Can I use hay under strawberries?

rosie383

Just was about to go out and do a bit in the garden while the rain is off for a bit but realised that my DD bought me a bag of hay instead of straw.
Should I just use it anyway to keep the fruit up from the flippin' slugs and snails, and off the mud, or wait til I can go and exchange it?

DaftyDuck

Straw would be better - drier and airier - but hay will do. Keep it well fluffed-up.

rosie383

Thanks Dafty Duck (and may I take this opportunity to say that you have the best user name by far! It makes me smile every time I see it:D).

I had a bit of a Google, as one does, and discovered that hay is full of seeds whereas straw isn't, so it could end up being a problem. I didn't get the chance to do it today anyway so will see if I can find the receipt and exchange it.

Harvested the first big, luscious red strawberry today!

Fosterdog

I was just going to say that hay is full of seeds, I used it on my strawberries last year and regretted it within a week. I took it all out but some of the seeds had already taken root so I am pulling grass up from between my strawberries every day this time of year, I just can't seem to get rid of it.

I can't decide whether to empty the entire 7ft by 1ft planter at the end of this season to start fresh or wait another two years until the current plants in there stop fruiting but have more work to do keeping them grass free in the meantime