skip to main content

Soil, Compost & Mulch

low-till strawberry bed prep?

16 years ago

Are there any no-till or low-till gardeners out there who grow strawberries? How do you prepare your beds? I want to put June-bearing strawberries into an established bed that has been growing vegetables and cover crops. Most strawberry instructions say to dig a lot of com[post or manure in. What's the low-dig alternative?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

bob64
16 years ago
Not my area of expertiese but I planted some strawberry plants directly into a grassy hillside that gets mowed regularly and they are still alive. Maybe they don't need as much pampering as thought?
Kimmsr
16 years ago
To do a no till strawberry bed, or raspberries, blueberries, etc. takes a bit of long term planning to properly prepare the bed they will grow in. You need to start 2 or 3 years in advance to properly prepare the beds. But you could do as Bob64 did with less production and more problems.
To prepare the beds you start with a good, reliable soil test from a lab recommended by your Cornell University USDA Cooperative Extension Service office and prepare that bed by adding organic matter as well as needed nutrients and allow the Soil Food Web to develop that soil for you.
Using these simple soil tests,
1. Structure. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. A good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top.
2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up.

3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart.

4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer you soil will smell.

5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy.
can also help you see what is happening with your soil.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cornell CES
Related Discussions
Prepping big new garden for next year
Q
Comments (9)
Well, you will get a diverse group of suggestions, so you will have to decide which you think will work for you. People have different philosophies and opinions about things, you know. Personally, if it were me, this is what I would do: 1) Mow the whole thing with my riding mower, with the exception of any areas you want to save, such as the strawberry patch. And, if it were something like a few perennial onions here and there, I might be inclined to dig those up and set them aside temporarily until I could replant in a proper bed. I would mow it first on a high setting to cut down the big weeds, and then go over it several times until I had the blade really low and ground everything up well. 2) I'd let it sit for four or five days to allow the weeds to resprout. Then, I would blast it with a systemic herbicide mixed at full label strength to kill everything. Let that sit a few days to allow roots to die. 3) I'd till it as deeply and thoroughly as possible. 4) I'd either plant a cover crop for the winter, or gather as many leaves as possible and put on a thick layer, say to 6 to 8 inches over the entire garden (less the strawberries/onions, of course). 5) In the spring, I would work in the cover crop or leaves, amend the soil as much as possible, till it deeply, and then go from there. Now, if it were me, I'd cover the whole thing in black plastic next year and grow through that, to avoid the weed problems, but that's just me, I love growing through plastic.
...See More
tilling vs. 'lasagna' beds; composting help; new to area - HELP!
Q
Comments (18)
You're right, Nan, surfactants are found in lots of products. Soap and detergents are all surfactants - it's actually the surfactant molecules that surround and float dirt/grease molecules away. Guess it also floats the frog's protective slime coat away. Not surprising really. One way the issue around amphibians surfaced was when commercial herbicide was used to kill invasive exotic plants in ponds. The amphibians died - but not because of the active herbicide ingredient, but from the 1ppm surfactant in the herbicide formulation. For this reason, many people would like to see unadulterated herbicides (without other ingredients like surfactants) available to regular folks like us. At this time, for big bucks, professionals can buy the active ingredient in bulk, but smaller, affordable quantities are not marketed. No worry that toothpaste, shampoo, or any surfactants will be banned or limited - we don't ban the fossil fuels that are destroying the ozone layer, so what's a few frogs? In general, we ban things long, long after catastrophic results are obvious, and then we ban specific chemicals only when we have a method to detect that chemical - which is not trivial. Drinking water can legally contain like 2mg/L Total Organic Carbon, but virtually all the EPA monitors is volatile contaminants, which are testable in a GC (found in most labs), and make up typically around 0.2mg/L. So what are we drinking in the other 0.8mg/L? Mmmmmmm. And this attitude, my friends, is born not of a nuts-and-fruits birkinstok-wearing flower-child. It was born of too many years in a chem lab plus working with chemists at EPA labs 20 years ago, and finally standing in my own garden today, looking around and wondering what in the world we have done. I know there's harmful bacteria and fungi in the soil I play in, I eat fast food on occasion, and I know that loving strawberries means I injest a lot of pesticide, so i don't get carried away with all the dangers - if one thing doesn't kill us, another will, that's for sure. i just wish I weren't leaving such a mess for the kids to clean up. Want to get scared of your shampoo, look at the ingredients and then read http://www.ecsu.ctstateu.edu/depts/env_saf/msdspdf/sodium_dodecyl_sulfate_BP166100_Fisher.pdf#search='sodium%20lauryl%20sulfate%20msds' Here is a link that might be useful: one article from many
