Re: Strawberries
Hi Nan
Terrific Strawberry production is essential - in my opinion!! Especially
since our Sunday papers this week are full of how Strawberries mop up 'free
radicals' ,improve memory, and defer the ageing process!!
The best time to take strawberry runners is whilst the main plants are young
and vigorous. Older plants can get virused and become weakened. Its best
then not to take runners at all but start again with new certified stock. I
usually take runners after a bed has produced two good crops. Its best to
restrict runners to four or five a plant. Pegging them down to allow them to
root and then not allowing any further runners to grow. We usually pinch out
flowers when we are looking for strong healthy runners as well.
You can rejuvenate an old bed simply by cutting off the old leaves, pegging
down sufficient runners and then when they are rooted removing the old
plants. Feeding and mulching is essential to getting a good crop. I always
use organic fertiliser.
Although it is said that different types of strawberries require different
treatment(perpetual, June cropping etc) I grow them all the same. Water
well, feed when cropping and give them a 'rest' period.
Here in Crete I peg down runners with the first rains (Sept\Oct) these
plants will crop next spring. If moving to a new bed always transfer
immediately. It makes no sense (to me) to keep plants out of the ground if
it is not necessary. If your new bed is not ready, then I would pot on into
compost for planting out later. We rotate here only because all plants
require different nutrients so it make sense to move them around a bit.
Hense we usually have a bed with one year plants, one with two year plants
and one bringing up the rear and ready for scrapping.
We are Zone 9 here a couple below you.
Sit back because I think your postbag will be overflowing with Strawb
advice.
regards Richard
Richard & Janet Blenkinship
Crete
janetble@otenet.gr
----- Original Message -----
From: Nan Sterman <nsterman@mindsovermatter.com>
To: <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
Sent: Sunday, September 19, 1999 8:03 PM
Subject: Strawberries
> I'd like to start a conversation about renewing strawberry beds.
>
> I have a 3 year old strawberry bed that has declined in production this
> past year. I see lots of runners but it is clear that the bed needs to be
> renewed. Can anyone give me pointers on how to do this?
>
> Can save runners and replant with them? If so, do I dig them up and
> refrigerate them or can they simply stay in the ground? If I dig them up,
> when do I do it and how long do they need to be refrigerted?
>
> Shall I simply replace the entire bed with new plants? If so, why are new
> plants any different from the runners?
>
> Someone suggested to me that I should replace 30% of my strawberry bed
each
> year (rotate through the bed). Do any of you do this and why, how, etc.
>
> Any tips for terrific strawberry production?
>
> Thanks
>
> Nan
>
> PS You might have noticed us Californians mentioning that this has been
an
> unusually cool summer. It is now mid-September, a time when
schoolchildren
> are sweating it out in the classroom, but it rained a bit yesterday and it
> has been cool enough for long pants and socks (as opposed to shorts and
> sandals) for a couple of weeks already. Usually, this doesn't happen
until
> mid-to late October. Anyway, my point is, I was was out in the garden
this
> morning and the California poppies have already sprouted! I've never seen
> them sprout before November before.
>
> We'll have to see what interesting events this year's weather will
bring....
> **********
> '''''''''''''''''''''''
> Nan Sterman
> San Diego County California
> Sunset zone 24, USDA hardiness zone 10b or 11
>
>
