by Strawberries are a delicacy that we use in almost all the food we eat while they are very delicate and need a lot of care. Here are simple ways to grow strawberries in your garden and some common mistakes people make when planting.
The mistakes we make while planting affect the kind of harvest we have during the season.
Taking care of the strawberry crown
All strawberry plants have a crown. It is in between the root and the stem and it is what determines if the plant lives or dies. When transplanting the strawberry, make sure the crown of the plant is above the soil to prevent it from rotting and dying.
Plant them 12 inches apart to allow the stems to spread out evenly. Plant the roots 6 inches deep, trim the roots to about 4 inches long and soak in compost tea.
Choose appropriate strawberries according to your weather
June- This produces a large harvest. The various varieties to grow during this season are Camerosa, Sequoia and Tioga
Everbearing – Quinault, White Carolina Pineberry are some of the varieties to try which produce fruit twice.
Day-neutral – Tristar and Tribute are the main ones that always produce fruit. You will need to regularly remove the runners to encourage production.
Planting at the right time
Strawberries are sensitive to frost that’s why it is recommended to plant during Spring when the temperatures are 35-75 degrees
Preparing the soil for the strawberries
The ground for the strawberries needs to be very fine; remove all the weeds and twigs. Also, add compost fertilizer to the soil you are going to use; this is going to help them grow faster and better.
Mulch the strawberries properly
Strawberries need a lot of much because they need to grow in soil that is continuously moist. You can mulch them with tree barks or straw which will prevent the soil from drying out. Mulching also reduces the likelihood of having pests in your plants and prevents the growth of weeds.
Managing common strawberry pests
There are several insects and animals who also enjoy those sweet strawberries on your farm. If you have slugs, remove them by hand or ensure that you have mulch on the plants which will slow down their movement. Use nets on top of the plants to prevent birds from picking the strawberries. Planting them in containers reduces the chances of your strawberries getting attacked by bugs which are mostly on the ground and also manages pill-bugs.
Harvesting Strawberries, the right way
Only harvest the strawberries when they are ripe because they don’t ripen once they are off the plant. Pick rotting fruits off the plant and discard them. Leave caps of berries attached until just before eating. Use harvested strawberries as soon as possible.
