How do I "winter over" strawberry bed?

[Mrs greenjeans]

I'm an allotment novice, and put in 8 strawberry plants (variety unknown, which may be part of the problem) in the spring. They were on special at my local garden centre - I think 10 for £2.50 or something.

I had almost no fruit, but they survived. I mulched them with straw, tried to keep the weeds out etc.

Have read the recent "Which STrawberries" post, and will take note of their recommended varieties, but am wondering what to do with the ones I've got now. Do I cut them back or anything? There are no runners to speak of, they're just competing with baby brambles, like everything else on my plot!!! ::)

BTW, I found pet shop easy source of hay for mulching - but of course it was £2 for decent size bag for rabbits. Maybe I didn't put down enough?

Any advice appreciated.... And isn't the rain nice? I'm 7 mos pregnant, but even I can weed now as everything comes up so easily!!!

[Mrs greenjeans]

[Robert_Brenchley]

You'll need an awful lot of rabbit-size bags to mulch an allotment! Look for bales.

[autumn leaf]

Hi there

Straw might be cheaper for mulching as hay is a food source for goats etc.  I buy straw as bedding for my hens and it only costs just over a pound for a whole bales.  If you can manage to find a source near home it would be a better deal - don't go lifting it in your condition though! :)

[spacehopper]

Great fun doing the allotment while pregnant, isn't it! Before I had my son in june all I could do was a bit of hoeing - no bending - and lots of supervising!!

What abput shredded paper for mulching?

[Gail-M]

Hi Mrs Greenjeans,

to over winter my strawberry bed I just cut back all old leaves, clear away any straw,dead leaves etc and leave it til next spring ....... works for me.

Mind you its a lot of bending low down so maybe not for you this year.... I'm sure they be fine til the spring when they need fed. Strawberries are tough enough.

regards Gail 

[Mrs greenjeans]

Thanks for that!

And just to say, the rabbit hay was just for the strawberry rows! ;D

[Kea]

Just a little warning, if you suddenly find yourself outside doing a lot of frantic digging make sure you have your bag packed. They day before both my babies (now teenagers) were born I developed an urgent need to do some serious digging in my garden.

[MrsKP]

mum cut/pruned an apple tree trying to get my brother born (in the days when you could claim tax back if born before the end of the tax year).

he didn't budge until a day too late.

his time keeping has never been great ever since  ;D