...See More
Grass in the Strawberry Bed Again!!!!!!
Q
Comments (2)
Ilene, I am going to start with the ants, because they a huge problem in and of themselves. I am assuming the ants we are discussing are fire ants? I try to garden as organically as possible, but controlling fire ants has been one of the areas for which the organic community has had lots of 'possible' solutions......and none of them worked well for me in the past. I've tried everything from beneficial nematodes to orange oil sprays (Citrex Fire Ant killer), corn meal, grits, garlic-pepper sprays, cedar oil, cedar mulch, mint tea, dried mint leaves, etc. I have FINALLY found an organic product that works for me in terms of removing fire ants from the raised beds in the veggie garden. The active ingredient is called Serenade and it is effective not only on fire ants but also is very effective when sprayed on tomato plants to reduce foliar fungal and bacterial diseases. The Serenade I use on the tomato plants comes in a spray bottle. The Seremade I use on fire ants comes in a granular formation. I buy the one made by Safer and I think it is called Safer Fire Ant Killer. I have used it this year in my raised beds and it has worked for me. In the yard area, away from any place that we grow veggies, tree nuts or fruits, I use Over 'N Out. It is amazing. I only have to use it once every 3 or 4 years. I don't like using chemicals, but will use them if needed and IF they provide the desired results. Over 'N Out does work but you cannot use it near anything edible, and it has a long half-life in the soil, so you can't use it in any area where you will eventually grow something edible. Now, as to the strawberry issues. I think the best plan is to start over with a new bed so that you can begin with NO grass in it. The problem with bermuda grass is that if you leave any stolon that is at least 1/4" long, it will grow and spread and RAPIDLY at that. That is why no amount of digging will get it all....there is always that tiny stray piece here and there that will regrow. If it were me, I would spray the area where the new bed will be with Round-Up or a similar glyphosate and give it time to work. I would lay down either cardboard or several layers of newspaper to help smother any grass that tried to regrow and lay down the good-quality heavy-duty weedblock fabric on top of that. I would build the bed on top of that. You DO need to have the fabric extend outside the edging of the bed or grass will creep up INSIDE between the fabric and bed edging. If it were me, I would extend the fabric out a foot or two from the bed, cover it with mulch, and maintain it as a pathway around the raised bed. At the edge of the fabric, I would use that metal green landscape edging to keep grass from creeping into the mulched path AND to help keep the mower from hitting the edge of the fabric or the mulch. It is a lot of extra work, but as you already know, it is easier to prevent bermuda grass than it is to remove it once it infiltrates an area. As far as holding the strawberries over in the fridge or freezer, I don't know how long they can be held in cold storage, but I think it is possible to hold them for months, although perhaps not desirable. I made the decision years ago (after growing strawberries) that growing strawberries in our climate required more time and effort than I was willing to give them in light of the fact that I have a huge veggie garden, fruit trees, nut trees and lots of acreage to maintain. You may want to consider whether strawberries are worth the time and money you will have to invest in them in comparison to the size of the harvest you get. On the other hand, if growing your own gives you great joy, then go for it! Dawn
...See More
Winter prep almost complete
Q
Comments (2)
A lot of people were saying Irene was 'hyped'. Though, I expect that if they had a half foot of water in the basement, parts of their back yard submerged in over a foot of water, and out of power for several days, they woud think otherwise. We have so many turbo-charged storms along the coast for past 3-4 years, I take each one very seriously now. Spent the day lugging citrus and palms into the garage, same as last year. Weather is humid and tropical. Debating whetter to take in tall queens--currently bungeed to a fence. If prediction continues to have an extended period of hurricane force winds, nothing containerized will remain outside. Irene was not so bad for wind, but for rain --in what was already a record WET year (80 inch total for 2011). This year, the ground is drier but there is more concern about te wind. Still, this one will bring over a foot of rain to places. Also, this is a very, very slow mover once in comes ashore and may even do loops in the track. All signs point to a big storm, but Mother Nature has the final say in the matter. Bradleyo, your yard is so manicured and neat, I have huge piles of leaves all over. Will wait till after te storm to do cleanup.
...See More
stoloniferous
16 years ago
"From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. A good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top."

