Strawberry For Groundcover

[Nyboy]

I will be planting a lot of fruit trees this spring. I am thinking of using strawberries as a groundcover around each tree. Hoping to save tree bark from weedwacker. I am assuming tree roots will be much deeper then starwberries so the 2 willn't compete with each other. Am I right ? What is best tasting strawberry ?

 

[digitS']

I have grown strawberries around trees but I'm no expert on strawberries.

Quinault has done pretty good for me and are real flavorful.

Steve

 

[TheSeedObsesser]

I like the idea! I'm not an expert on strawberries either though.

I would do a mixture of conventional and alpine strawberry varieties. The Alpine are supposedly a lot hardier, reseed fairly easily, and have more flavorful fruits, but the fruits are tiny compared to what you'd see in the store. There are white varieties to.

 

[Nyboy]

The ones for sale in supermarkets by me have no taste, no matter how red they are.

 

[Ridgerunner]

The ones for sale in supermarkets by me have no taste, no matter how red they are.

That's a surprise! Ever bought a tomato from a store? Wasn't it flavorful!!!

I don't think the competition for nutrients will be all that great, but who is going to win the competition for sunlight as the trees grow?

A much bigger issue to me is that strawberries are not very competitive with weeds and especially grass. Even with good mulching you may spend a lot of time weeding. If you grow strawberries you are going to have to combat that anyway and yes, there is no flavor like picking a ripe one yourself. A special strawberry bed set up with keeping weeds and especially grass out may work better.

As far as varieties, check with your extension agent to see which ones produce best where you are.

There are two types of strawberries, ever-bearing and June-bearing. I've always been disappointed in everbearing because in my climate they are not. You are much further north and may have totally different results. The June-bearing (probably in July where you are) produce a lot in a fairly short time which is good if you are after jelly or freezing them to eat over ice cream or to make a pie.

 

[catjac1975]

I have given up on strawberries twice because of the weeding. 6 months of weeding for 2 weeks of berries. I will succumb to the allure again.

 

[majorcatfish]

if i was going to grow strawberries again, it would be hydroponic strawberries no weeding easy picking....looks very simple to set up...

even a redneck like myself could set this up on a smaller scale. small greenhouse with a heater dang fresh berries in the middle of the winter..

heres a link to more photos of hydro berries..
https://www.google.com/search?q=hydroponic strawberries&espv=2&biw=1680&bih=925&tbm=isch&imgil=-PLGk4L1sAUNkM%3A%3BGDB-6kKM6dbMgM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.theinnovationdiaries.com%252F1037%252Fhydroponic-strawberries%252F&source=iu&pf=m&fir=-PLGk4L1sAUNkM%3A%2CGDB-6kKM6dbMgM%2C_&usg=___c02uwp5sVxIKKGM78OxmcPrbqc=&ved=0CCcQyjc&ei=BYXfVNq4I8i-ggSJroPoCw#imgdii=_

 

[Nyboy]

How do hydroponic vegatables taste? At supermarket hydropic tomatoes $1 extra a pound.

 

[catjac1975]

I would think if they are indoors they would not be as sweet.

 

[TheSeedObsesser]

I would think if they are indoors they would not be as sweet.

That and less healthy, considering that most of those nutrients and all come directly from the sun, which is filtered by glass. The rest of those nutrients coming from the soil.

It's still a great, space-saving set-up.