[JayG]

In the past I used to grow strawberries in pots so didn't have to worry about keeping slugs and rot away from the fruits, and last year I only had the one Albion plant out in the garden.

Believe it or not I used old CD's placed in a circle round the plant, which actually worked quite well, but this year I have a lot more plants to contend with and I haven't got that many old CD's! 

I shall protect against birds with netting, but can't convince myself that the traditional straw support is the best way of protecting the fruits from dirt and dampness. 

What do you use?

[8doubles]

I squeeze strawberry plants in where they do not take up veg space, some through weed fabric and pea shingle by the fences and others overhang concrete slabs around the greenhouse.
My strawberries have never been near straw.

[kevinp]

mine are planted through weed fabric and then they are netted roughly, hopefully I will find some cheap or free timber and make a frame to go over them.

[gillie]

I use cut up pieces of weed suppressant fabric placed under the trusses of berries.  We have an old cold frame which fits over the raised bed and netting is spread over it when the fruit is ripening.

[Swing Swang]

Straw for me - seems to work against slugs - readily available, and cheap.
Acts as a good surface mulch around the strawbs and elsewhere; suppresses weeds and really attracts worms.
At the end of the season it provides a good source of 'browns' to mix in with an excess of 'greens' in the compost heap (especially if you accelerate its decomposition with 'yellow water'). I think that this is a real 'plus'.
Not wedded to straw mind you - through shingle on ornamental beds sounds like a good idea. If the price of straw ever became prohibative I'd use alternatives - membranes, cardboard boxes, paper shreddings from work etc etc

[Chrysalis]

Good question! Thanks .  I wanted to know all that too! Got some good ideas...

[Paul Plots]

Straw for me - seems to work against slugs - readily available, and cheap.
Acts as a good surface mulch around the strawbs and elsewhere; suppresses weeds and really attracts worms.
At the end of the season it provides a good source of 'browns' to mix in with an excess of 'greens' in the compost heap (especially if you accelerate its decomposition with 'yellow water'). I think that this is a real 'plus'.
Not wedded to straw mind you - through shingle on ornamental beds sounds like a good idea. If the price of straw ever became prohibative I'd use alternatives - membranes, cardboard boxes, paper shreddings from work etc etc

Straw for me too. I give the ground a very light sprinkle of "the blue stuff" first especially along edges next to grass paths. After that the straw does a good job of keeping the fruit well protected and clean.

And, as you say, it decomposes wonderfully adding to the soil structure for the coming year. Old ways are best...sometimes. 

[Munchkin]

I have a raised bed of strawbs, first year growin them in here and I've used barkchips as the mulch. They hava a roof of plastic wrap stuff (forgot the name) but it doesn't quite cover them completely. I might replace that stuff with netting when they fruit.

[mumofstig]

Good job it doesn't cover them completely as the bees need to get at the flowers, or there will be no fruit 

[Carollan]

This year,I`m trying my strawbs in pots,lowered into the soil,but with about 8 ins of pot above the surface.I`m hoping the fruits will dangle over the edge and not get muddy on the soil below.Birds are my biggest problem,so I put up a net cage.

I`ve never managed to get away without slug damage,we have so many,I wish they were tasty too !!

[Paul Plots]

This year,I`m trying my strawbs in pots,lowered into the soil,but with about 8 ins of pot above the surface.I`m hoping the fruits will dangle over the edge and not get muddy on the soil below.Birds are my biggest problem,so I put up a net cage.

I`ve never managed to get away without slug damage,we have so many,I wish they were tasty too !!

"Strawberry-slug" sounds like an exotic alcoholic drink!  I wonder if it'd sell?   

I still think the good old fashioned straw method works well. After all that's probably why they were called strawberries in the first place. 

[bendipa]

I always grow my strawbs in window boxes, containers or hanging baskets. Never a problem with birds or slugs when grown that way.

http://tinyurl.com/3p5v66e

[SnooziSuzi]

I just grow mine in low raised beds but when the fruit starts to set I stake some canes around them, top them off with the little darlek type of ice cream pots that you get screwballs in (helps to make a noise in a breeze and stops the net from sliding down the pole), cover with a 1/2 inch gauge net and weight it down around the edges.

when I want to get at them I just lift the weights, peel back the netting and go for it

I usually put straw underneath the strawbs too to keep them off the ground and I compost it when the season is over

[pete1977]

strawbs planted through cheap 50gsms weed fabric because they move every few years.  surrounded by netted sides and the top is criss-crossed with cd's and ribbon might sound like an eyesore but looks fine.  with the addition of a few slug pellets around the edge i don't get any rot, slug or bird damage but the mice still find a way  :blink:- I don't mind though 89 straw plants gives me more than enough even when they've had there fill. brasica collars made from rubber carpet underlay also works although straw didn't for me...

[Gandan57]

When I took on my plot last year there was a length of plastic downpipe left on it. I was thinking of cutting this into three inch lengths and laying these on their side under the fruiting branches to keep the berries clear of the soil. Will have a look at the feasability of it tomorrow.