 Disbudding
During the first season, remove all flowers until mid-July. If the plants are allowed to set fruit in the first few months, vegetative growth will be retarded and the next year's crop will be small. In succeeding years, of course, disbudding is unnecessary.
Mulching
When the fruits of two-year-old plants begin to swell and weigh down the trusses, scatter slug pellets along the rows. Then put straw down around the plants. This is to keep the fruits clean, so tuck the straw right under the berries and also cover
the ground between the rows to help to keep down weeds. Do not straw down earlier than this because the straw prevents the heat from the earth reaching the flowers, which may then be damaged by frost at night. Preferably use barley straw which is soft or, as a second choice, wheat straw.
Protection from birds
The best method of protection is to cover the strawberry bed with a large cage, using 3/4 in or 1 in plastic netting, supported by posts and wire or string. The height should be at least 18in; about 4 ft is the ideal height for picking in comfort. Put glass jars or plastic plant pots over the posts to prevent them from tearing the netting. A simpler method is to spread
Alternatives to mulching
lightweight plastic directly over the plants. It can be folded back when picking is to be done.
Harvesting
The best time to pick strawberries is in the morning when the berries are still cool. Pick them complete with stalks; try not to handle the flesh because it bruises easily.
At the end of the season
Immediately after cropping, remove the straw and cut off the old plant leaves (about 3 in above the crown) and unwanted runners using shears or a sickle. Alternatively, a rotary lawn mower can be run directly over the entire bed. Tuck in runners needed to fill in any gaps in the row. In the second year, a matted row can be grown by allowing runners to root in the row and reducing the space available, so that the quantity of fruit is greater but the quality suffers. The space between the rows is kept clear. Defoliation is good horticultural practice because it rejuvenates the plant and removes leaves and stems, which may be a source of pests and diseases. But it must be done as soon as cropping is over to avoid damaging fresh growth and reducing the crop the next year.
Winter protection
In zones 3-7, as soon as the fall temperature drops to 20*C/68*F, spread straw or salt or marsh hay over the entire bed. The covering should be at least 3 in deep between rows; and enough to conceal the plants themselves. The purpose of the covering is to protect the plants against frost and other winter injuries. If the temperature does not drop to 20°C/ 68°F before the end of November, the plants should be covered at that time in any case. The covering is removed in the spring after growth is well started. If it is left on too long, the foliage will yellow.
Propagation Strawberries
are easily propagated from runners which the parent plant begins to produce as the crop is coming to an end. The aim is to obtain well-rooted runners for early planting and it is achieved by pegging down the strongest runners so that they make good contact with the soil. In June or July choose healthy parent plants which have cropped well. From each select four or five strong runners. Peg them down either into moist open ground or into 3 in pots buried level with the soil. Pot-grown runners are best because they are easier to transplant. Fill the pots with a seed-starting mixture or a 50-50 mixture of loam and peat. Peg close to the embryo plant but do not sever it from the parent at this stage. For the pegs, use 4 in pieces of thin galvanized wire bent to a U shape. Straightened out paper clips are ideal. In four to six weeks there should be a good root system. Sever from the parent, lift and plant out into the new bed. Keep them well watered. Planting under mist or in a closed propagating case are other useful ways of obtaining very early runners. With these, sever the embryo plants from the parents at the first sign of roots—root initials—and peg them into 11/2-2 in peat pots.
Varieties
Strawberries soon become infected with virus diseases, so it is important to plant only virus-free stock. It is best to obtain plants from a specialist propagator who guarantees healthy stock.
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