1 day Ago By Katherine McPhillips
Strawberries require small blossoms in spring and crave more nitrogen than many other garden plants for optimal growth. This essential nutrient is crucial for leafy expansion, especially in April, when strawberries put all their energy into stem growth. If they don't get enough of this nitrogen goodness, your berries might suffer with feeble stems that can't hold up against the heft of luscious, larger fruit.
But fear not - Sally Phillips, a whizz in the garden and the clever mind behind Chimney Sheep, has a handy natural tip that's easy on the purse for fattening up those strawberries. Her secret? She advises: "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." Phillips explains how the fluffy stuff works wonders: "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 seem strange, but shredded wool from sheep is rich in nitrogen.
And it's not a quick fix; this nitrogen breaks down gradually, so your strawberry plants get a continuous drip of the good stuff all through spring. This isn't just about sturdier stems; more nitrogen means bigger leaves, too, which translates to extra energy for the plant and, ultimately, bulkier berries. It's not just the nutrients that make sheep's wool a garden hero—it's also fantastic at holding moisture in the ground.
Spread it around your strawberry patch, and it'll help keep the soil nice and moist, minimizing evaporation and ensuring the berries have plenty of water even during those scorching sunny days. The product also contains lanolin, a natural oil known for deterring slugs and snails. These pests can't crawl on the waxy substance because it dehydrates their bodies.
You can find wool pellets at most gardening centers and online stores. During the shearing season, local farmers also sell surplus wool. To use sheep wool, tear it into smaller pieces to make it easier to decompose and prevent it from clumping together.
Then, spread two to three inches of wool in a thin, even layer around the soil of your strawberry plants. Avoid using too much wool, as it is quite dense. Overuse could block water or sunlight from reaching the soil.
Mix the wool into the topsoil to blend it in, thoroughly water your strawberry plants, and by summer, your strawberries will be bursting with juicy berries..