Thanks for that info, kimmsr!
crabjoe
16 years ago
Joanna,

I have strawberries planted in my flowerbed and they grow and produce fine. This is a spot that wasn't tilled and is all clay; other the the mulch on top of the clay.

I say, just plant your strawberry plants and mulch around them. The runners will easily root through the mulch.

BTW, my plants multiply so fast, I remove half the plants in late fall.
Lloyd
16 years ago
Regarding earthworms, kimmsr says...." Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy."

From the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service Soil Quality Â Agronomy Technical Note No. 11:

"Many people consider earthworms to be an indicator of soil quality because they respond to and contribute to healthy soil. For earthworms to be abundant, a field must meet several conditions that are also associated with soil quality and agricultural sustainability: moderate pH, surface residue for food and protection, and soil that is not waterlogged, compacted, droughty, or excessively sandy. Not all healthy soils will have earthworms."

Lloyd

Here is a link that might be useful: Link to actual USDA publication
idaho_gardener
16 years ago
I just dug a 5x5 spot for strawberries. I'm going to flip the sod into the area right next to it to make a no-till bed for more strawberries. I'm going to lay down cardboard, then do a compost-in-place thing to prepare the spot.

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Strawberries for All Seasons

By Paintbox Garden

An edible carpet? It's possible with a mass planting of this tough ground cover

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Ditch the Ordinary Ditch: Create a Realistic Dry Creek Bed

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

Here’s how to turn your water runoff system into an eye-catching accent for your landscape

FARM YOUR YARD 6 Things to Know Before You Start Growing Your Own Food

By Abundant City

It takes time and practice, but growing edibles in the suburbs or city is possible with smart prep and patience

EARTH DAY 5 Ideas for a More Earth-Friendly Garden

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Consider increasing the size of garden beds, filtering rainwater and using plants to reduce energy use

DECORATING GUIDES How to Turn Almost Any Space Into a Guest Room

By Laura Gaskill

The Hardworking Home: Murphy beds, bunk compartments and more can provide sleeping quarters for visitors in rooms you use every day

DECORATING GUIDES 11 Ways to Work With a Windowless Room

By Toronto Interior Design Group

See how to use French doors, white paint, draperies and more to brighten a space and trick the eye

HOUZZ TOURS My Houzz: Rescue Success for a Historical Rotterdam Home

By Holly Marder

A neglected three-story apartment becomes a strikingly modern family home with swinging hammocks and clever storage solutions

HOUZZ TOURS Houzz Tour: Ocean Views Exhilarate on the Sunshine Coast

By Lawrence Karol

Expansive gable windows and French doors offer an uninterrupted vista of the Pacific in this bright British Columbia A-frame

GARDENING GUIDES 15 Ideas to Try in Your Garden This Year

By Annie Thornton

These gardening stories were tops among Houzz readers. Which ideas might you try this year?

GARDENING GUIDES What Are Your Spring Gardening Plans?

By Annie Thornton

Tearing out the lawn? Planting edibles? Starting from scratch? Tell us what you plan to change in your garden this year

Sponsored

EK Interior Design

5 Reviews

TIMELESS INTERIOR DESIGN FOR ENDLESS MEMORIES

More Discussions

Best soil testing labs?

2

Pine Bark - Break Down

1

Question About Wood Chip Mulch

7

growing grass after pine trees removed

3

Worms in compact clay soil

1