strawberries

anyone out there plant strawberries? when is it time to plant them?

When the ground is frost free .

I can't view where in the world you are .
You can (  stratify )  freeze the died down for winter plants , when they get woken up at planting time  they think they are in their second year of growth and give forth lots of decent sized fruits .

 This time of year leading into late autumn  is good for splitting well developed plants or severing the runners if you have set/ pegged  some out .
The runners are often potted up into four inch pots and over wintered in a cold frame or glasshouse till spring when you plant them out into the final position.

Thanks for the info.

And I planted strawberries in the spring.
The first year was pretty thin, as they were just starting out, had a few berries.
Second year (this year) was almost as thin, but a better yield (I have June bearing). Then the runners started to kick in in July. I trained them to fill the bare spots. I put fertilizer on and made sure I watered throughout the summer and fall. I also weeded them.  I will put straw on them late fall. I think the key thing of raising june bearing strawberries is the care you give to them in July, August and September.
Third year: They should be great. I'm not going to fertilize in the spring. After they yield my plan is to thin them and give them a little breathing room. That way they keep develop runners.
I only have a 3x6 raised bed, but I think I can get 8-10 quarts. Plan to freeze some.

Covering the berry plants in winter is good, but in the spring be sure to remove straw, etc, early. A frost will not hurt them. be sure all runners are cut from the parent plant. Fertilize after they bloom. Compost can be added at any time but do not disturb the roots.
Jo

I'm just outside Houston and put in a new strawberry bed this week, Nov. 17-18, 2013.  These were All Star strawberries because they are one of four varieties that can withstand 100 degree temperatures.

Last year, I did a 4' x 4' raised bed of Chandler strawberries.  I only put in four plants.  Hard as it was, I clipped off all the blooms/flowers as they appeared so the plants could concentrate on growing stronger vs. producing their first year.  I planted these in the spring.  The box had plenty of space for all the runners to plant themselves and now the box has absolutely exploded with gorgeous, dark green strawberry plants that fill the entire 4' x 4' with runners draping over the sides.

I planted these in Mel's Mix that I mixed myself and put a solid layer of compost on top in September.  I kept them alive through the summer by placing the box beneath a Mulberry tree whose branches I thinned out so they could receive plenty of sun, but also have some dappled shade.

Ants became the problem, overrunning the box and killing two of my original plants.  I treated the box repeatedly with diatamaceous earth, which did a good job, but I could only apply it when the soil was dry.  Once it rained or I watered, I had to wait for everything to dry out and then reapply it.  So it was a vicious cycle of the ants dying and then coming back between applications.

I found the solution to my ant problem when I read that planting onions around the paramaters of the strawberries would deter pests.  The ants are now completely gone and haven't returned since I outlined the box with onions.  I did the same with my new 4' x 4' I planted this week; using both multiplying onions and the strong scented purple onions.  Apparently, the ants don't like the smell of the onions.  Wish I had of know this sooner.

thanks Rahab for that info. who knew. i'll have to try that.

It does work!  I kept my strawberries sheltered and alive throughout the winter and they are now absolutely covered with flowers and small fruits!  I'm very pleased.  The onions look great, too!

Newb planting strawberries this year. What's the best way/time to cut the runners? Planted four Tristan (apil) in one square and the runners are going crazy. I have had a few blooms so far. I think I may need to dedicate a box for just strawberries. Live in zone 8b. Thanks for the tips

I haven't gotten to the point of where I need to cut the runners yet.  I have a 4' x 4' raised bed for my strawberry plants.  The first year, you're supposed to clip all the flowers off so the plant can't produce berries until year 2.  This puts all the plants energy into growing the plant and letting it put out runners.  Cutting all the blooms off the first year is hard to do, but I did it and have a really nice crop in year 2.  I started another bed last fall and didn't cut the blooms off, just to see how they will do (I experiment all the time because I really don't know what I'm doing most of the time).  This weekend, I hope to put another 4' x 4' strawberry bed in.  This bed shouldn't do anything until 2015.  I've red you rework the beds in the third year - that's when you separate the mother plant from the daughters (runners).  In the meantime, the runners have helped fill up my bed. I kept the plants alive through the winter by covering the box with floating row covers.  I protect them from the heat by placing my boxes underneath a mulberry tree which gives them dappled shade through the summer.  They LOVE the shade in the heat.  I fertilize with compost in the early spring and early fall.  You can look on-line for all kinds of information on growing strawberries.  We just use the ones I grow to eat because I don't get enough berries to justify making jam.  Hope this helps.

littlejo wrote:Covering the berry plants in winter is good, but in the spring be sure to remove straw, etc, early. A frost will not hurt them. be sure all runners are cut from the parent plant. Fertilize after they bloom. Compost can be added at any time but do not disturb the roots.
Jo

Jo, do we have to remove the pine needles if the new plants are growing up above them? I was going to leave them on this year hoping to keep any bugs and slugs and so on out, as well as keeping the fruits off the earth.

as far as using onions to keep pests away, does anyone know if chives and bunching onions with work?

I'm wondering what is eating my strawberry leaves. Did some research here and online with mixed results. Haven't seen slugs. Found a cutworm but that was on a stem. First photo is from the strawberry tower. Second photo is from the raised bed. Not sure if it is the same culprit. 





Any thoughts or suggestions? 

Cape - did some reading on the pine straw.  You can leave it on.

Lyndeeloo - OUCH!  Not sure what would be causing THAT...!  (And thanks, btw!)

HB2U Atlanta Marie. Yes I am very concerned. The plants are really looking great. Lots of flowers and buds. Noticed a few holes a couple days ago, but this morning there are a lot more. 

Sounds like it's time for a midnight search of the garden in your bathrobe & slippers with the flashlight...!

AtlantaMarie wrote:Sounds like it's time for a midnight search of the garden in your bathrobe & slippers with the flashlight...!

Better idea than raiding the refrigerator at midnight. Maybe I'd burn off a few calories rather than consuming them. Also will entertain the neighbors.  

Just came in from pest patrol. Found a couple sugar ants and this guy. Could he be the culprit?  I really searched all the plants and was hard pressed to find anything.

Wild guess. Sharpshooter or leaf hopper.