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Strawberry Plant Leaves

Homelovingirl31Homelovingirl31 Posts: 34
in Fruit & veg

I wondered if I can remove the large leaves from my strawberry plants so that the sun can ripen the fruit quicker?

Thanks in advance!

Posts

  • Dave MorganDave Morgan Posts: 3,123

    You can remove some leaves, but patience is the best solution, the fruit will ripen without a lot of sun. 

  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114
    The plants need their leaves for a few weeks more. After the crop is over, you can cut all the leaves off.
  • Homelovingirl31Homelovingirl31 Posts: 34

    Hi, thanks to you both for your replies.......will leave them on as suggested.    Just worried that they will ripen when we're on holiday and the birds will get them!

  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114
    Well, yes they will. Removing leaves will make no difference to that. Summer holidays always coincide with some vital gardening event.
  • Homelovingirl31Homelovingirl31 Posts: 34

    Well, the wild rabbits have eaten one batch of strawberry plants, so I've moved the rest that are in pots onto a benchimage    Last year the birds got all the blackcurrants, so the strawbs will add to their "5-a-day" I supposeimage

  • Dave MorganDave Morgan Posts: 3,123

    Net them to stop birds and rabbits, it's relatively cheap and worth it just for the taste.

  • Steve 309Steve 309 Posts: 2,753

    You can (and should) remove the yellowing leaves at the bottom as they become unproductive.

    The residents have eaten/thrown around most of the strawberries at work image

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