Talkback: Harvesting soft fruit

Gardeners' World Web User

Good crops of all my berries, strawberries, raspberries,jostaberries, gooseberries,black and red currants,and the blackberries look very promising - covered in flowers and butterflies. I have resorted to freezing strawberries this year and the only attention they had was to take off and pot a dozen runners for a friend who could not believe my crop last year.

Gardeners' World Web User

I too have had bowls of fruit from my small patch of strawberries, and the blueberries are just starting to turn deep blue. However, with next door's cat prowling around my garden I don't get many visiting birds, but love hearing about your affinity with the wildlife that visits your plot.

On the other hand, I have noticed that the army of snails and slugs hiding in damp dark corners of my garden are starting to chew away my French Beans, and I'm never sure what to do about them. At the moment I de-latch them and place them in my composting area, hoping they might munch their way through my weed collection. But apart from taking them to a faraway piece of waste ground, are there any other ways of discouraging them (in a friendly way)?

Gardeners' World Web User

my mummy was bit by a snake while getting some strawberry on sunday,now my dad has to collect them.
not sure what snake it was but mum says it was about 50ft long and it was sort green in colour,and she cried,we went to hospital and was there hours....boring...

Gardeners' World Web User

My established early strawberries have provided an amazingly large & tasty harvest - the hot dry spring brought on an early crop. I thought that would be the end, because the plants started to wilt with the heat & dry weather. But then the various deluges of rain refreshed the plants, & they produced another full crop. Amazing & yummy!

Unfortunately, 'someone' (vole or grey squirrel?) got through the anti-bird netting & harvested practically all my 'late' strawberries - just like your experience Pippa - maddening.

My blackcurrant harvest has been tasty but tiny. Whilst in the same bed, a large harvest of redcurrants is nearly ready to harvest.

Any ideas on how to stop the strawberry 'harvester' and how to get more blackcurrants next year?

Gardeners' World Web User

It is so refreshing to hear someone actually taking a back seat and letting wildlife have a chance. I love sitting in the back garden and just observing all those that come go with bits that they took from the garden. I try not to be too neat,and I always think of the birds by leaving plenty for them to eat.I would like various others those,not the usual robins wrens andblackbirds.

Gardeners' World Web User

wondering what the likelihood of strawberry plants popping up in odd places where mrs blackbird poops out seeds around the garden?

Gardeners' World Web User

Hello, does anyone have any advice on containing a wild blackberry bramble please? I would like to keep it as the fruit is lovely, however it is threatening to take over!!

Thanks very much

Gardeners' World Web User

Cut it down to the ground after you have picked all the fruit, dawn. Don't let the tips of the branches get to the ground or they will root and dig out any seedlings that appear.

Gardeners' World Web User

Thank you for the advice... will try it out!

Gardeners' World Web User

Our soft fruit harvest makes the allotment worth while. Strawberries were down this year, but the raspberries are in full flood. Red and black currants next. Yum.