far got 110 plants out of an 8x4ft bed. But it has taken me about 12 hours to do well, And there are still more...

[grendel]

I got 120 plants from an area 5 ft x 18" in 1 1/2 hours, I still have 5 ft x 18 feet of bed left to clear yet.
fortunately they are alpines so can be planted closer.
Grendel

[gavinjconway]

Your three year old plants should be in their prime so it seems a bit harsh to rip them out now, and the two year olds will reach the same state next year. Why don't you take out some of the babies and pot them up for the summer. Once the three year olds have fruited you could remove a few and replant the babies in better positions. Rinse and repeat next year and the year after until you have a more ordered bed and you'll still get a good crop.

Spot on Simon..  the 3 year olds will give their max this fruit this season so you must keep them in..  As suggested - pot some babies up and plant them early next Spring.. dont molly coddle the ones you pot up..

They need to be outside for the winter so get them in pots and forget about them - remember pots dry out quicker than the ground so just make sure they do get watered when they dry out..   I was given about 20  dying plants which I revived and harvested over 250 runners. I put them into 3" pots and some tubs then left them on my flat roof that I was using as my roof-top garden over the winter. I only lost about 4 plants!! I gave a way loads and planted out 88.. Going great guns now.

[Eblana]

Thanks a million, I thought that the 3 year olds were past their best, glad I asked now as that could have been a bit of a disaster

I will do as suggested and pot up the babies to replace the 3 year olds after they have fruited this year.  Clearing the 20ft x 4 ft bed should keep me occupied for a few hours!!

[gavinjconway]

Eblana - I have sent you a pm..

[starry]

I have just tided up my strawberry bed as I left it to go to rack and ruin last due to the rain had runners going all over the place    so cut all of them off and potted up all the best ones at home at least 12 gave the bed a gentle rake to get rid of all the dead leaves and stems and have now covered them with netting will buy some potash feed for them (mine incedently are a big 4 this year) so will replace them next year with any new runners I get )

[andy dewar]

hi iv done a new strawberry bed this year using membrane so no messing about with straw etc il update as to how successful it is, early signs are good as the plantsare growing really well 

[grendel]

started on my other plot today, the one where they are mixed in with raspberries and ivy, and another 40 strawberries were secured from quite a small area.
Grendel