What did you do in the garden today?

[chickengr]

Strawberry bed questions...

Two years ago, for the first time, I planted a 4X4 foot hügelkultur raised bed full of strawberry plants one plant per square foot. I got a few handfuls of strawberries that first year, but last year I did not use any bird netting over the bed and maybe only got 2 or 3 ripe strawberries. I'm thinking the birds ate all the green berries before they had any chance of growing to size and getting ripe.

Each year I lose a few strawberry plants, but other runners seem to grab hold. This spring, it looks like maybe only 50% of the plants are coming back, and they are pretty much clumped together in the middle. Over the past 2 years, the level of the hügelkultur raised bed has dropped about 4 inches. I need to top off the bed this year, but I know I can't just dump 4 inches of fresh compost on top of the strawberry plants.

Can I just dig out all the strawberry plants, separate them out, top off the raised bed with 4 inches of fresh compost, and then replant the strawberries one plant per square? From what I have learned, the strawberry plants should be replaced every 4 years, so I'm thinking I might have 2 years left on this batch. However, will digging them up and transplanting them kill them? I am really new at this. Thanks in advance for any responses.

the only thing I know about strawberries is that they love horse manure. maybe they don't like compost?

 

[chickengr]

working on watering system. nights are still fresh and next week we should have plenty of rain. so no direct seeding at the moment. luckily it suits me as I am running late. it is impossible for 1 person to take care of everything.

 

[gtaus]

the only thing I know about strawberries is that they love horse manure. maybe they don't like compost?

The plants grew just fine. I think I did not get any strawberries because last year I did not put bird netting over the strawberry bed and all the berries were eaten by birds, maybe squirrels and/or chipmunks. I have some bird netting to use this year, but I'm considering building a wire cage out of chicken wire to put over the strawberry bed. In any case, I will have the berries covered this year.

 

[Sally PB]

I'm zone 5 and lost 46 of 50 strawberry plants this year because I failed to mulch for the winter.

I'm 5b. I had probably 50ish plants, 25 each in two beds. I now have 1 plant in on e of the beds, and 6 in the other.

They seem to succumb to a virus or something...? Small spots on the leaves that get bigger and eventually the plant dies. The spot is white with a brown ring around it. Anyone know what this is, and if there's anything I can do to save them or prevent it?

I'm ready to give up on strawberries. SMH.

 

[igorsMistress]

Some rotten rat ate my apricots! All of them! I’m so mad!

 

[Acre4Me]

Some rotten rat ate my apricots! All of them! I’m so mad!

Climbed the tree and ate what was growing??

 

[igorsMistress]

Climbed the tree and ate what was growing??

Yup I think so. We have roof rats here and I don’t leave any fruit on the ground ever. I know it wasn’t the chickens because the apricots were there last night and I seriously doubt a human would stand there and eat them and leave the pits on the ground.

 

[igorsMistress]

Yup I think so. We have roof rats here and I don’t leave any fruit on the ground ever. I know it wasn’t the chickens because the apricots were there last night and I seriously doubt a human would stand there and eat them and leave the pits on the ground.

I also think I may have interrupted its meal as I heard something out there early when I opened up the pop door for the chickens. I don’t hear very well so I wasn’t able to determine the direction the noise came from so didn’t investigate.

 

[Sueby]

That so stinks IM! I've been thinking the squirrels will eat my peaches & what can be done about it. I wonder if those little bag covers would help or if they'd just tear through them.

Another nice day, which I enjoy - but boy do we need rain bad! Supposedly tomorrow, I sure do hope so. I'm already sick of watering. I left my soaker hose out last winter on the strawberries knowing that I wouldn't be able to get it out this spring, I was hoping it would survive the winter but it didn't. Turned it on last night & split bad & is unusable. Oh well.

I'd love to put in irrigation but I'm wondering if I'll ever be able to bend/garden again so then I think about building really raised beds, like waist height & then I wonder if it would be worth the money it would cost. I go round & round with that. Has anyone seen a good design of really high, large, raised beds?

 

[BReeder!]

I'm considering putting windchimes and even a radio in the tree when my peaches get a bit bigger. Squirrels are the culprits here.