Fruit Bushes
pugslovesun
Posts: 298
in Fruit & veg
Hi, is it a bad idea to let alpine strawberries grow in the bed around fruit bushes? Do they compete to much? Any thoughts appreciated.
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pugslovesun
Posts: 298
pugslovesun
Posts: 298
Posts
They won't compete but they'll run riot. Unlike cultivated strawberries they throw out numerous runners a lot faster than than those grown for table fruit. If you want to be weeding them out, which is more difficult than it it first appears, for years to come then go ahead. They don't respond to weed killer very well either.
Dave, you are describing wild strawberries. True Alpine strawberries e.g. Baron Solemacher, do not throw out any runners, and grow like ordinary hebaceous plants. They grow quite easily from seed and I have them as edging plants around the soft fruit bush area.
I also grow Alpine stawbs and mine don't throw out runners.
The problem with having them under fruit bushes is that they might not get much sunlight.
Also, you'll get some serious scratches every time you try to pick some if you have them under gooseberries .... just been weeding under my bushes and I bear the scars!
Bee
Hi,many thanks for all the replies, so really very much personal preference! But yes Bee take your point about scratches, also danger of getting poked in the eye!