Crowded Strawberry Bed

[Smart Red]

I read all the experts before planting my first strawberry bed. Then I planted the catalog ordered roots where ever they fit. It took a few years to fill in, then the grass started growing as well. That's when I started on the second bed. After two years, the first bed was used as my fallow compost bed. This year I hope to start using that bed again for my veggies.

 

[Beekissed]

The BTE guy just covers his whole strawberry bed with mulched wood chips each fall and only the strong plants come back up the following year. Maybe you could achieve something similar by covering the bed with compost/mulch and let the strongest survive the covering. Could nourish and thin the bed at the same time?

 

[so lucky]

I covered the whole bed with composted chicken litter last winter. I guess that's why they did so well this past summer. I don't believe it killed out any weak ones though.

 

[Beekissed]

How deeply did you cover?