Plan future strawbs

You might still be eating this year’s harvests, but if you prep now you’ll get the best start on next year’s fruits, says Bob

- Bob Flowerdew

DO you love strawberries and grow your own? Not yet? Well, now is the time to change, for there are few fruits quite as delicious, simple or quick to produce.

Establish plants now and you’ll have a bumper crop next summer. However, leave it any later than this month and although you may get some fruits next year, you won’t see many. You see, strawberries make their flower buds in the autumn so these are ready for the following summer – so if plants are not established and strong enough, they hold off cropping for another year, and you wouldn’t want that!

“Strawbs make flower buds in autumn”