I think it's the congestion of them that's the problem for you. Probably could do with getting rid of some plants. They've obviously liked your conditions in the past though. You seem to be getting 'our' weather this week for a change!
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Mara-des-bois is an alpine/everbearing variety, so can produce crops throughout the season. I reckon if you give the older plants some room by removing and potting-up rooted runners and feed with tomato feed, they'll respond by producing a better crop in a few weeks (weather permitting, of course.) I lost most of my potted strawberries to vine weevil over the winter; The Mara Des Bois weren't affected, but crop is also poor, if that's any consolation. The only ones which have done reasonably well are Cambridge Favourite in the ground and have had a couple of pounds from 2x1m so far with more on the way, but lost quite a few fruit to botrytis following the downpours as I also left too many rooted runners in.
A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
I think you're both right. I need to get in there and make some space - it's just giving slugs and snails rain cover atm. and there are only a few visible flowers. Been raining all day so far, but tomorrow looks a bit better I'll see what I can do. I'll pot up a dozen runners too and give the rest a drop of Tomorite. I can't remember such a wet and miserable summer as this - I'm usually cursing the endless blue skies and unbearable heat by now.
Do you think the Vegtrug and copper tape is the best idea to keep slugs at bay? and if so, what sort of compost mix would you suggest?
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I don't know if the tape works @Pete.8. I've never had much faith in any of these deterrents, but maybe others have tried them. I don't think you'd need anything fancy in the way of compost. You always have to add something fresh each year anyway, because it's essentially just a large 'pot'. Maybe a bit of soil would help water retention if you think your current summer is a bit of a one off The only problem with that is that there might be slugs already present, which would mean that adding the tape would be pointless!
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Several years ago i obtained a lot of 5Ltr plastic mayonaise tubs from a local coffee shop, i cut off the bottoms and put over my strawberry plants just as flowers start showing this makes the flower stems reach for the light and the fruit hang over the edge keeping away from slugs
No copper tape doesn't work,I bought hard copper rings as well,put them round the squashes, cabbage, expensive and useless. My dahlias in pots are mulched with thick layer of very sharp grit,and hardly anything left!
I grow strawberries in a long grow-bag supported on an old recycled desk/table unit from Freecycle. Same principle as VegTrug but much cheaper! It has metal hoops over it with large holed chicken wire over those, to which I add some plastic covering if it's very wet. On each table leg I wrap grease-bands around them to keep the slugs/snails/woodlice away. I only have six plants in it however but that's enough more or less for the two of us to have occasional desserts.
Veg Trugs are anything from £89 to £150 I think, you could buy an awful lot of strawberries for that.
Thanks again for your replies and thoughts - much appreciated Sounds like the copper tape is a waste. I just came across an RHS article where they tried it and it made no difference. I was a little surprised that they said slug pellets are OK if used as directed.
I'll give them a good tidy up and a bit of trim and feed tomorrow. Pot up some runners and have a ponder about the trug. True that it's not cheap, but it does look nice - and it's my birthday next month. But I'll have a think first. How can you put a price on taste of home-grown strawberries? 🤣
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
My strawberries have also been very poor this year. All the runners from last year have just got lots of leaves and throwing out lots of runners, no berries. Mine aren’t as congested as yours and have room. The only good performer is Toscana.
My personal experience of copper tape is that it can work. I did an experiment this morning with a slug I found. Unfortunately, I can’t upload video clips and I don’t have a YouTube account. Here’s someone else’s who had the same result as mine. I don’t have a battery attached to my tape.
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I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I need to get in there and make some space - it's just giving slugs and snails rain cover atm. and there are only a few visible flowers.
Been raining all day so far, but tomorrow looks a bit better I'll see what I can do.
I'll pot up a dozen runners too and give the rest a drop of Tomorite.
I can't remember such a wet and miserable summer as this - I'm usually cursing the endless blue skies and unbearable heat by now.
Do you think the Vegtrug and copper tape is the best idea to keep slugs at bay? and if so, what sort of compost mix would you suggest?
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I don't think you'd need anything fancy in the way of compost. You always have to add something fresh each year anyway, because it's essentially just a large 'pot'. Maybe a bit of soil would help water retention if you think your current summer is a bit of a one off
The only problem with that is that there might be slugs already present, which would mean that adding the tape would be pointless!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Veg Trugs are anything from £89 to £150 I think, you could buy an awful lot of strawberries for that.
Sounds like the copper tape is a waste.
I just came across an RHS article where they tried it and it made no difference.
I was a little surprised that they said slug pellets are OK if used as directed.
I'll give them a good tidy up and a bit of trim and feed tomorrow. Pot up some runners and have a ponder about the trug.
True that it's not cheap, but it does look nice - and it's my birthday next month. But I'll have a think first.
How can you put a price on taste of home-grown strawberries? 🤣
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.