North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Stephen Sadler" <Docshiva@Docshiva.org>]

I grow wide strawberry beds, and every other year I till under one lengthwise half of each bed after last harvest.  I add compost when I till.  The remaining berries send out runners to cover the tilled half of the bed, and the resulting plants bear heavily the next season, with no seasons lost. 

 

Stephen Sadler, Ph.D.

USDA 9, AHS heat zone 8,

Sacramento CA - Mediterranean climate

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From: nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org [mailto:nafex-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of loneroc
Sent: Saturday, July 02, 2005 8:06 AM
To: North American Fruit Explorers
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] strawberry question

 

And speaking of strawberries.  When I renew a bed after several years and too many perennial weeds, I dig the whole bed up in the spring and replant strong, dormant plants at an appropriate distance apart.  I can never keep up with runners---there's always too much to do.  So, my beds are also chock full o' berry plants.

 

The problem with this method is that you lose a year of production.

 

I am considering mowing the foliage of one of my beds and then digging everything out a few days later, preparing the bed with new organic matter, and then replanting the plants.  naturally these will be kept moist while out of the ground for a couple hours.

 

Am I going to get regrowth and runner production this year yet?  It would be great not to lose a year of production.  I've got so many things in the yard that I don't have room any more to just dig a new bed.

 

 

Steve Herje, Lone Rock, WI   USDA zone 3-4