I have just finished weeding my pitiful little strawberry patch. We only got a handful of strawberries mainly because the poor patch was so badly mis-treated last summer. We were putting in new flower beds and the strawberries got pretty badly trampled. Then we didn't do much for it prior to winter. So, the result is a patch in bad need of some help.

What can I do (if anything) right now to get this patch in good shape for next spring? Should I buy plants for the bare spots or is it too late. Should I fertilize? What about mulching? Now or before frost? How can I encourage runners?

If there is anyone out there who has some words of wisdom, I'd appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

Thanks for reading.

-- Dianne in Mass (dianne.bone@usa.net), June 21, 2001

Answers

Dianne,Dianne,Dianne!!!! What am I going to do with you.

First that was a good start with the weeding, If you don't have any runners then buy some more plants to fill in the bare spaces. But then again how old your existing plants? are they older then 5 yrs.? if so then your best bet would be to till it all under and start with all new plants in a new location. If you are keeping what you have then apply 2 - 3 cups of compost tea per foot of each row or a good 1 to 2 inches of compost and then mulch. Then before winter cover them with 4 to 6 inches of straw. Come spring spray liquid seaweed over the plants every 2 weeks untill the buds open.

-- TomK (tjk@cac.net), June 21, 2001.

Thanks Tom, I knew someone with more smarts than me would come to my rescue. Actually the plants are only about 3 years old (I think) but they were just so badly treated last year, they are struggling. One of your suggestions was to move a new patch to another location. We've always kept the patch right where it is. Could that be compounding the problem? Do you need to move them periodically? The existing plants aren't putting out many runners.

Thanks so much for helping me out. I always know I can count on my CS friends.

Wishing you enough.

-- Dianne in Mass (dianne.bone@usa.net), June 21, 2001.

do to pests,weeds,disease,etc. after about 3 to 5 yrs the bed's energy is usually pretty well use up that is why they say to start at a new location with new plants so you can keep getting them plump juicey berries although some people have had plants remain active forever at just one location but for the most part you do need to start new every now and then.

-- TomK (tjk@cac.net), June 21, 2001.

I have raised bed patches. I started with 12 plants 3 years ago and now I have hundreds of plants. Take the runners off the first bed, and make a separtate second bed, as big as you want. My second one is 3 feet wide and 50 feet long. Then take the runners off the second bed and start a third one. Always pick the flowers off the first year of the new bed. Take the runners off the third bed, and go back to the first one, till it up, and plant those runners. When the bed is over 3 years old, it's time to get rid of it. This way you always have a fresh new bed each year to pick. This year I am planting my third row. I'll end up with 3 rows, 3 feet wide by 50 feet long. You can see the runners in the middle by the bright green color of the leaves.

And grass clippings are great for strawberrys. They hate to dry out, if you can keep them wet they will thrive. Don't ever water them in the heat of the day as you will kill them. They get a mold thing. And shade the new runner transplants from the afternoon sun and keep them wet too. We only water ours in the late evening. Keep their leaves clean by spraying them with the hose. I just cover mine heavy with straw in the winter and they do fine.

-- Cindy in KY (solid_rock_ranch@yahoo.com), June 21, 2001.