Strawberries

14 years ago

I was so stupid.

Someone told me that horse manure would be good for my strawberries, so I found someone with a horse who gladly gave me ten bags of manure.

I eagerly hurried it home and (so gross!) spread it all over my strawberry patch.

After I'd done it (about an hour) I began thinking about it, and realized that all that uric acid might not be too good for anything. It was then that I started thinking that I should have let it dry out first.

I hurried out to scrape as much of it off the plants as I could (even more gross) and then just hoped for the best.

That was two years ago. Last year the strawberries were sparce, but still grew. They sent out runners, but most of them died.

This year, they looked good for a while, but they aren't nearly as healthy and lush as they were three years ago.

Is there anything I can do for this soil now. Or do I need to dig up all the plants, change the soil, and start over.

Please don't be too harsh re/ my stupidity.

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Comments (4)

denninmi
14 years ago
The brief time that fresh manure was on the strawberry patch wasn't responsible for the problems in the next year, nor this year. There are a lot of things that can cause strawberry problems, various diseases most likely cause. And, if they don't look lush this year, its certainly possible they are under-fertilized.

But yes, your initial thought was correct, fresh manure is basically death for plants in any quantity. Its' too strong, and needs to be composted with "brown" matter for at least a few months to make it safe to use.
brer
Original Author
14 years ago
What kind of fertalizer would you suggest?
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denninmi
14 years ago
Anything balanced would be fine, either a liquid kind like Miracle Grow or a dry granular like 12-12-12. Just be sure to follow the label rates.
prairiemoon2 z6b MA
14 years ago
Personally, I wouldn't use manure on my vegetable garden. The worry about salmonella and e coli contamination etc has kept me from adding it. And it is often suggested that if you compost it you kill the potential bacteria and that is true, but you have to know what you're doing to produce a 'hot' pile of compost to kill the bacteria. Something I don't do. I use a passive compost pile and let it break down without help over a year and that is a 'cool' pile that wouldn't kill the pathogens.

So I stick to using yard waste. I have a TON of leaves in my yard and neighbors give me theirs, with that and the grass clippings and healthy yard waste, we have a pretty good size pile of compost that is great on the garden. And I sheet compost and make lasagna beds which become very fertile and full of worms pretty quickly.

I grow cover crops every year in my veggie beds after the veggies are done and then turn them in next spring and this adds fertility and organic matter. And I use liquid Seaweed / Fish Emulsion Fertilizer according to package directions. The plants really respond to that.

Sometimes strawberry plants have viruses and there's not a lot you can do. But if you buy from someone who has a good reputation then you should be good. Nourse Farms is supposed to have a good reputation for one.

I can't see why the soil would be a problem at this point after two years. It might be that the plants have been damaged or have a virus. I think I would probably call Nourse Farms and ask them to advice you. They grow a lot of fruit and someone there must have a lot of experience.

Here is a link that might be useful: Manure Safe or Not?