Should I put goats in strawberry patch?

[blueberrygirl]

My strawberry patch is overgrown with yummy clover & miscellaneous weeds & I was wondering if I could put the goats in after harvest? Would they pull the strawberry plants up? I need to mow them off anyway so as long as they wouldn't pull the plants up I think it might work. They are running out of good pasture in their pen

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I'm not sure...it would be a shame to find out the hard way! Are your goats tame enough to bring one in on a leash and give it a test?

 

[BettaBlossoms]

they will pull some up its inevitable with the way they graze, you also run the risk of them trampling them (to death?) i imagine if you just did it in short spurts and make sure they dont over do it and chew everything down to nubs.... its hard to kill strawberries lol they are survivors for sure.. if you had rabbits that would be a better option

 

[mysunwolf]

I would argue against rabbits--mine seem to go for the strawberry leaves right after they finish with the clovers! I would say don't put any animal in there, but wait for a wet day, hand weed, and mulch heavily with straw or wood chips. Then you can dump the weeds you've gathered into the goat pen for them to clean up.

 

[animalmom]

I have to keep my goats far away from my strawberry raised bed. They love the leaves and anything else they can get their lips around and would pull up the plants if allowed... therefore they are not allowed. I think you would be better off hand weeding your strawberries.

 

[animalmom]

I have to keep my goats far away from my strawberry raised bed. They love the leaves and anything else they can get their lips around and would pull up the plants if allowed... therefore they are not allowed. I think you would be better off hand weeding your strawberries.

 

[blueberrygirl]

Thanks for the input. The problem is that it's about an acre so hand weeding is out of the question. I might try putting them in for a day or two to see what happens. I won't mind if they pull some up (thinning it out) as long as it's not completely destroyed. If I do it I will let you know how it turns out!

 

[BettaBlossoms]

OOo an acre thats tough.. might be time to lay mulch hay and get at it with the hoe...

 

[doxiemoxie]

I'm a little late to the discussion but my goats destroyed my strawberry patch on just a couple hours.