Gardeners should know that strawberries can often struggle to thrive due to the rainy British weather, but there is an easy method to ensure you grow the best berries possible.
Strawberries are quite easy to grow but often rot thanks to muddy water(Image: Getty)
May marks the point when temperatures truly begin to rise across the UK, making it an ideal moment to start planting strawberries – and ensuring they flourish properly is remarkably straightforward. Strawberries are a favourite amongst British gardeners as they’re a hardy plant that generally thrives provided they receive sufficient sunlight and regular watering.
Yet the main reason you may fail to harvest any fruit comes down to rainfall, which might seem odd, but standing water is actually one of the greatest threats to strawberry patches during this period. When excessive rain collects around strawberry plants, the waterlogged soil can cause the leaves to decay, draw in numerous slugs, and create ideal conditions for pathogens, potentially triggering fungal diseases in your garden.
Erik Hoffner, a seasoned gardener and founder of Strawberry Plants, has revealed there’s a straightforward method to safeguard strawberries and maintain their cleanliness – simply cover the ground with straw.
He said: “Mulching with straw during the summer keeps your strawberries clean! Instead of resting upon muddy dirt, your berries stay much cleaner and have a barrier between themselves and soil-borne contaminants.”
Mulching is a horticultural practice involving covering the ground surrounding a plant with material to shield it, and straw works particularly well for strawberries as it dries rapidly.
Straw consists of hollow stems, allowing rainwater to drain through effortlessly, preventing excess moisture from pooling around the plant while helping to maintain cleaner strawberries.
It serves as a protective shield, keeping dirt, bacteria and slugs at bay so the strawberries have the optimal conditions to develop properly.
Since strawberries grow close to the soil, heavier materials tend to overwhelm the plant, but straw is sufficiently lightweight to rest around the fruit without damaging it.
What’s brilliant about straw is that it also functions as insulation, helping to maintain cooler root temperatures during summer while suppressing weeds, enabling you to cultivate the finest berries possible.
How to mulch strawberry plants with straw
Straw should be readily available at most garden centres in May, as the ideal time to mulch is when the plant starts flowering. Alternatively, you can purchase straw from pet shops; just ensure you don’t mistake it for hay.
Simply prepare the area surrounding the strawberries by removing old foliage and weeding to achieve the cleanest soil possible. Then give the strawberries a light watering, as this helps the mulch settle and stops it being blown about in breezy conditions.
Take the straw and shake it loose to separate the strands and improve air circulation. Spread it around the strawberries, carefully lifting any leaves so they rest atop the straw.
Ensure none of the straw makes contact with the crown, the plant’s central stem, and leave a small gap around it so water can penetrate through to the roots.
Your strawberries will remain protected for the remainder of spring, ensuring you’re rewarded with plump, vibrant red fruits when summer finally rolls around.
