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Post by AJ on Oct 27, 2011 11:25:42 GMT
A local farmer kindly dropped off 2 bales of straw the other evening. I'm going to cover up my strawberries for the winter and recently built a 12 inch border all around the bed to protect the plants from the wind and also to ensure the straw doesn't blow away as we are pretty exposed up here.  Do I give them a light covering or a covering that hides them completly  |
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Post by sweetpea on Oct 27, 2011 12:09:38 GMT
Straw is for laying under the developing fruits to protect them from mud splashes not to protect the plants which are perfectly hardy.
Indeed some growers set fire to the straw at the end of the season to clean up the plants and remove the old straw.
One other thing, be sure that the straw you use hasn't been treated with weedkiller which can affect the plants.
Hope you have a good crop next year.
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Post by AJ on Oct 27, 2011 14:15:08 GMT
Straw is for laying under the developing fruits to protect them from mud splashes not to protect the plants which are perfectly hardy. Indeed some growers set fire to the straw at the end of the season to clean up the plants and remove the old straw. One other thing, be sure that the straw you use hasn't been treated with weedkiller which can affect the plants. Hope you have a good crop next year. Perfect SP, so they don't need to be covered at all over the winter. |
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Post by Lou78W on Oct 27, 2011 14:37:40 GMT
I agree with what SP says AJ....they would probably rot under that straw anyway  ... ;D |
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Post by merlin on Oct 27, 2011 16:42:48 GMT
That must be 'the last straw' AJ  |
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Post by Lou78W on Oct 27, 2011 19:17:41 GMT
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Post by sweetpea on Oct 27, 2011 19:25:20 GMT
Perfect SP, so they don't need to be covered at all over the winter.[/quote] Not at all AJ. In fact the only time strawberries normally get covered is when you want to get an early (or late) crop and most growers would use cloches though some folks do use their g'house. I remember way back getting a load of chase barn cloches (glass, the real McCoy) from a strawberry grower who was going out of business. Five bob each and one of the best bargains I think I ever had. Unfortunately all gone now since 44 years ago. 
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Post by AJ on Oct 28, 2011 11:41:48 GMT
That must be 'the last straw' AJ No, I've plenty straw but I have just noticed a camel in the garden that can't see to get up  |
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Do I give them a light covering or a covering that hides them completly 
... ;D
