Indeed @amancalledgeorge. I'll join you in a sigh.... There's a house near me which has that exact scenario - a little patch at the driveway entrance. I can think of worse things than foxes peeing on them too. I don't really like strawbs although I've always grown them for some strange reason! The girls liked them when they were little. I've now given most of mine away, and the others get used as ground cover and food for the birds.
To get a longer season here, they just get grown undercover - you can have an earlier type and a later one, but most folk aren't that bothered IME, as long as they can keep the slugs off them and get a few to eat with their ice cream
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
You should get some fruit next year @Johnjoe, but it could be worth your while buying a few mature plants later on from a GC or online supplier, to give you more of a harvest, depending on what room you have for growing them. As @philippasmith2 describes, it's roughly a 3 yr cycle with them. By the time runners are 3 yrs old, you can take runners from them to grow on, and those older plants will be in decline. It means you constantly refresh the stock and keep them producing well. Some varieties are better than others too in that respect. Then you'll have plenty for your Eton mess, and maybe a Pavlova as well
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Few pests, @diggersjo ? What about slugs, birds, vine weevil, aphids... and diseases like botrytis, mildew, root rot. But yes, superb fruit. Well worth the effort.
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
Only the birds have been a problem and I love them, so don't mind leaving a few for them. I did have trouble with vine weevil once but that was using a container to grow them. I stopped doing so dug out the pot and fed the weevils to the birds! I'm sure you are right about all of the above mind you, I must have been lucky. Quite surprised at aphids being a problem mind you, but the RHS mentions "fruit aphids" new one to me.
Yorkshire, ex Italy and North East coast. Growing too old for it!
The major predator on strawberries in a previous garden was a large black Labrador who would worm his way under the netting and eat the fruit … he inevitably got his collar tangled in the netting but it didn’t seem to bother him 🙄 😂
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
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There's a house near me which has that exact scenario - a little patch at the driveway entrance. I can think of worse things than foxes peeing on them too.
I don't really like strawbs although I've always grown them for some strange reason! The girls liked them when they were little. I've now given most of mine away, and the others get used as ground cover and food for the birds.
To get a longer season here, they just get grown undercover - you can have an earlier type and a later one, but most folk aren't that bothered IME, as long as they can keep the slugs off them and get a few to eat with their ice cream
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
As @philippasmith2 describes, it's roughly a 3 yr cycle with them. By the time runners are 3 yrs old, you can take runners from them to grow on, and those older plants will be in decline. It means you constantly refresh the stock and keep them producing well. Some varieties are better than others too in that respect.
Then you'll have plenty for your Eton mess, and maybe a Pavlova as well
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.