Strawberries
Family Rosaceae
Plant type: Evergreen perennial.
Fruiting season: Summer to Autumn; usually 4-6 weeks although this varies from variety to variety.
Planting time: Winter
Soil: They prefer a rich, well drained & friable soil which is slightly acidic to neutral. The soil can be enriched with lots of old animal manure, compost or complete fertiliser which is low in Nitrogen.
Position: Full sun. Plant them in part shade in warmer climates.
Climates: Although Strawberries perform best in cool climates, they can be grown in warmer climates also.
Frosts: The plants can be covered with hessian if you wish to protect the first flowers from frost damage.
Depth & Spacing: Plant with the bottom of the crown level with the soil surface (see illustration) and 45cm apart in rows which are 45-60cm apart.
Planting notes: You can also cover the soil with black polythene sheets which can be anchored by burying the sides into the soil. Cut holes into the plastic & plant into these. Keep the holes as small as possible.
This sheet will suppress weeds, keep the fruit clean and hasten ripening by keeping the soil warm.
You can also mulch the soil with straw.
Watering: Never allow the plants to dry out. Night watering is best. If youÕve used plastic sheeting, water slowly so that the water actually gets in through the holes. A trickle system is ideal.
Pests/diseases: Certified virus free stock (all Tesselaar strawberries are certified) is generally trouble free. However, if you have any mildew youÕll need to spray with a fungicide (ask for one at your local nursery) according to the manufacturerÕs instructions.
Birds, snail & other insects will also find your berries tasty so lay snail bait & consider bird deterrants (such as thin strips of foil tied to a piece of string).
Cutting: Remove runners as they appear over Summer to encourage the plant to put more of its effort into the production of fruit.