"Growing Strawberries"
  Our passion for strawberries is well grounded. Strawberries are a good source of complex carbohydrates, and are packed with vitamin C.
Commercial strawberry growers are slightly limited with their varieties, as many types will not store well. 'Pick them and eat them' types are perfect for the home grower.
Choose a spot that hasn't been used for growing strawberries or potatoes within the previous 3 years. Strawberries like full sun and will not do well in a 'cold' spot. Remove all weeds and dig in as much organic compost as you can. This will almost guarantee a huge crop! Hoe and rake over the ground. Later on, you will need some straw or black plastic sheets..
Growing strawberries from seed is possible - Thompson & Morgan have a couple of varieties here Growing strawberries from seed UK
Or browse your local garden centre or nursery.
Growing strawberries is a piece of cake when you follow the right steps! Strawberry plants should be spaced to about 35cm-45cm in a row, in rows about 75cm apart. Dig holes for your plants. Not too deep though, strawberries have a shallow rooting system. Make sure the 'crown' of the plant ( the chunky part above the roots ) is above the soil. Firm down plants with your hands and water well.
Place slug pellets around the plants. If you can't find an organic variety try using broken egg shells or dry sand.
Keep plants well watered. Because they are shallow rooting plants, strawberries will dry out very quickly in hot weather, and your crop will be affected.
In early summer or late spring, when the small fruits start to appear, cover the ground around your plants with a fairly thick layer of straw. Try and get 'weed free' straw. Barley is the best. If no straw can be found, use black plastic.
Growing strawberries in your garden will encourage just about every garden bird you can imagine. The trouble is, they will ALL eat your strawberries...... if you let them! Make a small wooden frame to stand over your strawberry bed, and cover in fine netting. Don't use heavy materials, as you will want to move the cover every day during cropping season. Use light wood, and perhaps tent pegs or the equivalent to secure it against being blown over by the wind or stray cats and dogs. Remove the 'runners' - little plants coming off the main plant, before they root. This will encourage your 'mother' plant to produce more fruit.
Pick your strawberries every day in season. With good weather and a fairly long growing season, starwberries can produce up to 3 crops a year. Growing Strawberries - long term
After the third year, your strawberry plants will produce less fruit, and so on every year afterwards. It is widely advised to replace your whole strawberry bed every 3-5 years. Don't use the same plot for your new plants though. Go back to the beginning and prepare your bed well.....:-) Pop over to this page to find out more about different berries you can grow at home...Berries
Happy Gardening! Grow Your Own Groceries: Producing your own food is not only rewarding but - in times of economic and environmental changes - increasingly a must! Nature provides everything the human body requires to thrive, and cultivating some of those natural products in your own back garden will not only produce the best food on the planet for you and your loved ones, it is also economical, environmentally friendly and more fun than shopping.
 Gardening is more than a hobby; it's a way of life. Even without a garden, many plants can be grown in containers, on a balcony, and indoors. Order it now direct from the publisher... Grow Your Own Groceries Herb Gardening: Herbs are becoming recognised more and more as superfoods, as if we didn't know that really! 'Herb Gardening' has been beautifully put together by the publisher (Crowood Press) into a well presented book with full colour photos.  Along with growing instructions for forty different herbs, there are lots of great ideas, including culinary delights and medicinal alternatives. You'll also find gardening advice as well as some ideas on planning a herb garden. Order it now direct from the
publisher... Herb Gardening
Grow Your Own Pharmacy: If, like me, you want to be able to eat the best food on the planet, grow your own!  • Clear instructions on planning, planting, growing and harvesting the fruits, vegetables and herbs required for a healthy vitamin intake. • Recipes and menus to help incorporate the fruit and vegetables into your daily diet. Back to Fruit Page Back To Flower and Garden Tips Homepage Click Here To Subscribe to "Creative Gardening" - Your FREE monthly ezine! www.flower-and-garden-tips.com/growingstrawberries.html |
