How to Grow Our Own Sweet Strawberries. / GREEN MOUNT
Except tomatoes we talked about last week, strawberries are another popular fruits for many gardeners to plant in their homes and gardens in spring. It is convenient now that people can buy their favorite foods in market or order on line. However, the taste is completely different from that of planting them ourselves and buying them outside.
Few Points for Us to Consider Growing Strawberries
There are few reasons that they become one of well-known fruits to be grown in spring. One is the taste; another is that they are small and relatively easy to grow. Growing strawberries do not need any specialized equipment. They can fit within small space containers or fill huge garden plots. They are common to be grown in the pot on balcony, in a hanging basket, raised bed and the ground.
Growing strawberries just like growing tomatoes, they are perennial nature. If we take good care of them, each strawberry plant can produce a full quart of strawberries.
First Step
Once we decide to grow strawberries by ourselves, there are two ways for us to choose. We can grow them from seeds, or we can opt to transplant or purchase strawberry plants for our gardens. It is much more common and effective to purchase plants or bare roots.
Important Factors: Sun & Soil
Strawberries prefer full sun to have at least 8 hours direct sunlight each day. Choose a site with loamy, well-draining soil. A pH between 5.5 and 6.8 slightly acidic soil is ideal for them to yield. Also, they enjoy a place sheltered from strong winds so insect can assist with pollination.
Care
If there are several fungal diseases cause dark spots on leaves, clipping or moving strawberry foliage and raking it away. Garden pruning shears are our good partners when facing these problems, so we can interrupt the life cycles of some strawberry pests and diseases. To keep some birds such as robins, brown thrashers or other fruit-eaters from stealing our berries, we can cover the plants with lightweight bird netting when the berries begin to ripen.
Sometimes our strawberries may be small because of the heat and drought. Do not forget to water them. To control the amount of water, we can choose the wands or hose nozzles with the adjustable patterns that we can change the patterns with different watering activities.
Noted
If you want to have your own sweet strawberries next spring, you can start to plant them now. It is best to grow them in spring with the warm weather. In summer, noted the high temperature, the drought and the bird problems. In cold winter, because of the low temperature, do not forget to cover them or the temperature will damage the strawberries. We can add a layer of mulch, like straw, over our crop to protect the crowns. Are you ready? Start it now. Looking forward to seeing that everybody have a great harvest of strawberries next year.