Strawberries require more nitrogen in the spring than most other garden plants. Failure to do this will result in thin and weak stems which will not be strong enough to produce fruit
Strawberries are in need of a bit more love in springtime, seeking out more nitrogen than many other plants in the garden – but there’s a straightforward solution to help them flourish. Nitrogen is key as it fuels foliage growth, which becomes particularly crucial in April with the stems just beginning to sprout.
Should strawberries find themselves short on nitrogen, you’ll notice their stems turning weak and flimsy, unable to support the promise of plump, luscious fruit. But not to worry, Sally Phillips, the gardening expert and brainchild behind Chimney Sheep, has come forward with a natural, budget-friendly tip for perking up your berries.
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She suggests: “A great way of giving your strawberry plant a boost is by adding nitrogen to the soil in the form of sheep’s wool or wool pellets.
“Nitrogen occurs naturally in sheep’s wool and will be released into the soil as the wool composts down, ensuring your strawberry plant grows big and strong!”.
It might sound odd, but shredded sheep wool is teeming with nitrogen that decomposes gradually, providing your strawberries with a sustained feed throughout the season, reports the Express.
The benefit of nitrogen goes beyond merely bolstering stem girth; it also fosters the growth of larger leaves, translating to enhanced energy for the plant and subsequently bulkier fruits.
What’s more, sheep wool acts like a sponge to retain moisture, meaning that encircling your strawberry plants with it will aid in keeping the soil perfectly damp and reduce evaporation, ensuring your berries remain quenched even when temperatures soar.
The wool also contains lanolin, a natural oil known to deter slugs and snails as these pests struggle to crawl on the waxy substance due to it drying out their bodies.
How to use sheep wool in your garden
You can find wool pellets in most gardening centres and online stores. However, local farmers may also sell excess wool during this time of year, which is the shearing season.
To utilise sheep wool, shred the wool into smaller pieces. This makes it easier to break down and prevents it from clumping together.
Next, simply scatter two to three inches of wool in a thin, even layer around the soil of your strawberries. Be careful not to use too much wool as it is very dense. Overuse could block water or sunlight from reaching the soil.
Work the wool slightly into the topsoil to mix it in, give your strawberry plants a good watering, and you’ll see your strawberry plants flourish with plump berries come summer.