To enjoy a bountiful harvest, there are a few useful tips to bear in mind.
How can we have an abundant strawberry harvest?
Strawberries are easy to grow and usually spread without the need to plant separate seedlings. Under favourable conditions, strawberries can produce a very rich crop. However, there are a few tips to bear in mind, otherwise you risk the young plants dying before they bear fruit.
Depending on the variety, strawberries can bear fruit from late spring to early summer and even into autumn. In cold climates, new strawberry plants should be planted in early spring, but in warm climates they can be planted in autumn.
Strawberries need rich, moist soil for healthy growth. After planting, mulch can be placed around the roots of the plants to maintain temperature at the strawberry root, retain moisture, reduce the likelihood of weed growth and keep future fruit above ground.
Since cooler soil is needed for optimum growth, you should never use black plastic strips for covering the soil around the strawberries, as they increase soil temperatures.
However, there is another important detail to bear in mind: do not plant strawberries in soil where tomatoes, peppers or aubergines have been grown, as these plants are susceptible to verticillium, a disease that can damage strawberries.
What plants should not be grown near strawberries?
It is very important what plants are planted next to strawberry plants, as some varieties may harbour pests or attract insects that will have a negative effect on the fruit. Some can spread harmful fungi or even diseases.
To avoid contamination of strawberries by pests, do not plant tomatoes, aubergines, potatoes, melons, peppers, roses and mint near them. Some of these plants can even cause complete wilting of the fruit.
Once you have made sure that the new strawberry plants are planted in the right place, you can look forward to a rich harvest. Give the plant a maximum of 5 cm of water per week aiming at the roots, but be careful not to over-water or the plants will wilt. If you keep to this amount, you will enjoy really juicy fruit.
As for the fertiliser, be careful not to use too much of it, as it will cause an overabundant growth of the leaves and the plants will produce much fewer flowers.