Strawberry Goodness

Well, that explains why I am not getting any more strawberries off my plants. All along I blamed in on all the grass that has been taking over my beds. After doing some research today, I learned that your strawberries are usually only supposed to produce for three to four years before being replaced by new ones. Either those that start from the runners or by newly purchased roots. Who knew? Maybe I am the only one that doesn’t know enough about strawberries to grow them well. Trial and error, I guess.

Upon reading further it came to my attention that you should plant a variety of types of plants. There are June-bearing and day-neutral types of strawberries. When you plant both types, you are able to harvest fruit the first year. The day-neutral type will produce fruit quickly, while the June-bearing are not supposed to produce fruit the first year so that the plant becomes well established and is allowed to grow to full height before producing fruit. You will need to pinch off any blossoms that they produce for the first year so that you will receive a bountiful harvest the second season.

Strawberries need full sun and rich loose soil with a PH of 5.8 to 6.5. They also like a lot of organic matter or compost in the soil. My next bed with be a raised bed since I need to clear out all the grass that has overtaken the bed that they are currently planted in. To help prevent them from disease, they should not be planted in an area where potatoes, tomatoes, or grass has been growing in the past.

It is important to allow plenty of space between the plants so that the runners can establish in open areas and you can control the thickness of the plants. Starting with 25 plants should provide enough fruit for a family of four. Now remember after three or four years, it is required to get rid of the oldest plants as they will probably stop producing a high-yield crop or even producing all together.

I can’t wait to get started on my new strawberry bed now. The race is on to find the right type of soil and plants to be able to make a strawberry-rhubarb pie by the end of the summer. The rhubarb is doing well and just about ready to pick so the strawberries better grow fast.