I had about 4 strawberry plants given to me last year. I planted them in some soil at the side of my summer house last year and they all sent of shoots and produced small berries. However, before I managed to eat them from one plant every single berry had gone! Like the whole thing! At first I blamed my dog because she likes food and then I thought no the plants aren't damaged. I then put a net over them to stop birds but I went back a couple days later and now every strawberry from every plant was gone! I'm suspecting nice but not sure. So question 1) does anyone know what else and what I could do before they begin to grow this year. And secondly I also am thinking about moving them to a sunnier place in my garden as now they're quite shaded. When shall I move them and what shall I move them into? A big pot? Hanging basket? Thank you!

My cousin owns a strawberry farm near the coast in California where the weather is cool and damp. But there are a lot of farmers growing them in full sun in the Central Valley of California where summers are hot and dry.

Strawberry farmers replace their plants, keeping only the offsets, in early summer after the plants have produced this year's crop. Let the offsets grow roots then cut the stem connecting them to the parent plant. A hanging basket will keep the mice out but you will still have to fend off birds.

Daisy

DaisyI said:

My cousin owns a strawberry farm near the coast in California where the weather is cool and damp. But there are a lot of farmers growing them in full sun in the Central Valley of California where summers are hot and dry.

Strawberry farmers replace their plants, keeping only the offsets, in early summer after the plants have produced this year's crop. Let the offsets grow roots then cut the stem connecting them to the parent plant. A hanging basket will keep the mice out but you will still have to fend off birds.

Daisy

Nice to know they can last in different climates with the English weather being slightly temperamental haha. I think I will do what you just said and put them in baskets, I will have to think of a netting solution for the birds

Kim

I have some in my greenhouse in a hanging basket. I've had the mice actually climb up to them and eat the berries. Now I'm thinking I need to surround the basket plant with fine screening! It's a constant battle. The mice ate a lot of my tomatoes, too.

Kim, definitely in England you will need to grow your strawberries in as much sun as you can find for them. I'm originally from British Columbia, so a very similar climate there, but they do grow strawberries commercially around Vancouver, too. We did keep our plants for more than one year, but still separated and planted the offsets (once they have roots) as well, to increase the size of the yield. I would move them as soon as possible to the sunnier location.

Strawberries are sadly one of those things that everybody likes - including bugs, mice, birds, squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, deer, bears and other people. The smell of ripening strawberries will attract wildlife like nothing else! You might want to consider surrounding them with a cage made of something strong like window screening or even chicken wire to keep as many others from your berries as possible. Oh, and I'd plant more than 4 plants if you ever want to have enough for a dessert or two . . .

Slugs! You forgot to mention slugs....

dyzzypyxxy said:Kim, definitely in England you will need to grow your strawberries in as much sun as you can find for them. I'm originally from British Columbia, so a very similar climate there, but they do grow strawberries commercially around Vancouver, too. We did keep our plants for more than one year, but still separated and planted the offsets (once they have roots) as well, to increase the size of the yield. I would move them as soon as possible to the sunnier location.

Strawberries are sadly one of those things that everybody likes - including bugs, mice, birds, squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, deer, bears and other people. The smell of ripening strawberries will attract wildlife like nothing else! You might want to consider surrounding them with a cage made of something strong like window screening or even chicken wire to keep as many others from your berries as possible. Oh, and I'd plant more than 4 plants if you ever want to have enough for a dessert or two . . .

I have more now as they have sent off so many shoots. They've lasted through the winter so they're doing well. I probably will move them to a hanging basket where hopefully I can protect them a bit more. Thank you

plantmanager said:I have some in my greenhouse in a hanging basket. I've had the mice actually climb up to them and eat the berries. Now I'm thinking I need to surround the basket plant with fine screening! It's a constant battle. The mice ate a lot of my tomatoes, too.

Thank you for your help, I've had success wth tomatoes before so I'll probably move them to a different location and see how they are there. Thank you