Strawberries

[Mrs Ava]

I have a large strawberry patch in the garden which I have cleaned up this morning (an potted on some runners for you Roy) and I was wondering, as it is currently being watered, should I think about feeding the plants now to beef them up for next year?  If so, what with??  I am off to the garden centre this avo so could pick up what I need.  Thanks.  ;D

[Mrs Ava]

[adrianhumph]

 Hi E J,  :D
                    The advice in one of my books was after shearing off the leaves of the plants,  (I guess you have done this )  To encourage the new foliage to grow feed with tomato feed at the same strength that you would use on toms.

                                                 Adrian.

                                                                 

[Cat]

Ditto what Adrian has said.

I have just cut the leaves off mine and will be feeding next time I water.

Cat

[Mrs Ava]

thank you!  ;D

[Roy Bham UK]

 ;D And thank you Emma ;D can you please include some planting instructions for a failed strawberry grower ;D

[jollyroger123]

When you say cut the leaves back, Do you cut them right back until there arent any.  Im propagating runners in pots to keep in the greenhouse and expand my strawberry patch next year.

What about the ones in the ground do these get the leaves cut off as well. 

Sorry about all the questions first time ive had my own garden this year.  (Loving It)

[adrianhumph]

Hi jolly roger,  :D
                             The plants in the ground that have produced strawbs this year are the one`s to shear off. Yes you give them a serious haircut  ;D all off ! Your new plantlets , from runners, just need severing from the parent when a good root ball has developed (this usually happens quite quickly) & then planted in thir growing positions. Hope this helps.

                                           Adrian.

[Mrs Ava]

Oh, you would really take away all the leaves?  I just removed all the old big ones, dead ones and stems where the fruits had been - twas a labour of love I tell ya!  Now each crown only has a couple of leaves, but I assumed they would need some to continue feeding - osmosis, photosynthesis and all of those other long words I remember from my biology days!  ;D

[Moggle]

When I had strawbs the last 2 years - I cut off most of the leaves at around this time of year, but most of the newly developing ones. I think I read somewhere all the sun that gets to the crowns by taking leaves off helps develop the bits that become flowers and then fruit next year.

Here's the bit of advice from the Ken Muir site  that I followed:


'DEFOLIATION
It is not generally realised that the immature flower parts from which the next year’s crop develops are formed in the crowns during July and August. Therefore the new leaves that appear at this time should be given every encouragement to grow rapidly. The bed should be thoroughly weeded, any straw removed and on all vigorously growing varieties, the old leaves should be cut off with a pair of shears or short knife without cutting into the crowns. All this dead plant material should be
collected and put on the compost heap, or burned. This operation must be carried out as soon as picking finishes and not delayed, otherwise next year’s crop could be reduced. If the soil is very dry, the bed should be watered, applying 50 litres per m2 (11gal/yd2).

The new set of leaves grows rapidly and provided they are fully exposed to the light, they will effectively manufacture food material for flower initiation. Any further runners that single plants produce and those that grow into the pathways from matted rows should be cut off as they appear.'

So I was nearly right with the sun on the crowns bit. It's actually the sun on the new leaves being converted in to food for the next year's flowers.