How to Grow Strawberries
In addition to the traditional strawberry patch, there are as many ways to grow strawberries as there are to eat them! Grow strawberries in a bed, hydroponically, as a ground cover, as an ornamental patio plant, or in a hanging basket.
Strawberry Categories
An important part of knowing how to grow strawberries is understanding how different types of strawberries grow. Strawberry cultivars are placed in one of three categories.
? June bearing strawberries produce a large, voluptuous crop of berries in late spring. Mother plants send out runners (daughters) that root and develop into matted rows. The disadvantage to June bearing strawberries is 1) they only bear fruit once a year and 2) the first year you need to pluck all blossoms from your plants to let them become firmly established.
? Ever bearing strawberries really aren't "ever" bearing, but do produce a harvest twice a year, once in spring and again in autumn. During the first year, pluck all blossoms from ever-bearing cultivars through the end of June. After that, they will blossom again and set fruit for a fall harvest.
? Day neutral strawberries frequently produce a crop of small, but very sweet berries throughout most of the growing season. After plucking off the first set of blossoms allow the fruit to set and you'll have strawberries throughout the summer!
The Versatile Alpine Strawberry
The Alpine Strawberry is a cousin of the wild strawberry and is very much at home lining a path or walk way. In fact, the only strawberry that is regularly started from seed, the Alpine strawberry is a day neutral cultivar that makes an excellent ground cover with headily fragrant blossoms and very tasty red or white strawberries. The Alpine Strawberry reseeds profusely from its own strawberry seeds and bears fruit throughout the growing season.
Buying Strawberries for Transplanting
The best time to purchase strawberry plants is autumn. Find end of season plants at dirt-cheap prices or order new plants for spring delivery. In addition, your nursery may offer wholesale strawberry plants packed in bundles containing as few as 25 plants. Nurseries have limited space and often take orders for wholesale plants on a first-come, first-served basis. Frequently, their stock is depleted long before spring.
Most strawberry cultivars over-winter if kept cool in a root cellar, unheated garage, or basement. For extra protection, cover roots with sand, wood shavings or soil. Ordering or purchasing strawberry plants in the fall ensures that you'll have them for spring planting!
Thirty plants provide enough strawberries for a family of four. Select your plants carefully and purchase only virus-tested transplants.
Site Selection
Plant strawberries in the sunniest spot you can find. Although you can get a harvestable crop with as little as six hours of direct sunlight per day, the largest harvests and best quality berries come from those plants that get the advantage of full sun.
The shallow rooted strawberry plant is poor competition for weeds, shrubs, trees, or other plants. Till a garden bed in the fall to eliminate a lot of the weeds that cause problems during the growing season. Choose a spot away from large trees, which may send roots into your strawberry bed. Also, be sure to locate your strawberry bed away from any spot where you have grown peppers, tomatoes, eggplant or potatoes. These plants can harbor verticillium wilt, which is devastating to strawberries.
Although strawberries won't thrive in saturated ground, they do need a moist environment. Amend soil with a good supply of nutrient rich organic matter to both improve aeration, drainage, and increase moisture-holding capacity. In the spring, as soon as the frost is out of the ground and the soil is workable, till your bed again. Now you are ready to "set" your strawberry plants. The second and third part of this how to on strawberries is available on our site.
Linda is an author of Gardening Tips Tricks and Howto's. The next part of this article is available at our site Gardening-Guides.com,
where you can also download the whole series as a free full color e-book. Just follow the links.
