Strawberry in July: monthly care

Strawberries don't require traditional pruning, but they do need regular tidying to maintain vigour and prevent disease. The main task comes in June and July, immediately after the last fruit has been picked. Cut back old, tatty foliage to about 10 cm above the crown using clean, sharp secateurs or shears. This removes leaves that may harbour pests and diseases, and encourages fresh, healthy growth for the following season. Be careful not to damage the crown itself or any new leaves emerging from the centre. Throughout the growing season, remove any runners—long stems with baby plantlets—unless you want to propagate new plants. Runners divert energy away from fruit production, so snip them off close to the parent plant as soon as you spot them. If you do want to propagate, peg down one or two strong runners per plant into small pots of compost in July, then sever them from the parent once rooted in late summer. After three or four years, strawberry plants become less productive and more prone to virus. Rather than pruning harder, it's better to replace them with fresh, certified virus-free stock. Dig up and compost old plants in autumn, and replant a new bed in a different spot to avoid soil-borne diseases. Remove any diseased, damaged, or mouldy fruit promptly throughout the season to prevent spread. Deadheading spent flowers isn't necessary unless fruit has failed to set, in which case nip them off to keep plants tidy.

Strawberries have moderate water needs but are sensitive to both drought and waterlogging. Water regularly during flowering and fruiting—from April through July—keeping the soil consistently moist but not saturated. Aim for about 2.5 cm of water per week, either from rainfall or irrigation. Water at the base of plants early in the day to keep foliage dry and reduce the risk of fungal diseases like grey mould (botrytis). In autumn and winter, reduce watering; established plants need little supplemental water once dormant. Feed in April and May with a balanced general-purpose fertiliser, or better still, a high-potash tomato feed once flowers appear to encourage fruiting. Scatter granular feed around plants according to packet instructions, or apply liquid feed every two weeks. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilisers, which promote leafy growth at the expense of fruit. Strawberries are fully hardy in temperate Europe and need no special winter protection in the ground. Mulch around plants with straw or compost in late autumn to suppress weeds and protect crowns from severe frost. Container-grown plants are more vulnerable; move pots against a sheltered wall or wrap in fleece during hard freezes. Common pests include slugs, which adore ripening fruit—use beer traps, copper tape, or organic pellets. Aphids can spread virus diseases; squash them or spray with soapy water. Grey mould thrives in damp conditions; ensure good spacing and air circulation, and remove affected fruit immediately. Powdery mildew occasionally appears on leaves in dry spells; water well and remove affected foliage. Replace plants every three to four years to maintain health and productivity.