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Post by Rosie on Mar 29, 2012 12:40:46 GMT
I am wanting to expand my strawberry season, which plants would you recommend to do so? I have Cambridge Favourite and Elsanta but i want to grow lots more ;D ;D What is your favourite strawberry??  |
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Post by Cherry on Mar 29, 2012 13:23:39 GMT
Everbearing strawberry 'Finesse'. I see T&M and Marshalls have them. Sainsbury's have approved them and I have had them for two years now. They should be expensive as they are normally sent in pots and they are the most expensive strawberry available.
Mine came direct from the Norfolk farm which sells them to the seed companies before they were generally available.
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Post by sweetpea on Mar 29, 2012 15:12:33 GMT
Ken Muir does a good selection Rosie.
If you want a long season it is a bit like potatoes with early, mid season and late plus the 'Perpetual' varieties which fruit over a long season but the individual crop is light.
I usually grow Elsanta too but have tried quite a few in the past.
Trouble is they keep introducing new varieties with the older ones disappearing.
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Post by Lou78W on Mar 29, 2012 15:53:17 GMT
I grew the everbearing type "Albion" last year Rosie....and they were delish....picked them up to the end of September.....I've just ordered more ;D...from T&M of course  |
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Post by scrumpy on Mar 31, 2012 23:38:28 GMT
It may be a good idea for people to grow their own this year as many commercial growers plants have been hit by Aprilblight, a virus that prevents ripening of the fruit. It started off in Spain, spread to Portugal and has found it's way here.
Those of you with strawberries in polytunnels or under cloches should check for signs of the disease, characterised by white blotches on the leaves of plants, and if you have them, you should burn the plants immediately.
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Post by Lou78W on Apr 1, 2012 7:23:27 GMT
Thanks for the warning Scrumpy  |
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Post by scrumpy on Apr 1, 2012 12:02:52 GMT
April blight should give a clue  |
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Post by Lou78W on Apr 1, 2012 14:48:23 GMT
I've just twigged...its 1 April today  ....well and truly got  .....lol Nice one Scrumpy   |
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Post by AJ on Apr 1, 2012 19:23:54 GMT
Bought 7 or 8 different types last year, didn't let them fruit but did take runners frm them and only planted those runners up last weekend.The orignal plants will hopefuly produce good fruit this year, fingers crossed. From memory I bought alsata, cambridge, red gauntlet, albion, darselect, symphony and honeoye, will let u know how things turn out |
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Post by Cherry on Apr 1, 2012 19:28:34 GMT
My ordinary strawberries are Darlisette and Frau Mieze Schindler. The Darlisette are good, but the others are not old enough to judge.
Great sense of humour Scrumpy.
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Post by Rosie on Apr 2, 2012 8:14:55 GMT
Thanks for all your input, i still can't make my mind up what to get. i shall have to decide soon ;D  |
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Post by Cherry on Jun 10, 2012 9:12:45 GMT
I have straw to put under the strawberries, which are badly needing it. I have tried hay and lawn clippings. Neither work because they seed horribly. Is there anything else I can do with the straw?
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Post by Lou78W on Jun 10, 2012 12:30:15 GMT
If the straw is in bales you could grow tomatoes, peppers, chillies, aubergines in them.
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Post by Cherry on Jun 10, 2012 15:24:44 GMT
I have heard about that Lou, but can it be done in one bale? I only have one. Can I make room inside for a pumpkin or whatever? Some years The farm is covered in shredded wheats but there were none last year and this year it is sugar beet.
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Post by Lou78W on Jun 10, 2012 15:30:01 GMT
If its a decent sized bale and you can cut a hole big enough to take the rootball...and a little compost to start it off...you should be ok.....only downside is watering and feeding...and plenty of it.
It is advisable to sterilize the straw to stop weed seeds in it growing....not sure what the constituents are but urine was mentioned!!........hope you give it a go. The toms/peppers etc grown in bales at The Alnwick Garden (in the polytunnels) are a great success......and cucumbers......they grow enormous...up to the eaves ;D
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