On 3/1/2011 2:32 AM, Edward wrote:

Thanks! It looks like there's no easy way out of hand weeding. I think
I'll let it go for a few weeks though. A series of recent Pacific
storms has resulted in temps down around freezing at night. Maybe that
tall, dead grass surrounding the plants is helping to keep them warm
at night.
Thanks for your advice!
i don't know the variety you have but some time ago I planted 100 Tn
Beauties. They didn't bear the first year. We had to weed them by hand.
Once you get the weeds out it is not difficult to keep them out just
have to keep it up.
We had so many berries, for years, until I went to Nam, that it kept all
of the family rosy fingered.
It was not uncommon to pick three gallons or so per day during the
summer. Of course they were fertilized with chemical.
Unless it is well rotted manure, I don't want to eat ground bearing
berries off it. Don't need any, of a variety, of diseases.
Cut the runners between plants each year. That assures the plants, of
years before bear more. The new plants may not bear until the next season.
You will have several times the starting plants every year afterwards,
The biggest problem we had was snails.
Really good berries draw the critters fast. You'll lose some.
If they are the new shippers or cardboard berries(my term) you probably
won't have too man pests.
There is nothing like GOOD fresh ripe, tangy, sweet, aromatic, berries
that taste like they smell or even better, strawberries and cream, for
breakfast. If you haven't had any you will never buy another shipper,
when you do.