strawberries

[diver]

I planted a strawberry bed in the autumn and want to cover it against the birds...I have all the stuff ready.. is there a right time to do it or will now do? Is it better to wait til the strawberries start coming through, help please

[Dave]

You wont damage them by covering them now - I presume you mean with a net? The only problem with covering anything is trying to weed the plants once the netting is up.

[Andy Hamilton]

Just had a quick google around for you about strawberries aparently you should not plant them near where peppers, potatoes, raspberries, or tomatoes have grown because strawberries are susceptible to verticillium wilt. I was wondering if you could also mulch to keep weeds back? I have never actualy grown strawberries so dave is the expert here

[diver]

thanks for the help. I have got a new allotment which has only grown couch grass for years.....Iv'e cleared all that over the last few months and planted my strawberries through some black plastic sheeting, so weeds can only get in just by the roots, so I will mulch with spent hops before I put netting round them, thanks again

[Andy Hamilton]

I have got a new allotment which has only grown couch grass for years.....Iv'e cleared all that over the last few months and planted my strawberries through some black plastic sheeting, so weeds can only get in just by the roots, so I will mulch with spent hops before I put netting round them, thanks again

Couch grass, aghh I hate that stuff. I think if there was a nuclear war slugs and couch grass would be left! I keep thinking that I have got rid of it just to find some happily growing. I don't think there is really an organic soultion to it either other than retarding it or just digging it out.

[Wombat]

As far as couch grass goes, I wait till it dies back in winter then burn the bugger! my curse is oxalis, most of my beds are infested with it. the mulch keeps it down but it is still a pain - Andy I would add oxalis to our post apocalyptic list!

Nev

[Andy Hamilton]

As far as couch grass goes, I wait till it dies back in winter then burn the bugger! my curse is oxalis, most of my beds are infested with it. the mulch keeps it down but it is still a pain - Andy I would add oxalis to our post apocalyptic list!

Nev

Do you have to have a controlled fire? Is oxalis what we call buttercups?
questions, questions

[Wombat]

G'Day Mate,

I have a kerosene powered "flame thrower" that emits a jet of flame which is specifically designed for killing weeds, you could do the same thing with a propane torch.

As for being buttercups, form what I can tell the answer is no...........I think you guys might know them as shamrocks.

Nev

[Andy Hamilton]

ah shamrocks, yep I seem to be cultivating a few of those myself too. Another one that seems to just have a life of it's own and pop up all over the place.

I have read a bit about burning off weeds, not sure how practicle it would be to keep propane/gas in my flat. I think it would be an accident waiting to happen really. Could not leave it on the allotement either would be pinched within seconds. For the next place me thinks.

[leedarkwood]

You know Andy, I am so glad you are not 'purist' on the couch grass question. I am planning to 'blitz' the couch grass beds (the ones that are meant to be veg beds) the next time we get a few sunny days, and I wondered if you would be horrified to see some scorched looking patches. I have some stuff to spray, it is meant to be very low impact on the environment, you can even use it on water plants... There is something 'of the night' about those white roots creeping around, very vampire I think.

Lee

[Wombat]

ah shamrocks, yep I seem to be cultivating a few of those myself too. Another one that seems to just have a life of it's own and pop up all over the place.

I have read a bit about burning off weeds, not sure how practicle it would be to keep propane/gas in my flat. I think it would be an accident waiting to happen really. Could not leave it on the allotement either would be pinched within seconds. For the next place me thinks.

Yeah, I understand your dilemma, mate. Storing any flammables must be done carefully - it was just a suggestion!

Nev

[diver]

I have tried everything on couch grass short of thr nuclear explosion....but I'm open to that as long as it is an environmentally friendly nuclear blast and gets the slugs as well...seriously the only real solution I have found, and the old timers on my allotment confirmed this.... .is to dig the stuff out and make sure you get allthe roots and little seed heads...on reflection I doubt if the nuclear stuff would work, I think you are right about it surviving

[alcina]

I planted a strawberry bed in the autumn and want to cover it against the birds...I have all the stuff ready.. is there a right time to do it or will now do? Is it better to wait til the strawberries start coming through, help please

In my experience with strawberries, the birds (and squirrels) are only a problem when the berries start to turn red. Until then they're not touched. No need to net them for a while yet. Sigh...there's nothing like watching your first big, juicy strawberry start to ripen, thinking "tomorrow it will be perfectly ripe", only to wake up the following morning to find your pride and joy gone! Or worse still...only half gone! Still tempting, but totally unusable!

I have read that if you glue strawberry-sized stones painted pillar box red to short lengths of wire, and then dot these around your strawberry plants just before your berries start to ripen, the birds and squirrels will attempt to peck the stones, realise they get nothing and thence leave your plants alone when your real berries finally ripen. I've not tried it myself so your mileage may vary! :)

Alcina

[catalyst]

eul ourtrwberres witine needles... they love the acidity...
we´re already eating strawberries :)

[ina]

What happend to that last message - is it just me or is it cryptic for everybody? Am I guessing right that you have mulched them with pine needles?

Actually, I would use straw... That's where they got their name from, after all! Keeps the weeds down to a certain extent, keeps them reasonably dry, mould-free and clean. But a few slugs always make it across.

My own aren't anywhere near ready yet, but I live in a strawberry growing area, so we've had local ones for a few weeks now. And asparagus, too. Heaven!

Ina