Gardening mistake luring slugs to strawberry plants instead of deterring them

There is no better moment than when you're able to pick freshly grown produce from your own garden.

But when it comes to strawberries there are plenty of pests that can ruin your hard work by nibbling it up before it's even ready to eat.

That's why a lot of gardeners place straw around the plant; it not only keeps the fruit off the soil, it's also supposed to deter slugs.

However, an expert has warned that tip is actually having the opposite effect.

Farmer Jeff Begin from Begin Family Farm explained that the straw makes the layer underneath moist, creating an environment slugs love, while also giving them another thing to chew on.

"Slug's role in nature is to clean up decomposing organic matter by eating holes in it. So don't use decomposing organic matter as a mulch – use already decomposed organic matter," he told the Express.

Other mulches Begin advises against are hay, grass clippings, leaves, wood or bark mulch and fresh wood chips.

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Instead he recommends mulching with matter that has already decomposed and is well-rotted, such as compost. It's even better if the compost is a crumbly consistency so that it dries out quickly and doesn't stay moist for too long.

"There's no fresh or partially decomposed organic matter, only a semi-fine compost where everything has already broken down. Slugs don't seem to like living here."

Make a five to 10cm deep barrier around the strawberry plants and add the compost in it to keep strawberries free of slugs.

Strawberries are best planted in Australia during autumn, which will give you fruit in spring, but they can be planted at other times too.

"Autumn is generally favoured for planting; you are away from the extremes of summer heat whilst soil temperature is still warm. This generally provides a 'stress-free' environment for plants to get established and ready to produce fruit in [spring]," Luke Maitland, horticulturalist and director of Native Grace Nursery, told nine.com.au.

"Generally you can plant outside the season depending on your location [but] it may affect first crop if they don't get going in time."

Strawberries can be grown from seeds, bare root runners, seedlings or pot plants.

Maitland's preference for autumn growing is runners as they get growing quickly for good spring crops and are more cost-effective.

"The downside [to bare root runners] is they need to be planted soon after purchasing and can look a little 'sad' at first," he says.

"Buying potted plants already established can be planted a little later in autumn and in the early spring. They suffer less chance of transplant shock, but they are more expensive."

Before you start putting your strawberries in the ground or pot, pay attention to how close you're placing them as this will make a huge difference to the health of your plant and the crops it produces.

"Overplanting can result in issues as plants develop. Good airflow minimises fungal issues, better sunlight will give better fruit. Aim to space them around 40cm apart in a bed or one plant per 200mm pot," Maitland explains.

In terms of sunlight, "pick a spot that has morning sun and not too much afternoon sun."

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