By Canalhopper
Denbighshire,
United Kingdom 
Where have all my strawberries gone?
I have a bed of about forty strawberry plants and they have fruited prolifically this year. A few days ago, I went to check them out and there was loads of fruit ready for picking. I left them, as we had friends coming yesterday for a meal and I wanted to have the fruit for dessert.
When I went yesterday to pick them there was not one strawberry left.
The bed is well netted, and there is a generous covering of straw under the plants, so I have ruled out birds, slugs and snail.
Has anyone any idea where the fruit has gone?
Thanks for any help.
10 Jul, 2014
Answers
No, the fruit could definitely not have been stolen, thanks for your answer!
10 Jul, 2014
the blackbirds in my garden queue up to get into the strawberries and are very clever at getting under and out again with whole berries - darned perishers and I feed them so well too - you would think they would be kind and leave me my fruit but nope they do not. lol Joking aside, mice are an absolute pain this year in my garden, they have eaten beans off and I have given up trying now. (Two lots of both French and Runner) I planted up my brussel plants and covered them with wire so birds didn't get them, but the little four legged critters got them instead and that was the second planting of brussels too. I have now put poison down in several places as I am hoping to have better luck next season. No beans no brussels hardly any beetroot and it is so disappointing when it all goes wrong. ah well back to the 'drawing board' as they say.
10 Jul, 2014
That happened to me with blackcurrants a year or two ago. The bush was covered with ripe fruit one day, and the whole lot gone the next! Couldn't believe it! I never saw a bird go near them but they must have a party while my back was turned.
10 Jul, 2014
There was a similar question a couple of days ago. When I grew strawberries on the allotments, I found a stash of barely ripe berries under some old iron sheeting. It would have only been rats as the berries were too big for mice or voles to have taken. Also bare in mind that as we had a mild winter there are more rats about this year.
10 Jul, 2014
Thanks for all the answers. I suppose it must have been blackbirds or mice. I shall have to take even more stringent measures!
10 Jul, 2014
Could it have been stolen? Regardless of netting and straw slugs and snails will still have been able to get to.
10 Jul, 2014