Info on Strawberry Beds

[bnew17]

Just wondering who all here has strawberries. Do they do the best in raised beds? If i plant them this year , they will be ready for harvest next year? is that correct? Any info on growing / starting them is appreciated.

ie: planting date, fertilzer, amont of sun, spacing?

[applestar]

I bought 75 bareroot plants last year. They were shipped to me the 2nd week of March. I planted them over the course of two weeks. Some in 8" raised beds, some in 6" raised beds, and some in 4" "raised beds" and some in a strawberry pot. All did well and I picked the berries the first year. They still grew well and runnered and spread, gave away at least a dozen baby plants last year, but the rest escaped the beds and are taking over the paths and lawn.

Morning shade ~ full sun. 12" apart. Organic home made compost at time of planting and as mulch in fall. Am spreading some more once the compost dries sufficiently to screen. 10% milk spray once muggy weather hits for fungal control, and AACT for additional boost. Straw mulch during the growing season and garlic and onions inter/companion planted wherever there's room.

[JONA878]

As Star said, raised beds can be of several widths and as a result plant density can vary, but they will crop on the first year.
Their main benifit is that they protect the plant from waterlogging in heavy soils, and present the berries easier for picking.

There are two ways to grow your plants.
If you want to keep the rows neat and not allow the plants to wander then you will have to keep removeing the runners as they are produced dureing the year.
This does help the mother plants for the following years as it does not weaken them producing the runners.
On the other hand if the runners are left to their own devises you will rapidly form a dense mass of plants.....called a matted row .....which will give you more cropping area for the following years.
If you do go down this road then try not to let the mass get too dense as this will reduce crop size through over crowding.
Follow Star and remove excess runners and grow them on in pots for extra crop.

[johnnytomatoseed]

Raised beds for sberries works out very well. If you are planting June bearers in early spring. you will get a crop the same year. I would leave them in same bed 1 or two years then rotate. Actually doing it this way opens a bed up for garden crops while lessoning the chance for soil born deseases or you could cover crop in between.I always have plenty of starter plants. Last year I started a new bed and did not allow a first year crop. The experts recommend this . I use Bone , meal , soft rock phosphate , good compost , rabbit manure , green sand.
Let me put this bee in everyones bonnet , I use Kaolin clay sprayed on my furit trees and grapes. I also use it on strawberries after they have blossomed. it goes by trade names such as " surround wp " It acts as an insect and to some extent desease barrier. I believe that it also helps to relieve heat stress. I am not sure how that would effect our southern gardens. If I lived in a hot climate I would at least give it a try. It turns the plant a ghostly white. We all know white reflects the suns hot rays. Sorry for running on. John from the shores of Lake Huron

[bnew17]

how do yall usually plant the strawberrys when starting the bed?

bareroot or seeds?

[johnnytomatoseed]

If you are using chemical fertilizers I would say the same precaution that should be used for setting out plants in your vegetable garden would apply. Use the fertilizer at a less than recommended strength and let the bed sit for a couple of weeks. get rid of weeds before you plant.
if you are doing it organically with bone meal, etc . The fertilizer ( except fresh manure ) consideration will not be as critical however I would let the sun onto the new soil and also destroy weeds before planting. john