strawberries

[lonewolf]

I have something taking little bites out of them. I'm loosing a lot! Does anyone have a good idea of the best thing to put on them??? I have dogs in the same yard as the plants so I can't use anything to harsh.

[Buckeye Ron]

lonewolf,
i am not sure what you mean by small bites, but I have problems with slugs coming up and working on my strawberries. I buy a slug killer available in Wally World and follow instructions. I have a dog and I dont have any problem.
Just a suggestion.

Ron

[M.Magis]

I remember having horrible trouble with robins. Not sure if that's your culprit or not, but some netteing may help deter whatever it is.

[iceberg]

im having the same problem but i think its chipmunks.

[bajuski]

Sure sounds like slugs. If you're watering them, make sure you water early enough for the plants to dry before dark!

[lonewolf]

I got some stuff from walmart. It's firtilizer and bug killer. My neighbor told me to put out some dixie cups full of beer. He said that would help with the slugs. Thanks for the help!!

[Fish-N-Fool]

I've had strawberries for years and found the easy way to combat all the critters is just to grow a large patch and share

I have a rabbit fence around mine, but lose many to birds and chipmunks. Look closely, if it is a bite and has teeth markes it is chipmunks. They are by far the worst...seems they will take a single bite out of a berry and move to the next ruining several.

Personally I don't like putting chemicals on my garden (that is why I grow my own food to begin with). I'd put a plate of cheap beer out to rid yourself of any slugs and observe in early morning for chipmunks. Mine are just about done and so am I...picked nearly 20 gallons this year which is my best harvest! I am sick of looking at strawberries...tired of making jam, ice-cream, and shortcakes. I've got 6 gallons in the freezer & started dehydrating them a over a week ago....have done 7 gallons fresh which made 2 gallons dried.

I leave the last couple pickings till the berries are almost over ripe and falling off....these are the best dehydrated. If you've never done it try it...great like this. Just make sure to freezer in deep freezer (below zero degrees) for a few days after you dehydrate to kill anything possibly in there (bacteria, etc).

One evenings pick with my 4 year old last week:

[bajuski]

Very nice. I never thought about dehydrating them, do you cut then in half?
I have two 30 foot rows and they're producing heavily this year.

[LilSiman/Medina]

Chipmunks get into ours. Nothing you can really do.

[Fish-N-Fool]

bajuski - Yes, I do slice the medium & larger berries into either halves or quarters (mine are smaller than the store bought berries to start with). The small berries I do not slice (they are the best). I like them a bit plyable (spelling) so i start checking them at 6 hours. I use a regular cheap multi-tray dehydrator and it takes anywhere from 6-10 hours.....I pull the smaller ones out when I like the way they feel.

Freeze them in deep freeze at least 3 days to kill any bacteria and store them in canning jars on the shelf, or gallon freezer bags in the fridge.

They get soo sweeet and make great treats. My 4 year old thinks they are candy and he is eating nothing more than fresh fruit

[bajuski]

I guess I just don't like to share with birds. Here's a pic of the frame I built about 6 years ago out of pvc. The wife just drapes her netting over the frame and keeps it down with 10 foot long conduit. It's easy to assemble and take apart for storage, I just don't glue it of course.
The left row of strawberries I started in pots from the runners last summer and planted them in October. Respectable yield of fruit already this year. The right row are 2 year olds fruiting nicely.

[Fish-N-Fool]

Very nice bajuski!

A guy like you would flip if you saw my unorganized "all natural" strawberry patch.LOL I dug up at a buddy's place & planted a couple dozen TN Beautys 8-9 years ago....started tilling and mowing them over a few years back. I have hundreds of plants and had to put a little rabbit fence around them. I don't even weed it....there is a small tree growing in there too I take no care of them whatsoever...there was 2 litters of rabbits born and living in there - about stepped on a couple of the little buggers when they were really new! I manage to pick all I want and then some each year when they come on and always have enough to go around. I actiually do tend and take care of my vegetable garden, but I treat all my black rasberries and black berries the same way....just let em go and pick them!