The strawberries are coming!

nurseangel

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Last year, I purchased strawberries on eBay and we planted them in the rock garden.  The seller said the original plants came from a Navajo village.  He didn't know what kind of strawberries they were, just that they were big and would spread.  I babied them with coffee grounds all summer.  The plants are big, have spread, and are now blooming.  If all goes well, strawberries soon!  I go out and check their progress every day.  Daisy will be so happy.   
 

MoochNNoodles

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Oh I love fresh strawberries like that!  I took a floriculture class in high school and we did some fundraising with plant sales.  Mom got a bunch of strawberry plants we put by her front door.  They did take over that area!  I believe you are supposed to nip the first flowers or something like that (don't quote me!) to get yourself bigger berries.  We never bothered and only got smaller ones.  We didn't eat most of them...the birds would come and enjoy them.  That always entertained the cats!  Oh and the dog used to go help herself too! LOL
 
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blueorchid

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I love strawberries! We go strawberry picking every year with the kids and it is so much fun! In my area the are ready for picking between April and June. We usually go in May :D
 
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nurseangel

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We are planning to set out another variety or two and just let them take over the whole area.  I have no luck with blueberries, so I am especially excited that my strawberries are thriving.
 

Winchester

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Strawberries! Cool!

We want to try our luck with strawberries again. I think we're going to go out and pick a few this year.

Don't forget to make Strawberry Lemonade with your bounty! I found an interesting recipe for Strawberry Lemonade that you can in jars. Then you have it all summer long and into the fall!
 
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nurseangel

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Strawberry lemonade sounds good.  I have never tried it.
 

calico2222

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We're going to try our hand at strawberries this year. DH just tore down a shed beside the house so we're going to put a raised planter there about 8X8. It's against the wood line under pine trees so sunny in the morning but shady in the afternoon. Is that enough sun? I've heard that putting pine needles in the soil is good since they grow best in acidic soil so I figured that would be a good place for them since there are TONS of pine needles there already, but I'm worried about them not getting enough sun.

Also, since they are going to be contained should I cover them with netting or anything to keep the birds out? 
 
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nurseangel

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We're going to try our hand at strawberries this year. DH just tore down a shed beside the house so we're going to put a raised planter there about 8X8. It's against the wood line under pine trees so sunny in the morning but shady in the afternoon. Is that enough sun? I've heard that putting pine needles in the soil is good since they grow best in acidic soil so I figured that would be a good place for them since there are TONS of pine needles there already, but I'm worried about them not getting enough sun.

Also, since they are going to be contained should I cover them with netting or anything to keep the birds out? 
I have never used netting before, but since I'm averaging only about one or two cherries a year from my cherry tree (with the birds eating the rest), I'm probably not the best person to give advice on this subject. 
 

gailc

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If you want I can pm you a link from University of Wisconsin extension which has a great publication on strawberries.http://learningstore.uwex.edu/Growing-Strawberries-in-Wisconsin-P748.aspx

Otherwise I don't like bird netting as its a pain to keep on picking up and down the leaves and berries get caught in the netting.  Buy yourself a piece of Remay-it goes by other names floating row cover erc....  I have a piece better than by patch and I anchor it on the corners with bricks (stones would work.)  It lets sunlight and rain pass through.

Its best to keep the patch weeded and the plants due have to be renewed.
 

calico2222

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If you want I can pm you a link from University of Wisconsin extension which has a great publication on strawberries.http://learningstore.uwex.edu/Growing-Strawberries-in-Wisconsin-P748.aspx

Otherwise I don't like bird netting as its a pain to keep on picking up and down the leaves and berries get caught in the netting.  Buy yourself a piece of Remay-it goes by other names floating row cover erc....  I have a piece better than by patch and I anchor it on the corners with bricks (stones would work.)  It lets sunlight and rain pass through.

Its best to keep the patch weeded and the plants due have to be renewed.
I would love the link if you have it! Anything that would help would be great since it's our first time trying strawberries. One question though. You said the plants have to be renewed...I thought strawberries basically take off an spread over the seasons. Or won't they do that if we have them contained? Don't they come back each year? (see, I told you we were newbies).
 

catbehaviors

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Over the years, our 6 strawberry plants multiplied, and they would like to take over the whole garden. :lol3: It's really nice being able to pick yourself a yummy snack while out in the backyard.
 
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nurseangel

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Over the years, our 6 strawberry plants multiplied, and they would like to take over the whole garden.
It's really nice being able to pick yourself a yummy snack while out in the backyard.

