, ▁and ▁will ▁act ▁as ▁a ▁we ed ▁bar rier . ▁ ▁St raw ber ries ▁are ▁t ough ▁and ▁will ▁surv ive ▁many ▁conditions , ▁but ▁during ▁fruit ▁formation , ▁mo ist ure ▁is ▁vital , ▁especially ▁if ▁growing ▁in ▁containers . ▁Moreover , ▁protection ▁must ▁be ▁provided ▁against ▁sl ugs ▁and ▁sn ails ▁which ▁attack ▁the ▁ri pe ▁fruit . ▁The ▁fruit ▁m atures ▁in ▁mid sum mer ▁( w ild ▁vari eties ▁can ▁m ature ▁earlier ) ▁and ▁should ▁be ▁picked ▁when ▁fully ▁ri pe   — ▁that ▁is , ▁the ▁fruit ▁is ▁a ▁uniform ▁bright ▁red ▁colour . ▁The ▁selection ▁of ▁different ▁vari eties ▁can ▁extend ▁the ▁season ▁in ▁both ▁directions . ▁N umer ous ▁cultiv ars ▁have ▁been ▁selected ▁for ▁consumption ▁and ▁for ▁exhibition ▁purposes . ▁The ▁following ▁cultiv ars ▁have ▁gained ▁the ▁Royal ▁H ort icult ural ▁Society ' s ▁Award ▁of ▁Garden ▁Mer it :- ▁ ▁Pro pag ation ▁is ▁by ▁run ners , ▁which ▁can ▁be ▁p eg ged ▁down ▁to ▁encou rage ▁them ▁to ▁take ▁root , ▁or ▁cut ▁off ▁and ▁placed ▁in ▁a ▁new ▁location . ▁Est ab lished ▁plants ▁should ▁be ▁replaced ▁every ▁three ▁years , ▁or ▁sooner ▁if ▁there ▁are ▁signs ▁of ▁disease . ▁ ▁When ▁propag ating ▁st raw ber ries , ▁one ▁should ▁avoid ▁using ▁the ▁same ▁soil ▁or ▁containers ▁that ▁were ▁previously ▁used ▁for ▁st raw berry ▁cultiv ation . ▁After ▁cultiv ating ▁st raw ber ries , ▁rot ating ▁to ▁another ▁culture ▁is ▁advis able , ▁because