Topic: strawberry bed problems

[Crystalmoon]

Hi everyone, I have planted my strawberry plants through black membrane & unfortuately the bindweed is thriving underneath it & raising up small mole hill sized mounds in places.
I dont know how to deal with this....should I just let it get on with it then lift membrane after fruit season?
Or will the bindweed strangle /deprive the strawberry plants?....should I lift the membrane now?
Would be a big job to lift membrane at the moment as I have lots of small pots attached to runners all over it  ::)

[Sinbad7]

Hi Crystalmoon

I had the same problem last year and just left mine, pulling any bindweed out when it came through in the same place as the strawberries.  The strawberries didn't seem to come to any harm.  This year I moved the strawberries to another bed with no black plastic.

Sinbad

[Crystalmoon]

Thanks Sinbad I will do the same then.

I thought the thick black material membrane I used would maybe work better than plastic with the dreaded bindweed but alas it hasnt. I like the way the membrane keeps the fruit clean & dont want to use straw next year as I know how slugs love to hide under it from my many years as a fruit picker at local farms.

Are you putting anything around your strawbs this year?

[Robert_Brenchley]

Just pull out whatever bindweed grows through the holes. It won't hurt the strawbs, and will die eventually, provided you don't let any of it grow out into the light.