Anyone using strawberries as a ground cover?

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koshki Grosse Pointe Shores, MI(Zone 6a) Apr 04, 2012

Hi all,
I've got a bald strip on the sunny side of my raised bed next to my roses. I've been trying to figure out what I want to plant as a ground cover in that area...it's not real big, maybe 2'-3' deep and 10-15 feet long.

I have been wondering if strawberries would work. I realize that I wouldn't be harvesting a whole lot, maybe just a snack or two while I'm out working in the garden. DH is interested in the idea, but I'm not sure if it would work.

Any thoughts or suggestions? It's well drained and would get regular water from the sprinkler system. And just about the most sun I have in my entire yard.

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altagardener Calgary, AB(Zone 3b) Apr 05, 2012

We used strawberries as groundcovers long ago, as we converted a 1/3 acre city lot consisting of almost all lawn, into planting beds. The foliage and flowers are very attractive and decorative, and there's no reason why you can't go out and pick a bowl of berries when you want, or snack as you weed and tend your plantings.

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koshki Grosse Pointe Shores, MI(Zone 6a) Apr 06, 2012

Thanks for your input!

Would you recommend the day-neutral type as a ground cover? How many years would this grow, or should I think of this as an annual?

This message was edited Apr 6, 2012 8:19 PM

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altagardener Calgary, AB(Zone 3b) Apr 06, 2012

We used a day-neutral variety - I don't know of any reason why it would be less useful; it was nice to have fruit all season through. No, you should definitely not think of them as annuals; they are perennial plants, and as well, will propagate themselves via runners, so you should be able to keep them around as long as you have use for them.

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darius So.App.Mtns., United States(Zone 5b) Apr 08, 2012

I now have strawberries surrounding a small apple tree as a ground cover. They make a good ground cover around some plants because their roots are shallow. The strawberries were here when I bought this place 6 years ago so I have no idea what they are. They were in a shady bed where they got very leggy, and critters of some sort got the fruit.

I only transplanted then last summer into the area around the apple tree, but I noticed yesterday they are growing fine and have blossoms.

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