Time for Strawberries

There is nothing like homegrown strawberries for a wonderful summer treat. The sweet and succulent fruit, easily grown in the backyard, provide an inexpensive way for families enjoy many different and delicious recipes. Not only do they taste great, but also the plants provide a beautiful decoration in the backyard, on the porch or apartment balcony.

Strawberries can be grown in the ground or in a pot. Many people opt to get a strawberry pot, which is shaped like an urn and has openings around the sides. The plants grow out of the openings and hang down the sides of the pot. The pots can be terra cotta, plastic or ceramic. A strawberry pot can be a family affair. Children can help plant the strawberries in the pot holes and help harvest the berries when they become ripe.

Planting in a strawberry pot is quite easy and by following a few simple steps, anyone can be enjoying plenty of strawberries in no time at all. After filling the pot with soil up to the lowest pot openings, insert a PVC pipe drilled with holes in the center of the soil to use as a watering pipe. Add more soil taking care not to get soil in the pipe. Carefully plant one strawberry plant per opening on the sides of the pot. To finish up, put two or three plants in the top of the pot. Once completed, water the pot thoroughly and get ready to start enjoying strawberries in the weeks to come.

Growing strawberries in a garden or even a flowerbed is another way to enjoy this fruit. Strawberries grow in just about any soil but do best in highly fertile soils. They require about six hours of full sun a day. Plant the strawberries away from other taller plants to avoid too much shade during the day. Plant the strawberries in rows, about twenty-four inches apart and make each row about three to four feet apart. They should not be planted in an area that was previously used to grow tomatoes, peppers, eggplant or potatoes. These plants can carry a disease called Verticillium Rot, which can be hazardous to the strawberry plants. If rain has not fallen in a week, give the plants about one to two inches of water.

Harvest the strawberries when they become bright red. This is when they will be the sweetest. A good way to tell if they are ripe is to taste one. If they are not quite ripe enough just leave them on the vine for a couple of days and they will ripen more. Once ripened, bring the strawberries inside, wash them, and store them in the refrigerator in a colander. Do not cover them. This allows the air to circulate around them. They usually only keep about three days so place extra strawberries in plastic freezer bags and put them in the freezer for later use.

Whether choosing to grow strawberries in a pot or in the garden growing them can be a satisfying and tasty experience. Strawberries make delicious desserts, jams and fruit salads. Kids usually enjoy eating them right out of a bowl. Consider planting some strawberries this year. It is a great way to enjoy this fruit and will brings months of enjoyable eating.

Tags: gardening, growing strawberries, strawberries

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