Allotments 4 All

You probably all know that this year I have been affected with mildew on the strawberries due to such wet weather.

Cleared the patch today by removing the leaves.

What do you make of these images?

Just look at how many I have lost, what a shame!

That's such a shame. I grow mine in raised beds but without any sides, ie the wood.  Could be the air circulation around the plants, maybe a little too low down in the ground  ???

Goodness, that's drastic!  Did the plants look healthy - did the berries go mildewy after they came off the plant or before?  Were they netted?  Do you have squirrels?

We have had a marauding squirrel going after strawbs this year.  It cleaned out the fruit from under nets on my neighbours both sides.  I made sure my nets were secure but it chewed through them.  I found a pile of white strawbs outside my raised netted bed hidden under a rhubarb leaf in the next bed.

lost a couple myself but they were in growbags by the side of my greenhouse brought theme inside lost a couple more but none since the higher temperature is much better and also the drier atmosphere

I do not think that you picked them quickly enough.

They are better collected daily, removing any that have mildew.

The sides are only small and not enough to cause the problem.

Perhaps a deeper layer of straw next year may help.

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I am guesstimating the size of your strawberry bed from the adjacent slabs, but I think your plants are much closer together than i would normally plant strawberries. If I am right it could certainly contribute to mildew. I normally space about 40-50cm each way.

Quote from: grawrc on July 14, 2008, 10:48:47
I am guesstimating the size of your strawberry bed from the adjacent slabs, but I think your plants are much closer together than i would normally plant strawberries. If I am right it could certainly contribute to mildew. I normally space about 40-50cm each way.

That is exactly what the problem is, a lot of the runners last year rooted. This year I shall be taking a lot out and clearing the beds better.