Hey everyone, I've got some strawberry plants in my fruit cage and I've noticed a lot of them have been getting chewed on. Some are nearly hollowed out! I think it might be ants, but I haven't actually spotted any on the berries yet. Has anyone else dealt with this issue? How can I protect my strawberries? They're planted at ground level and surrounded by straw mulch. Thanks for any advice!
3 Answers
Sounds like it could be woodlice! I've had a similar issue with my strawberries in a greenhouse, and I’ve found that raising the fruit with straw while keeping it dry helps prevent damage when watering. Give that a shot!
I've heard that taking strawberries off the plants just as they start to turn red and letting them finish ripening indoors works well. My strawberries are in hanging baskets, and I used to have issues with birds too, so keep an eye out for them!
You're probably dealing with slugs or woodlice. I haven’t found a surefire fix besides using nemaslug or encouraging frogs to the area. By the way, I sometimes prop my strawberries up on leaves or a stalk to reduce contact with compost. It doesn’t stop all the damage, but it helps a bit!