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STRAWBERRIES
Barneyb
Posts: 24
in Fruit & veg
When is the right time to put straw around the strawberry plants. I have a small strawberry patch 40 plants in my allottment and I took up the old straw after I had harvested this years crop. I have now dug up and replanted the plants and they are looking very well so I think straw distribution timing is probably critical?? 
0
Posts
Definitely not now-it is not needed
Straw is put round the plants at fruiting time-in the Summer- to slightly warm the soil but mostly from stopping soil plashes spoiling the fruit
The only reason for putting straw around strawberry plants is to keep the fruit off the ground to stop it getting wet, muddy and mouldy. Therefore you don't need to put straw back down until the fruits are forming in the summer.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Snap! Geoff
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I usually have mine in long plastic troughs so they are raised from the ground - it works for me when space is at a premium. This year, however, the wet weather seemed to make them mouldy - such a shame. Hopefully, sun shine next year.
What a fantastic response. Gives me plenty of confidence thank you