Strawberries ripening

I scattered coffee beans around the strawberries this morning, then sprinkled Sluggo Plus, and covered the bed with bird netting.

I'm really hoping to get strawberries this year that haven't already been pecked by birds or covered in slug-slime!

I actually ate two of mine today... not as good as they will be.... I'm afraid I ate them a bit early... WIll have to contain myself. My bird netting is up and working well. Good luck with yours

This message was edited May 5, 2010 10:51 PM

We've had strawberries for a couple of weeks now. The husband will just cut off around the parts the birds pick at and eat the rest. LOL I'm a bit pickier than he is!

Stephanietx - I do the same as your hubby. Usually birds eat the ripe top half and leave the bottom half for me.

So far the netting is working well. We've had two large bowls of WHOLE fruit so far.

Last year was the first year we grew strawberries. We had 2 plants. We didn't know any better and left them in the ground under the okra plants. Surprise! They survived the hot summer and the COLD snowy winter. This year, we had 4 plants. Maybe next year, we'll have 8 plants. LOL

stephanietx - I started out with 50 plants in a 25' x 4' bed - I now have strawberries growing all over the place!

I need to cover my strawberries. I planted them last spring, this will be my first harvest. Does anyone have any pictures of their covered strawberry patch?

Stephanie, if you want plenty of new plants, fertilize generously with a high nitrogen fertilizer, the first number the high one. Like something for foliage, or some kind of manure.

I already added manure, but I'll make sure I use a high nitrogen fertilizer when I water. (I typically use fertilizers more dilute, but more often). Thanks. I am hoping the birds will prefer the neighbor's feeder, but have a cover to try to get on today.

I sprinle cornmeal around them and then water well.

In the foreground is my strawberry bed. It is covered with bird netting, but the netting is so fine you cannot see it. I also have strawberries in various pots around the garden. Last evening a very large raccoon helped him/herself to a few berries, and then ran up the oak tree.

WOW! Looks great!

Thank you for posting a picture of your strawberry patch! What a beautiful veggie-strawberry garden. Inspiring.

Yeh, right, the racoon ran up the tree when you came running out of the house brandishing a broom screaming, "AIEEEEE!!!"

Molamola - It was much larger than my little dog, Chloe, and I was afraid it would get her, and I keep telling myself that wild animals need our help, not our hinderance, and if a couple of strawberries was all he/she needed from me - then he/she was welcome to them.

I told myself he/she probably ran up the tree to take a nap.

At least it wasn't a skunk!

GardenQuilts - right you are! When I lived in Tennessee our cat was sprayed by a skunk. There's nothing like being in bed, and being jumped on in the middle of the night by a cat that stinks of skunk!

When Tiffany, my Westie, was a puppy, she chased a skunk under a shed, got sprayed in the face and kept on chasing it and barking. I finally got a hold of her and got us both cleaned up. She hasn't learned her lesson. She wants to go out anytime she catches a wiff of a skunk. I learned to keep her on a lead. She is very obedient, unless there are rodents to chase. Instinct takes over at that point.

GardenQuilts - Your Tiffany is very brave :) I was born and raised in England so am familiar with the West Highland Terrier. According to Wikipedia they were originally bred to seek and dig out foxes and badgers. She is being true to her breed - I bet you love her dearly - even when she smells of skunk :)