Weeding the Strawbrerries

This year, we are going to concentrate more on the perennial vegetable beds here and leave the bottom part of the main garden in green manure.

We’re not exactly sure about what will happen with Graham’s work plans later this Summer and Fall. Also, we still have a lot of home canned food down in our Cold Room to eat. Since things are up in the air, why not work with it?

The lower part of our main garden needs a soil improvement. I don’t really have the time this year to put into trying to keep it weed free (or a reasonable fascimile). Instead, we have decided we will keep a green manure growing down there this year and at the same time, try and get more composted manure on the whole area.

By next year, the soil should be much improved and the workload for this year will be lighter. Not a bad thing, as far as I’m concerned. 

 

On to the Strawberries – every year these beds need a really thorough weeding early in Spring. As soon as I can get into the beds, I start weeding them. In this photo, the 2 middle beds have been weeded and I added a nice layer of composted manure.

 

 

We have a total of four beds set aside for Strawberries – when last year’s crop sets out their babies and they develop a root system, cut  the long stem between mother and baby. Then, plant the baby plant in a new bed (one that will hold all the new babies from this year).

Doing your strawberry bed expansion this way will mean you will always know how old the strawberry plants in each bed are. Some people let their berry plants bear fruit for three years (taking babies each year from the consecutive plants) then pull out those 3 year olds and toss them on the compost.

Be sure to NOT plant strawberry plants too low in the ground! It’s very important to ensure the crown is as ground level. Plant them too deep and they will rot. Plant them too shallow and the roots will dry out.

So, plan out your strawberry beds this year. Before you know it, you will be harvesting berries like this: