Strawberries

[Gardening with Rabbits]

Strawberries on straw bales. I am thinking of doing this. http://www.windward.org/notes/notes69/lindsay6923.htm

 

[so lucky]

Wow, that is an interesting site. Thanks for bringing it to our attention. I'm gonna bookmark it.

 

[Smart Red]

I have wanted to try that myself. Not with strawberries necessarily, but with greens and (heck) anything that would grow. With all my space, though, it always slipped to the wayside.

 

[SprigOfTheLivingDead]

I'd be curious about someone dissecting the straw bale mid-season and checking root condition. With trees nutrients are a minimal part of the process (you can grow a tree on a rock), but with producing fruit the bale isn't providing anything but a medium to grow on, you'd still need to provide the plants with nutrients. So, my point & question is "are the roots just shooting down into the ground anyways?"

I've heard of people doing this, but I haven't brought myself to try it yet.

 

[secuono]

I'd be curious about someone dissecting the straw bale mid-season and checking root condition. With trees nutrients are a minimal part of the process (you can grow a tree on a rock), but with producing fruit the bale isn't providing anything but a medium to grow on, you'd still need to provide the plants with nutrients. So, my point & question is "are the roots just shooting down into the ground anyways?"

I've heard of people doing this, but I haven't brought myself to try it yet.

We dug out pockets of hay in which we placed first a little compost and then the strawberries. Finally, we covered the top of the bales with compost, tucked in and around the newly transplanted plants, and then watered the new raised bed a little more. Voila.

 

[Smart Red]

FIngers crossed for your project, @secuono!

 

[catjac1975]

We dug out pockets of hay in which we placed first a little compost and then the strawberries. Finally, we covered the top of the bales with compost, tucked in and around the newly transplanted plants, and then watered the new raised bed a little more. Voila.

I have tilled under my strawberries and quit twice because of weeds. 9 months of weeding for 2 weeks of berries. Maybe you will entice me to try again.

 

[majorcatfish]

I have tilled under my strawberries and quit twice because of weeds. 9 months of weeding for 2 weeks of berries. Maybe you will entice me to try again.

tried myself for a couple years powdery mildew got them every time, cheaper to buy them at either the farmers market or the pick your own.....

 

[SprigOfTheLivingDead]

I have tilled under my strawberries and quit twice because of weeds. 9 months of weeding for 2 weeks of berries. Maybe you will entice me to try again.

I grew Attila and Yellow Wonder last year in containers on my deck and with plugs in a section of my raised garden. I had to tend to weeds, as usual, but they produced from July --> Oct. The Attilas weren't prolific producers, but I'll absolutely be growing the Yellow Wonders again as they were a tasty treat to have on the porch . I'll likely grow a few more pots of them next year. Maybe a pot next to my front door too.

 

[catjac1975]

I picked strawberries at a farm last summer. They had a bitter flavor as the ones in the grocery store always do. Clearly herbicides were in full use as well as likely pesticides and herbicides. Rather not eat them.