Question
I live in southwest Missouri.  Last summer I purchased 2 strawberry starter plants.  I know very little about gardening, but thought since they were already started it wouldn't take much work. They seemed to grow and spread well but only yielded a handful of strawberries and those partially eaten by pests before fully ripe.  This year I am having the same problem.  I guess I have 2 questions. What can I do to help them produce more strawberries for next year? What should I do about the pests?  I have seen lots of crickets and some slugs.  Maybe I should just chop them down and give up?  What is your advice.

Answer
Hi Tommy;
No, no no, don't give up.
First, go organic, and the healthy enviornment will attract toads, lizards and grass snakes, that will eat all those pests.
Toads LOVE slugs. Lizards and grass snakes will eat the crickets etc.
I don't grow strawberries because I can no longer give proper care to plants on the ground. Of course, I could have them in raised beds or hanging containers, but just don't plant them.
I know little about raising them, so I am going to look you up some sites with mre information about strawberries.
Copy and past these addresses in your browser address bar.

http://gardening.about.com/od/fruitsberriesnuts/a/Strawberries.htm

http://www.berrygrowing.com/strawberries.html?pg=g11-006-1000B

http://www.mastergardeners.org/picks/growingStrawberries.html

Those sites shopuld help you.
Charlotte