RECIPES

Tuesday, 3 May 2022

Pruning Strawberries

 

I was reading online that if you want strawberries to fruit well for a second year, then you need to prune them back to about an inch above their crown during the autumn.

As most strawberry plants now really only crop well in their first year, I thought I would give this a try.  I haven’t been quite as drastic as what was recommended, but have pruned back all the excess foliage.

The instructions were to then fertilize the strawberry plants with a 10-10-10 fertilizer, but I have yet to do this.




I recently received some new information about one of my Lusher ancestors in Norfolk, so have been busy trying to chase that up – not very successfully, as many records are incomplete for the years I am looking at (around the 1800 mark), but it has been fun looking.

Until next time,

Margaret 😊

 

20 comments:

  1. Your strawberries certainly look healthy enough, Margaret. I understand how lost you can get on the track of ancestors. Recently I had a breakthrough with one of my ancestors then progress was so fast I couldn't believe it. Hope you have good luck, too.

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  2. Thank you for the reminder about strawberry plants - although it's too late for me now but I'd completely forgotten that many many years ago Colin used to cut ours right back with the strimmer - always seemed a bit drastic but I'm sure we got better crops than now when I just trim off the dead stuff.

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  3. Good luck with the strawberries. I have never had much success with them. The strawberry season is just starting here. You've reminded me to buy some today, depending on the the price

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  4. Between your garden and genealogy you certainly keep yourself busy Margaret - well done. hopefully the strawberries will reward you with a good second years crop
    Blessings
    Maxine

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  5. I wonder if the cutting back strawberries is unique to New Zealand...when I worked we had at least 3 acres in strawberries and never cut them back..and they had tons of strawberries for 3 or 4 years...after that the partnership split up so dont know how much longer they would have producef.

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    1. Sue in Suffolk (England) says they used to do it. I've never heard of it before, but I am giving it a try :)

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  6. Uh-oh. This info comes in 10 years late! But mine bloom, so maybe there will be fruits.
    Still the ones my Mum picked in 1974... Good luck with yours :-)

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  7. Thanks for the heads up on strawberries, we never did so well rom the allotment in year two, so we will have to try that in future. The ones at the house we grew in hanging baskets - that worked well, as long as the housesitters remembered to water them when we were away.

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    1. I've thought about using hanging baskets - I thought they might deter the slugs a bit!

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  8. Looks good and you should get more berries! I wouldnt put on fertilizer until your Spring:)

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    1. Yes, springtime makes a lot of sense - don't really want them bursting into growth during winter :)

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  9. Searching for ancestors and be fun and frustrating! Good luck!

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  10. Pruning is amazing! Don't know about strawberries, but our vines on pool fence, are cut BACK, when I can get it done. And come back, 'like gang busters' as the old saying goes. Good luck.

    Must be fun to look up ancestors. I never did it. -sigh-

    🌸 🌼 🌸 🌼 🌸

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    1. It is never too late to start researching your ancestors :)
      Who knows, you might discover a skeleton hidden somewhere in the family closet!!

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  11. I'm new at growing strawberries. Last year I bought a few plants (maybe four) and put them in a barrel . . . they spread and had babies. I got so excited that I bought a few more this year. Looking forward to enjoying them this summer, but I really haven't looked into how to fertilize them, I always use steer manure on my garden and figured I'd do that for them too. I hope I don't hurt them.

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    1. I would imagine if they got too much nitrogen you could end up with vigorous healthy leafy plants and very few berries. It might pay to do some research :)

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  12. My dad grew strawberries, it was a main cash crop, but I can't remember him trimming the plants. But anyway it was a long time ago, I've probably forgotten.
    Interesting that you have Norfolk ancestors, me too, any Loveridge, Barham, Tolman, Stackwood?

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  13. It is such fun, and so rewarding to find out who our past family were. One of my sisters had her DNA done - she was 70% Scottish from our Scottish great grandfather. That's just so amazing.

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    1. My brother had his DNA done so I know mine (just not what proportions of each) - and Scottish is in there as well :)

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Thank-you for visiting my blog. I love it when you leave a comment so please feel free to have your say. Have a great day! Margaret xx