 Google News Updated : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 02:50:04 GMT Judge Orders 17 Guantánamo Detainees Freed - New York Times
New York Times - By WILLIAM GLABERSON WASHINGTON - A federal judge on Tuesday ordered the Bush administration to release 17 detainees at Guantánamo by the end of the week, the first such ruling in nearly seven years of legal disputes over the administration’s detention ... White House "Deeply Concerned" With Guantanamo Ruling US judge orders Guantanamo Uighurs freed Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 01:49:29 GMT Obama And McCain On Small Business - CBS News
CBS News - The fifth installment of the series examines where each candidate stands on helping small businesses. Supported the government bailout aimed at easing the credit crunch. Obama-McCain debate Question 5: What sacrifices Ad Wars: McCain Dishonorable and Obama Untrustworthy Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 23:28:47 GMT Obama, McCain stretch facts in debate - The Associated Press
The Associated Press - WASHINGTON (AP) - Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain stretched facts, sometimes past the breaking point, as they addressed the financial crisis and more during their second presidential debate. McCain, Obama Laud Buffett When Asked About Treasury Candidates Obama-McCain debate Question 2: How will Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 02:01:16 GMT Bloomberg’s Gift to the People: Moi - New York Times
New York Times - By CLYDE HABERMAN An e-mail pen pal of mine in Alaska (no, not her, someone else) wrote the other day mentioning Marshal Philippe Pétain. UPDATE 1-NYC lawmakers to weigh bill raising term limits Bill to end term limits introduced in City Council Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 01:08:24 GMT Ayers and Obama later worked on Chicago charitable boards together - CNN
CNN - By Drew Griffin and Kathleen Johnston CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) -- More than 30 years ago, William Ayers was a fugitive leader of the Weather Underground, an antiwar terrorist group known for its bombings of police stations, the Pentagon and the US ... Connelly: My tea with a 'terrorist' What’s The Obama-Ayers Connection? Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:55:44 GMT Fed's new tool: Business loan bailout - CNNMoney.com
CNNMoney.com - By Chris Isidore, CNNMoney.com senior writer NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The Federal Reserve announced a new program to help the battered market for short-term business loans - taking its closest step yet to lending directly to businesses. Fed's Credit Tactic Has Small Effect Fed, in emergency move, will lend to companies Publ.Date : Wed, 08 Oct 2008 01:33:46 GMT World markets mixed amid ongoing bank jitters - Forbes
Forbes - By PAN PYLAS 10.07.08, 5:55 PM ET World stock markets were mixed on Tuesday as banking stocks on both sides of the Atlantic took another pounding despite the US Federal Reserve's announcement that it will buy huge amounts of short-term debt in an ... TOPWRAP 15-Fed steps in but US stocks dive; UK to rescue banks Patrice Hill THE WASHINGTON TIMES Publ.Date : Tue, 07 Oct 2008 22:03:58 GMT Increase Online Traffic |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... Your dozen rose gift doesn't only have to decorate your... Read More It's gardening season again! Are you ready? Whether you are... Read More In all likelihood you have heard of teak furniture and... Read More Compost, made from decomposed grass clippings, leaves, twigs, and branches,... Read More We've all heard that there is no such thing as... Read More Surprisingly enough, it is usually in mid-summer that many gardeners... Read More The Adirondack chair is unlike any other chair every made.... Read More When you want to create a beautiful and functional landscape,... Read More Flower bulbs need a good, long, winters sleep. Like some... Read More Many of us garden just for the sheer joy of... Read More Slapping yourself silly trying to keep mosquitoes from biting you?... Read More The ancient herb, Anethum graveolens or Fernleaf dill as it... Read More Have you noticed how everything looks great at the moment... Read More Just recently my friend had his house appraised between $800,000... Read More Teak has many qualities that make the indoor and outdoor... Read More Think of your garden like you would a room in... Read More Container gardeners take note. Tired of clay pots? Think vintage,... Read More Think of cyclamen and the chances are that Mothers Day... Read More There is nothing better to do on a hot, lazy... Read More Gardening is a hobby that brings joy, entertainment, and a... Read More Traditionally, preformed ponds are large shells, which are extremely burdensome... Read More To care for your antique ceramics you need a gentle... Read More Outdoor benches are an excellent way to enhance a garden,... Read More Do you have a knack for being with moths? Most... Read More In Blue Mountain Lake, New York, you will find a... Read More
Adsense
websites
22 Fun Things To Do With Your Dozen Rose Gift
It?s Gardening Season!