That's what we're hoping for.  I think we started with about 10-12 plants, but it looks like there's more this year.  I go out and check on them most every day, but can see them from the kitchen window now. 
 
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Winchester

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How many plants would you recommend we start out with? We were thinking of enlarging our veggie garden anyway. But I'm not sure if we want the strawberry "patch" in with the vegetables or if we want to keep it separate from the garden. We are looking at starting out with 25 plants of two different varieties? Would that work? How many varieties do you have?

I'll post the recipe for Strawberry Lemonade when I get home tonight. I've had it before, but have never made it myself. I'm looking forward to making some for us to use this summer. I'm talking about the kind that you can in jars for use later.

We're also looking at planting six blueberry bushes, too, three each of two varieties. Finally! I just love blueberries, but Rick keeps stalling as he's not a fan at all. Anybody know anything about blueberries? I think the soil has to be a bit acidic for blueberries, but I'm not sure. I'll have to do some research. My sister said she'd help me with some grape vines as she has some that she thinks ought to be thinned. But I have to build something to hold them. She had some gorgeous grapes last year and we made grape jelly from them. (My sister has green hands.....not just thumbs....hands. She'll go to the clearance cart at Lowe's and buy the whole cart really cheap. She'll take everything home and plant it all. And it grows! And it thrives! Green hands. She is amazing.)

I'd be happy if we could convert the entire back yard into gardening spaces!
 
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nurseangel

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How many plants would you recommend we start out with? We were thinking of enlarging our veggie garden anyway. But I'm not sure if we want the strawberry "patch" in with the vegetables or if we want to keep it separate from the garden. We are looking at starting out with 25 plants of two different varieties? Would that work? How many varieties do you have?

I'll post the recipe for Strawberry Lemonade when I get home tonight. I've had it before, but have never made it myself. I'm looking forward to making some for us to use this summer. I'm talking about the kind that you can in jars for use later.

We're also looking at planting six blueberry bushes, too, three each of two varieties. Finally! I just love blueberries, but Rick keeps stalling as he's not a fan at all. Anybody know anything about blueberries? I think the soil has to be a bit acidic for blueberries, but I'm not sure. I'll have to do some research. My sister said she'd help me with some grape vines as she has some that she thinks ought to be thinned. But I have to build something to hold them. She had some gorgeous grapes last year and we made grape jelly from them. (My sister has green hands.....not just thumbs....hands. She'll go to the clearance cart at Lowe's and buy the whole cart really cheap. She'll take everything home and plant it all. And it grows! And it thrives! Green hands. She is amazing.)

I'd be happy if we could convert the entire back yard into gardening spaces!
We started with about 10 plants last year, but they have spread wildly.  (I gave some misinformation in my original post...they are not Navajo strawberries, but did came from the site of an old Indian village.  (I guess Navajo subconsciously sounded romantic and exotic to my plain ole part Cherokee self.) 
   I think 25 plants of two varieties would be good.  We are planning on adding one or two varieties this year.  That way they will ripen at different times.

I would love the recipe for strawberry lemonade.

I am terrible with blueberries.  I am almost ashamed to try to grow them again.  I think my soil is wrong, though there are additives at gardening stores that can help correct the pH balance for blueberry growers.  I know people that get loads of blueberries in my area every year, so I suspect the problem is mostly with the farmer at my house (me).

We put out two thornless blackberry plants last year and they are doing wonderful.  They have sprawled all over the ground and are in bloom.  DH has gotten posts and will get them staked up as soon as he gets time. 

The weather has been so crazy that spring has come early.  I am considering planting tomatoes early than ever this year.  I don't anticipate a cold snap. 

 
 

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:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap: LOVE LOVE LOVE Strawberries!!!!!!!! I eat them everyday.... with everything I can think of. I make smoothies, put them in yogurt, cottage cheese, ice cream, and even salads!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OR just dip them in whip cream :yummy: :D
 
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nurseangel

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LOVE LOVE LOVE Strawberries!!!!!!!! I eat them everyday.... with everything I can think of. I make smoothies, put them in yogurt, cottage cheese, ice cream, and even salads!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OR just dip them in whip cream
And covered in chocolate...
  That's the only reason I own a microwave...to melt chocolate for strawberries. 

I check my strawberries almost every day, but today I got a surprise.  I found a strawberry!   It was only half ripe.  I had plans to eat it anyway (I was so excited) but DH talked me out of it.  And I think one of our kiwi vines is about to bloom, though I don't know if it will produce this year.  I'm assuming the male pollinator has to bloom at the same time and he is doing nothing.
 
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