The strawberry, the symbol of early summer, is on the way, and we must prepare for its arrival. If we wish to avoid losing the lot to the birds or finding it face down in the mud and full of holes, now is the time to attend to its needs.
Pack clean straw under the plants to give the fruits a soft mattress and deter the slug, then fix low metal arches along the row at intervals. Stretch netting over the arches to form a tunnel, and secure it well at all the edges-a blackbird can be surprisingly determined.
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From California to Cornwall: How surfing became a cornerstone of Cornish cultureA new exhibition at Cornwall's National Maritime Museum celebrates a century of surf culture and reveals how the country became a global leader in surf innovation and conservation.
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18 magnificent homes for sale from £550k to £20 million, as seen in Country LifeFrom a charming thatched cottage to a 300-acre estate with its own vineyard, here's our pick of places to come to the market via Country Life of late.
