Strawberry fields forever healthy

Strawberries are very delicious, but sensitive fruits. They are often infected by fungi and they get dirty when they lay on the ground. Commercial growers use black plastic sheets to prevent contact of the berry with the ground. However, on very warm days this black plastic gets so hot that the berries are half cooked. Furthermore, the plastic prevents efficient watering and fertilisation.

Last year, I started a new (?) technique for the cultivation of my strawberries. Shortly after the flowers have formed, they are tied up with a soft plastic rope. The whole bush is tied together so that it stands up nicely and right. Even after the berries have grown heavier and ripened, they are not touching the ground. They don't get dirty and are much less infected by fungi and bacteria residing in the ground. As such, they can be eaten right after the picking while they are still warm and tasty from the sun, a mouth-warming experience.

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A further advantage is that the flowers stay high above the leafs which is attractive to bees for fertilization of the flower