The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Growing => Fruit => Topic started by: supplies for smallholders on July 07, 2011, 07:17:53 pm

Title: Strawberry Cultivation Guide
Post by: supplies for smallholders on July 07, 2011, 07:17:53 pm
Hi,

I have a set of comprehensive cultivation notes for strawberries - it will be quite a bit of effort to adapt it to be downloadable (for free) from our website - before I do this, would it be of use to anyone?

Thanks
Title: Re: Strawberry Cultivation Guide
Post by: doganjo on July 07, 2011, 07:25:14 pm
Hi,

I have a set of comprehensive cultivation notes for strawberries - it will be quite a bit of effort to adapt it to be downloadable (for free) from our website - before I do this, would it be of use to anyone?

Thanks
Is it in Word?  Can't you save it as a pdf and upload it or as a jpeg (picture)?
Title: Re: Strawberry Cultivation Guide
Post by: supplies for smallholders on July 07, 2011, 07:30:53 pm
Hi,

Its not the technicallity of doing it, it meeds editing to remove a lot of stuff only applicable to commercial growers.

And before I spend an hour or so editing it I would like to know if it would be of use or would I be wasting effort?

Thanks
Title: Re: Strawberry Cultivation Guide
Post by: doganjo on July 07, 2011, 07:35:48 pm
Ah I see, sorry.  Don't think I'd bother - I'm a lazy gardener.  I stick things in the ground and if they survive or even bear fruit it's in spite of me rather than becasue of ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Strawberry Cultivation Guide
Post by: supplies for smallholders on July 15, 2011, 09:37:35 am
OK as I thought - a week later and only 2 people showing interest in this, so looks like thats an hour or so of effort saved.

Thanks
Title: Re: Strawberry Cultivation Guide
Post by: wildgeese on July 15, 2011, 05:33:58 pm
Aw shucks! And I'd just found the thread!

How does the commercial stuff vary from small scale growing, SFS? Apart from the obvious things like not growing them in hanging baskets and not going round with a watering can?
Title: Re: Strawberry Cultivation Guide
Post by: supplies for smallholders on July 15, 2011, 07:13:13 pm
Generally the use of fertilisers - if you pm me your email address I will send you the full version.

Thanks
Title: Re: Strawberry Cultivation Guide
Post by: wildgeese on July 18, 2011, 10:57:10 am
Thanks SfS - I pm'd you last night but now can't see any evidence of the message having been sent, so I'm going to do it again; apologies in advance if I'm sending it twice! :dunce:
Title: Re: Strawberry Cultivation Guide
Post by: supplies for smallholders on July 18, 2011, 02:53:24 pm
Hi,

Got your pm and sent you 3 documents:

Cultivation Guide
Soil Prep Guide
Protected growing Guide (Polytunnel etc)
Title: Re: Strawberry Cultivation Guide
Post by: bazzais on July 21, 2011, 01:44:32 am
Last year I planted some strawberries in an old footbath and they took really well and each time I passed I had a nice little munch - I tried to get those little mini spur plants and get them to grow this year in the same bath but they all seem to have died.

I did have a few invaders over springtime -mainly goats and chickens and a few sheep but they all seem to have died.

I though strawberries were like a weed and they took any amount of bashing but I think I am wrong.

Apart from keeping critters away, can I plant them in the same soil as last year? Should they spawn themselves?  Is there a variety that livestock doesn't like to eat the first shoots from?


I'd publish it anyway mate - always a good track back to your site - which is always a good shop :)


Baz
Title: Re: Strawberry Cultivation Guide
Post by: supplies for smallholders on July 21, 2011, 09:57:23 am
Hi Baz,

When I get time I may publish...

On the runners side of things - if you want a good crop of fruit you must remove runners as they appear, or if you want to make new plants then remove flower buds as they appear - the strawberry plant can put its energy into fruit or runners - but not good at both at the same time.

Last years soil should be fine, but better to leave them in the ground over winter.

Livestock love them - fruit & Shoots.

As soon as they have finished fruiting cut back all leaves etc to the crown, but no later than the 2nd week of August - this re-generates the plant for the next year.

The usefull (commercially) life of a strawberry plant is 2 seasons.

Thanks
Title: Re: Strawberry Cultivation Guide
Post by: supplies for smallholders on August 10, 2011, 10:45:51 am
Hi,

Just to let you know I have uploaded three cultivation guides to our site, free to view / print etc.

General Cultivation
Establishment
Polytunnel / Green house Growing

Just visit www.suppliesforsmallholders.co.uk (http://www.suppliesforsmallholders.co.uk) and look for the "information" box on the left of the screen.

Thanks