Topic: Strawberries

[valmarg]

How long do you need to leave the greenhouse doors open for, to get pollination ?
I left them open for one day would that be enough ?

At the moment we are frost free at night, and leave them open overnight.  I there is any forecast of frost, we shut them.

R-B, between us on the A515 there is a strawberry/asparagus farm (New Farm).  I have noticed in the past that they have beehives in the strawberry polytunnels.

valmarg

[manicscousers]

that's good news, ollie, hope you enjoy them,  ;D

[Robert_Brenchley]

If you want good pollination I should leave it open every day unless it freezes or something. With the decline in pollinators you can't take chances these days, and there will be new flowers opening every day.

[valmarg]

Leaving the greenhouse door open seems to have worked, we have quite a lot of strawberries on the plants.

The only thing to remember to do is shut the door once the strawberries begin to ripen, otherwise the blackbirds will beat you to them.

valmarg

[Robert_Brenchley]

If you use net across the door, you can keep the birds out while letting the insects in to pollinate the remaining flowers.

[valmarg]

Which is what we do, and over the windows when they are open.

You only have to have a small 'chink in the armour', and the little sods will reap the benefit of your hard work ;D ;D

valmarg

[peasmad]

I've a feeling they are. I'm wondering about growing them under cover for an early crop, that's why I asked.

I had strawberries in tyres inside my polytunnel for 3 yrs. I closed the door every evening, during april / may, until the temperature rose. I also have nets over the doors to keep birds and bugs out. The strawberries still formed, earlier than those outside. I only grow perpetual forms, and they also fruited for longer than the outside ones. Strawbs from may - late oct. not bad going. I now grow all my plants outside in tyres, which helps to encourage earlier growth and fruiting.

[realfood]

Strawberries definitely need hand pollination if grown inside all the time. However, hand pollination can lead to distorted fruit if not done very gently and all round the flower. For suggestions on growing strawberries, visit my web site at http://www.growyourown.info/page80.html