Low Maintenance Teak Furniture
7 Factors Needed for a Compost Pile
CO2 for Free
Building Liner Ponds
Adirondack Chairs - The Proper Way to Care for Them
Landscaping Tips
Mulch Your Spring Bulbs In The Fall For A Beautiful Spring Display
Gardening is Good Therapy
Taming Your Outdoors
Dill: Scandinavias Most Important Culinary Herb
Planning Permission Tips UK - Landscaping Schemes - Do They Add Value-Is It The Chicken Or The Egg?
Add Value to Your Home - Landscaping
Buying Teak Wood Furniture Responsibly
Decorative Garden Accents
Think Vintage for Your Garden
Cyclamen
Durable Wooden Swing - Decorate Your Outdoors with One
How To Plan A Garden Right
New for 2006 - Granite Flexible Preformed Rock Ponds
10 Tips to Care for Your Antique Ceramics
Selecting Outdoor Benches
Easy Care Of Phalaenopsis
Adirondack Chairs - How to Choose One
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
Daphnes for Scent and Colour
Anyone with even a passing knowledge of plants knows that... Read More
7 Factors Needed for a Compost Pile
Compost, made from decomposed grass clippings, leaves, twigs, and branches,... Read More
How to Choose the Right Bulbs for Your Spring Flower Garden
Choosing the right bulbs involves more than just selecting colors... Read More
How to Rid that Lawn of Thatch!
You know that brown patchy debris in a lawn that... Read More
Grey Water- Not Drinking Water- For Your Garden
The average home can reduce their water consumption by around... Read More
The Meanings Behind the Colors of Roses
Roses are a sign of love and friendship and by... Read More
Invite Spring Early - Grow in Your Basement
Now's the time to get ready to grow your own... Read More
Wind Chimes Go Great With Gardening
What could be more relaxing than gardening on a nice... Read More
Teak Umbrella : Add the Final Touch to Your Patio
Okay, so you have agonized for weeks and finally went... Read More
When to Plant Vegetaibles
Planting times for vegetables and other annual plants vary from... Read More
Lawn Moles and Proper Lawn Care
Are your making mountains out of your molehills? Although lawn... Read More
Mix Perennials into Your Garden for Staying Power
Perennial plants and flowers stay around for more than just... Read More
How To Check If Cut Flowers Are Fresh
Fresh flowers should feel crisp or firm. Before you buy,... Read More
Skip The Pesticide And Use Natural Alternatives
For best health, it is important to keep your environment... Read More
With So Many Choices For Patio Furniture, Finding The Perfect Set To Complement Your Yard Is Easy
There is nothing more relaxing than kicking back with a... Read More
Wildflower Seeds - Ten Reasons Why You Should Plant...
Native wildflowers are those that were growing naturally in the... Read More
Natural Garden Pest Control
No dig gardens essentially strive to be their own ecosystem.... Read More
Preparing Successful Seedlings
Growing your own seedlings is very gratifying and far more... Read More
Choosing the Right Roses for Your Garden
The selection of roses you can grow in your home... Read More
Gardening Tips and Tricks for Late Autumn
Preparing for the Winter Months: Gardening in OctoberWhen you feel... Read More
The String Algae Blues
Now that Spring is upon us and things are coming... Read More
A Guide for Servicing Your Chainsaw
Chainsaws provide many years of service for very little upkeep.... Read More
Greenhouse Buying Guide - Choosing The Right Greenhouse
When choosing a new greenhouse for your garden there are... Read More
Pond Filter
A pond filter is one of the most important components... Read More
It?s Gardening Season!
It's gardening season again! Are you ready? Whether you are... Read More
Landscaping & Gardening |