[Kirpi]

Especially in this wet weather, we are seeing a lot of rotted strawberries because they have either reached the soil or have been sitting on wet straw.

I am considering cutting a blue barrel lengthways and filling them as troughs with compost and planting strawberry plants in those so the fruit drapes over the edge. I then net the entire trough so the net covers the fruit by staking the net to the ground around the trough.

In this weather I have even seen fruit going rotten sitting on weed suppressing fabric.

[Poolman]

Could do with some help on this also, I pot grow them at the min and they seem to be just sat on the dirt.

Not great!

[Bodmass]

Not a recommendation, just an idea...

What we've just done is buy some matting (permeable, weed control type), cut it into squares, cut a slit from one edge into the middle & place it around the stem of the strawberries.  I've only 12 newly planted plants so only needed 1 metre of fabric (£2.20) & only took a few minutes.

Now if I just could find a way to stop the blooming ants eating into them 

[GrannieAnnie]

This is what I did this year, but have decided to keep it just inside the greenhouse as it gets very windy here and it nearly blew over last week!

[Kirpi]

Grannie Annie - your plants are so much more lush than mine and yours are in pots - mine are in the soil!
Bodmass - I like your idea; a bit like brassica cards.

Growing in pots keeps the fruit high off the ground which seems to be the problem with rotting.

[PembsPanther]

My strawberries are in pots and are doing brilliantly, loads of foliage, flowers and fruit. I went to the garden centre a few weeks ago an d asked if they had any straw to use on them as a mulch, they said no and they would not recommend using it as it holds the moisture and all that results in wet weather is rotten fruit.............

They suggested using a gravel instead, which I did and it has worked perfectly, a lovely think layer of gravel the moisture on the top dries in no time when the sun does finally appear and the strawberries lie happily on top of it. We have had about half a kilo so far and they have been delicious, the black birds are also enjoying them grrrrrrrrrr

[GrannieAnnie]

When I got these pots from Poundland, I was worried that the amount of compost wouldn't be enough for the strawberries, but they seem happy enough at the moment.

PP, I am hoping the birds won't notice mine as they are just inside the greenhouse door!! 

[devonbarmygardener]

I'm suffering from the rotting strawberry problem too.
I used to use weeed control fabric but suffered as much slug damage as without so I ripped it all up this year.

I like the pot idea but can you carry them over for the following year? My strawbs are on a 3 year programme then I replace the bed and plants in year 4.

[GrannieAnnie]

Hi DBG, What I thought I would do with my tower strawberries is that during the winter, I'll take them out of their tower and keep them in a big pot in the greenhouse or something for a while.  Then  I'll get fresh compost for the tower as each 'pot' doesn't hold loads of compost so would get low on nutrients.

Don't know if I'm doing right, but I haven't grown strawberries for years, and then only for 2 years.

[devonbarmygardener]

Very true!

*Ponders*

That's a very good idea!

[GrannieAnnie]

You reckon?     

[devonbarmygardener]

You reckon?     

Yes.
Like keeping them in a nursery bed.

[AlistairMcLennan]

This is what I did this year, but have decided to keep it just inside the greenhouse as it gets very windy here and it nearly blew over last week!

GrannieAnnie, that is a brillant idea. I had thought of that but opted for a strawbery tower. I find the bottom is drier as the water doesnt penetrate to the bottom or the tube they supplied for the middle the water just runs out of the bottom wetting my feet lol

Can I ask how many high do you have your?

Cheers

[carlrmj]

grannieannie,is that planter of yours for 4 or 3 strawberry plants.

I bought some from our local poundland ,which were for 4 plants, which didn't leave alot of

space for the roots,and when stacked made it difficult to water the lower level strawbs.

[Schubunny]

My strawberries are in pots and are doing brilliantly, loads of foliage, flowers and fruit. I went to the garden centre a few weeks ago an d asked if they had any straw to use on them as a mulch, they said no and they would not recommend using it as it holds the moisture and all that results in wet weather is rotten fruit.............

They suggested using a gravel instead, which I did and it has worked perfectly, a lovely think layer of gravel the moisture on the top dries in no time when the sun does finally appear and the strawberries lie happily on top of it. We have had about half a kilo so far and they have been delicious, the black birds are also enjoying them grrrrrrrrrr

I'm using straw, in fact I'm using straw everywhere (originally bought the bale to keep moisture in but now more to keep weeds down) and although when I've taken it out of the bale it's been a bit wet, once I lay it on the ground it dries out on the top, even when it's been raining. It seems to dry out on the top but remain damp underneath. Don't seem to be having any problems so far anyway.