Will using raised beds put an end to that?

Short answer, no. it will be better. They will find it in time
You could put landscaping cloth or plastic over the beds and cut holes and plant strawberries. No runners can take, but no weeds either. You could pot the runners for a new bed later. I would kill all weeds first. Then put cloth over.
This should give you a few years of weed free beds. They will probably find the holes with time. Do it again...
Landscape cloth is better as if put on the right way, water will penetrate. No good answer.

Raised bed is much better. If your bed is a manageable size, you can replace the potting soil every two years or so. Plus if you use the plastic cover as Dew said, you would not have any weed problem. You just need to replant the runners manually. Keeping strawberry clean is the very first thing you need to do.

I would not use Roundup in a fruit garden. Some says it is harmless on the soil, but some says it is related to Agent Orange. Whatever, I do not want it in my garden. Dew will probably fight with me on that....

Anyhow, I do not grow strawberry since I can't keep them clean enough. I'll have to buy straw to keep the fruit clean, so this is why is is called strawberry. I could grow them in containers or in raised bed with potting mix...

I myself use roundup but only on my walkways, i.e. sidewalks. I don't use it in my garden. It's not roundup that's in Agent Orange, it's one of the others. I like growing in raised beds, but mine are filled with weeds too. No Creeping Charlie. I have heard that mentioned so many times, sounds like a really really bad weed! You can solorize the area, but you need the whole season. I guess I would just cover it. I heard of this product IRT plastic is what farmers use. Harris seeds has it I guess?

I can't keep strawberries clean but i grow them all the same. It's a mess, but so good!

The farmer here mounds a row for tomatoes, and cuts an X where he puts plant. You can put a drip line under plastic. Also said you can lay a soaker hose down on top.
The dirt on top keeps the palstic in place. I suspect weeds will grow there though! Roundup!
I myself don't really care that much about toxins, I'm already old, and will be dead before any ever kills me.

This post was edited by Drew51 on Thu, Nov 13, 14 at 9:46

We have all kinds of weeds, stilt grass, creeping charlie and many more. But they do not bother me. For my lawn, I can hand spray with broadleaf weed killer. In my garden, I'll just dig up the soil if there are so many, or just use the weed digger.

For my lawn, I can hand spray with broadleaf weed killer. In my garden, I'll just dig up the soil if there are so many, or just use the weed digger.

OK, well that is Agent Orange (2,4-D). I use it too, same way, just spot treat. Hand pick in garden. i kinda want to buy one of those weed torches. Sounds like a good toy!

Here is a link that might be useful: The Red Dragon!

My strawberries this year
I grow pineberries, yum!
{{gwi:53140}}

I also grow musk strawberries, notice the red seeds.
{{gwi:48151}}

Daily harvests were great in June!
{{gwi:44118}}

Glyphosate(Roundup) is totally unrelated to Agent Orange, despite false claims which abound on the internet.

2,4-D is NOT Agent Orange.
Yes, it was part of AO, along with its more persistent sibling 2,4,5-T; but the big 'danger' of AO was that much of what was used in times past was contaminated with dioxins.
The active ingredients(2,4-D and 2,4,5-T) actually have fairly low toxicity to animal life and fairly short half-lives in the environment; not so for dioxins...

Lucky P you're making it extremely hard to scare the masses. I should have mentioned GMO's too, that would have worked... "Gmo's man! Agent Orange! Global Warming dude! Space aliens! We're doomed!"
If you want to use roundup, get "cleanup" by Bonide. Roundup is 18% active ingredient. Cleanup is 60%.(and is cheaper).

This post was edited by Drew51 on Thu, Nov 13, 14 at 11:18

I just trust my hands more than the chemicals, particularly for my vegetable and fruit gardens.... Some weeds, do not matter. Weeds are still plants, just for some reasons you do not want them.

Yeah I pick by hand, and discovered stinging nettles, after the third time, I now know exactly what the plant looks like! :)
Speaking of strawberries, time to make strawberry jam! Using some raspberries, pineberries, yellow alpine, Musk, and regular strawberries.

"OK, well that is Agent Orange (2,4-D). I"

2,4-D is not Agent Orange. Agent Orange is a mix of 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T.

2,4,5-T is a bit more dangerous than 2,4-D, but not hugely so. The big problem with Agent Orange was that the 2,4,5-T was contaminated with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzodioxin (TCDD), which is about as toxic as anything can get.

So, again, stop trying to scare people - and if you're not sure about something, or don't understand something, don't post it.

Huh? this is public forum and if you do not like it, then stay away with it. If you get scared, stay at home.

No one says Roundup is Agent Orange. Clearly some components are related.

I only use Roundup to kill tree stumps, some hard-to-kill shrubs and maybe some weeds I can't pull. I do not care if it is Agent Orange, or Agent Green. I just do not use it with my food area.

Hi Creek-side. I have CC all throughout the lawns in my orchard and the surrounding perimeter. I changed from in-ground beds to raised beds for vegetables and melons three years ago. I used round up and let the soil settle, then cleared it. Had the raised beds made, and installed. Used round up around the raised beds about a 10" wide swath. Waited another two weeks, added new soil, peat moss and fertilizer. NO creeping Charlie in the beds! Works like a charm. The rest of it (CC) still tries to surround my trees (mulch or no mulch) and it is a constant battle. Raised beds worked for me. Mrs. G