GREENGOLD GARDEN CONCEPTS
CARE AND MAINTENANCE NOTES

strawberries

These notes have been prepared by arthur yates & co. pty. ltd. for greengold on the internet.

An orchard used to be an important part of every Australian garden but, in these days of smaller gardens and busy lifestyles, most gardens seem to be doing well if they manage to have a few citrus trees in tubs. However, there's one fruit that can be grown in any garden, no matter how small, and that's the strawberry.

Strawberries do extremely well in pots (even to the extent that there's a special design of terracotta pot that is known as a 'strawberry' pot) and look wonderful in hanging baskets.

Strawberries, like so many other well loved foods, originated in America. The common strawberry we grow is a cross between a species from the east coast of America and one from the west coast. The origins of the strawberry's common name are unknown. One likely suggestion is that the ground hugging plants were always kept clean by being grown on beds that were well mulched with straw, but another theory suggests that the fruit were strung on pieces of straw to be carried to market.

The straw mulch theory is probably the most useful because it serves to remind us that the plants do need to be mulched. The fruit is prone to develop fungal rots if allowed direct contact with the soil.

Strawberry plants spread by sending out 'runners' (or stolons), shoots that develop new leaves when they touch the ground.

Alpine strawberries are smaller growers that do not develop runners. Their fruit is particularly sweet.

Preparing for Strawberry Planting

Plan to have your strawberry bed in an open sunny position. Don't grow strawberries in beds that have been used for growing tomatoes, capsicums or potatoes (this will increase the risk of disease). Raise the level of the bed by digging in some old compost and adding 300 g of Yates Blood and Bone per square metre. Before planting, mix some Dynamic Lifter pellets or some Gro-Plus Complete Plant Food into the soil.

Propagation

The easiest way to obtain new strawberries is to buy them packaged at this time of the year from most garden suppliers. Individual potted plants are also often available from seedling stands. Newly rooted runners can be detached from old plants, but make sure they are free of disease.

Yates seed range includes an alpine strawberry. Because it is runnerless, this neat growing variety is especially good for pot culture.

Fertilising

Feed the plants during the early stages with Thrive All Purpose soluble fertiliser. In spring, when the plants get closer to maturity and fruiting time, change to Thrive Flower and Fruit. This special formulation will encourage the plants to begin flowering and, because it contains a high level of potash, will also build up a plant's disease resistance.

Problems

Many pests love strawberries. The most obvious are snails and slugs. Protect the plants - and the fruit - with Blitzem snail and slug pellets. If birds attack the fruit you may need to cover the plants with bird netting, available from hardware stores and garden suppliers. Fungal diseases, such as mildew, can be controlled by picking off affected leaves and, if necessary, spraying with a fungicide.

Remove runners regularly but, at some stage, you'll have to allow them to develop new plants. Replace plants at least every four years and always keep well mulched and free of weed competition.

Speaking of weeds, don't get excited if you find the yellow flowered wild strawberry growing in shady parts of your garden. It's unrelated to the edible strawberry, its fruit can't be eaten and it can be a dreadful weed. I'd recommend that you remove wild strawberry as soon as it appears or, before you know it, it will take over large areas of your garden.

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