Strawberries! With the first month of Spring behind us and many plants flowering and forming fruit it’s time to plant some strawberry plants. Who doesn’t love a big and juicy strawberry?

Strawberry blossoms are, to me, the neon sign of things to come during summer. Sea, sun and strawberries!

Growing strawberries is easy! Simply plant the crowns just below the soil level in soil temperatures between 10°C and 20°C in a sunny spot.

When should you water strawberries?

Strawberry plants require regular watering. When your strawberry plants are growing and producing fruit, they will need an average of 3 to 6 centimetres of water weekly. New strawberry plants can be given about 3cm of water each week to establish growth. Although new plants can be watered overhead, it is best to water established plants with drip irrigation or a soaker hose. This avoids getting the fruit wet and helps prevent rot. Place the drip tube or hose at least 6 centimetres away from the strawberry plant. During the non-peak growing season, you should be able to water twice a week to keep the soil moist. It is best to water earlier in the day rather than in the evening so the plants are not sitting in water for too long.

When should you fertilize strawberries?

Fertilise in autumn and again in spring with an organic 3:1:5 granular fertilizer. Ensure that there is always a thick layer of mulch around the plants. Available at most nursery and garden centres. https://www.builders.co.za/Garden-%26-Pets/Plant-%26-Lawn-Care/Fertilisers/Wonder-3-1-5-26-SR-Granules-(5kg)/p/000000000000018987?gclid=Cj0KCQjw-fmZBhDtARIsAH6H8qhd0X0xiNndJiyF_x9luW9IfuBYiYO-m6P8PsyPAK29RBF52CjcCWcaAoEJEALw_wcB

Space your plants 30-100 cm apart and harvest in approximately 11 weeks. Strawberries bruise easily when ripe, make sure to handle them carefully. Pick them with a small piece of stem attached. It is better to grow strawberries in a bed of their own for better air circulation and good sun exposure. Avoid growing them in a bed that once housed any Solanum family members such as potatoes, tomatoes, brinjals and gooseberries.

https://beepies-greens.co.za/product/strawberry/

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Spring 10 reasons why you love it:

1. The weather warms up.
2. You get to say good bye to the frigid cold.
3. Days get longer and nights get shorter.
4. Your mood improves.
5. Sunlight equals Vitamin D.
6. Bird chicks start chirping.
7. Fruit and veggies start sprouting.
8. Flowers start blooming.
9. Grass turns green
10. Trees! Trees! Trees!

Spring makes its own statement, so loud and clear that the gardener seems to be only one of the instruments, not the composer. – Geoffrey B. Charlesworth

Whether you’re raising veggies for the whole neighbourhood or just like a few flowers by the front door, spring is the season for getting your hands dirty. There truly is nothing more satisfying to me than witnessing tiny little seeds germinate and grow. If you are like this then it’s time to get busy in the garden.

5 jobs to do this month in the garden:

1. Add compost to newly prepared garden beds and dig compost in about 25cm to 30cm deep.
2. Mulch! Mulch! Mulch! Add a 10cm layer of mulch. This helps seedlings and plants stay hydrated during the heat of the summer and it also breaks down. Adding to the soil much needed nutrients.
3. Keep snails and slugs in check. Many people have various forms of prevention for these critters. Egg shells, sea shells, coffee grounds, garlic, wheat bran or corn bran are eaten by slugs and snails and they cause desiccation and death. Totally organic and if wildlife eat the corpses they are getting extra nutrition.
4. Weed regularly before it gets out of hand. Remember: One year’s seeding is seven year’s weeding!
5. Fertilize perennials in preparation for spring. This will ensure that they have a good start to a long season throughout summer.

Have a look in my shop for some wonderful Calendula flower seedlings to get you started!

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