Plant Now for Spring Fruit
Early spring is the best time to plant strawberry plants. Put in the ground in March or early April so the plants can become established and produce runners before the hot, dry weather comes.
Strawberries perform best in a well prepared bed with light, rich, slightly acid soil with lots of moisture-holding organic matter worked in. Strawberry plants have a very shallow root system and get much of their moisture and food from the top few inches of soil. The addition of peat moss, compost or manure will greatly benefit your crop. If you have very heavy soil, plant in raised beds or large pots to provide good drainage.
The berries will ripen about a month after the plant blooms. When they’re ripe, pinch off the berries at the stem. Pick all ripe berries every few days or they’ll rot and could cause disease in the plants. Expect a 2 – 3 week harvest.
Tags: fruit, plant, strawberries
