Moving My Strawberries
Strawberries are among the easiest berries to grow. They're cold-hardy, adaptable, and can be planted in both garden beds and containers. Here at the farm, I am moving my strawberry patch to three long beds in the vegetable garden, so I can grow more delicious, sweet fruits to pick next summer.
In past seasons, I've grown my strawberries in beds behind my main greenhouse, where they had nutrient-rich, well-draining soil and lots of full sun. In their new location they will have the same excellent conditions plus more room to grow and thrive.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
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- Think back to those juicy summer strawberries. Strawberries are among the most popular fruits here in the United States. I love eating strawberries fresh from the garden or as jams and jellies I make myself. Do you know why it is called a “strawberry”? One theory is that woodland pickers strung them on pieces of straw to carry them to market. Others believe the surface of the fruit looks embedded with bits of straw. Still others think the name comes from the Old English word meaning “to strew,” because the plant’s runners stray in all directions as if strewn on the ground.
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- I grow strawberries every year. For the move, three new beds are prepped in the vegetable garden with organic soil that was fed and raked. Two lines of twine are set up down the entire length of the bed to delineate two separate mounds for the plants.
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- I use Miracle-Gro Raised Bed & Garden Soil, which is filled with slow release fertilizers that provide a steady supply of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, essential for fruiting.
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- Matthew carefully digs a trench in the center creating a mound on either side for the strawberry plants.
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- The trenches should be large enough to accommodate the roots without bending them. Strawberries also need slightly acidic soil with a pH between 5.5 and 6.8.
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- Matt uses a spade to lift the soil and transfer it to the designated mounds, while keeping the center trench neat and tidy.
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- Matt then shapes the two side mounds. Growing strawberries on these small hills improves drainage, provides more air circulation, and allows for proper spacing, which is essential for fruit size and crop yield.
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- The mounds are about six to eight inches tall – plenty of room for growing roots. Matthew is careful to make neat, rounded mounds for the strawberry runners.
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- Here is a view after the mounds are properly shaped and tamped down. These beds with the middle dug out will also make it easier to walk through and harvest fruits next summer.
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- Matt covers the entire bed with weed fabric. I like to use a durable and thick fabric that can last through the winter. Here, Matthew cuts it to size.
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- Matt pulls the cloth taut, so it fits nicely over the bed.
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- Using garden sod staples, Matthew secures the fabric onto the bed.
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- These staples are easy to find at garden stores and can be used in these raised garden beds or on the ground to secure weed fabric or pieces of sod.
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- Using a knife, Matthew cuts holes in the fabric to accommodate the plants.
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- He cuts an “x” in the fabric and then folds the cut sides under the cloth, so a square hole is made for planting.
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- As Matt cuts holes, Phurba plants. Strawberry plants can be placed about six to eight inches apart.
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- Planting strawberries at the right depth is important – if the crown is buried, the plant could easily rot. Be sure to plant strawberries in mid-spring or early fall, when soil is warm, to give them the best chance of survival.
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- Once the plant is at its proper depth, Phurba backfills and tamps down lightly to ensure good contact with the soil.
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- Some of the plants are confused and showing off flowers, which typically bloom in spring.
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- Among the varieties planted – ‘Jewel,’ ‘Galletta,’ ‘AC Valley Sunset,’ ‘Earliglow,’ ‘Sparkle,’ and ‘Honeoye.’ I am sure these strawberries will thrive here and, once established, produce lots of flavorful sweet summertime fruits.
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