Hi All
I am dismantling my old strawberry plot as it is now 3 years old and going over a bit. I'd like to use my pea plot for a new strawberry bed. I know peas add nitrogen - would this make for a too leafy crop next year?
Plus, I know pea roots should be dug in, but what about the haulms. Are they any good for digging in? I find 'digging in' whether of roots or leafy matter, really hard as I can never get it deep enough to plant over, and keep find 'bits' in my way. Probably doing it wrong as always.
Any help you can give me, and any good tips for a new strawberry bed would be most appreciated. This was my first one, and to be honest I bunged in a bit of compost, threw in the strawberries and hoped for the best. Luckily it worked, but there must be a better way!
Regards Caro
I usually compost my pea stalks and foliage and dig the roots in when I prepare the bet for the next crop.
Are you going for the same varieties of berries or choosing something new?
Well I've got some Gariguette and Mara des Bois first year runners to put in, and good old Honeyoye, which I find reliable in my soil, plus some 'ever-bearer' runners, Flamenco I think. The everbearers haven't really performed this year, so I won't expect too much from their runners. I just do love growing strawberries, but it is a bit of a f*g making new plots every year. I wonder, if it really is necessary, but have noticed a slightly reduced crop this year, so perhaps I'll bite the bulet and get digging in those pea roots! (And I will compst the haulms, thankyou Jayb.)
I put in Mara des Bois and Darlisette, both good strawberries but either I'm loosing my taste for them or they are not as delish as I remember strawberries being when I was a kid?
I've grown SarianF1 and FlorianF1 from seed (both everbarers) and they produce a nice little strawberry, mine were in hanging baskets and flowerpouches similarly not a huge crop. They were a bit of a fiddle with watering but was fairly pleased with them overall.
I have planted some brassicas where the peas were though did not remove the haulms just threw in the plants and the haulms have gradually disappeared I think the snails have dealt with them. I am hoping that the roots are now quietly rotting and releasing their nitrogen.
I grew carrots in a bed last year then added lots of recycled compost and in Sept/Oct put in the strawb runners - Cambridge favourite. They cropped better than the mother plants. Very pleased with them. Loads of fruits. Love the flavour slightly acid good bite.
My second favourites are Marshmarvel and Marshmello. Gave them plenty of manure, was lucky that batch not contaminated. Runners got recycled compost.
Also bought Mara des Bois and Gariguette on recommendation. I do not like the flavour rather too sweet for my taste. The fruit is soft with no bite. Very poor crop. I have a friend who loves them.
Everbearers just started to flower so I am hoping for something before winter sets in.
Also grown Florian from seed they do seem to repeat crop. I pulled off all their early flowers so they would fruit later. Flavour ok when there is nothing else around.
On recommendation from a plot neighbour I have also been feeding. They seem to like blood fish and bone.