Strawberries are the angels of the earth, innocent and sweet with green leafy wings reaching heavenward. – Terri Guillemets.
Yesterday afternoon, between thunderstorms, I took a walk around the place just to see how everything is holding up and to check for damage. I was so excited to see new green leaves popping up in our strawberry patch! I was worried about them because I wasn’t able to get them put to bed for winter before the first freeze and snow hit last fall. A little gentle clean up and they will be sprouting berries again soon.
The strawberry is a perennial and will come back year after year for about five years. They will also spread and generate new plants so you will always have strawberries with a little care. If you are like me and didn’t get them ready for winter, as long as the crown was protected they will thrive every summer. If you are planting your first batch, awesome! They are easy to grow, perfect for containers, raised beds or in the ground. Strawberries are also good for a children’s garden if you are teaching the young ones how food grows. Give them a little space to spread, and at least six hours of full sun light a day. Most plants will yield about a quart of berries if well taken care of. If you prefer a larger berry over more berries try planting each plant on a little hill. Otherwise, planted in a mass or rows will encourage more but smaller berries. While fertilizing strawberries isn’t really necessary, it will increase yield. Timing is important, too early and you’ll get all green leaves and stems, too late and you will have a lot of greenery going into fall/winter. You can add a 10-10-10 mix to the soil before planting (like Miracle Gro Shake n’ Feed). I don’t recommend fertilizing while the berry is forming or they might become mushy. Instead, wait until just after harvest to keep the green plant healthy and well fed. I really do not like to use chemical fertilizers on anything we will be eating. If you prefer the organic way add blood and bone meal about once a month from June to September.
Remember, we aren’t the only ones that love strawberries! You may need to cover your plants with bird netting. I use cheesecloth, just laid loosely over the plants and weighted down with rocks. Strawberries will not ripen after picking so wait until they are fully ripe to pick. Pick when the berry is dry and store unwashed in a cool place, your refrigerator is best. Wash before eating as they mold quickly, they are fragile and will bruise easily also.
I can’t wait for strawberry shortcake, jam, pie, ice cream, milk shakes, in salads and smoothies and just by themselves. What is your favorite way to enjoy strawberries?
And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. ~ Genesis 1:29 (ESV)
