Strawberries, fresh fun for the whole family

Strawberries are easy to grow, the perfect summer dessert and an excellent first crop to start the kids on an exciting and rewarding life of gardening. If you plant in spring and are armed with a few simple tricks you could be harvesting fresh strawberries all summer long.

Strawberries are best grown in full sun or sites shaded from the hot afternoon sun. They prefer deep friable loam soils but are very tolerant so do plant them even if your soil is less than perfect. They like to be kept moist but not wet.

Strawberries grow equally well in pots and hanging baskets and this is the ideal way to grow them if you are short on space or only have a courtyard or balcony garden.  If you opt for this option be sure to invest in a good quality premium potting mix as this will make all the difference to the quality of your crop. You will also have to maintain more frequent and regular watering and fertilizing than you would if strawberries are grown in the ground.

Before planting your strawberries mix in plenty of compost or old composted manure into the soil. Also add a general purpose fertilizer at the rate of about 1 handful per square meter. Plant your strawberries in a mound slightly raised from the existing soil level as this will provide them with extra drainage and space them  about 30cm apart.

Mulch with straw around the base of your plants as this will help stop evaporation of moisture from the soil and keep your strawberries from touching the ground. This will keep them clean and stop your berries from rotting where they touch the soil.

Strawberry plants produce fruit productively for around three years when they should be dug up and replaced with fresh young runners. Fortunately they produce runners each year so train these in the direction you want them to grow. The young runners will root anywhere they touch the soil so use pegs or wires to position them in the place you want them to grow. Alternatively young virus free strawberry plants can be purchased to replace old plants.

Strawberries grow great in the veggie garden, under fruit trees in an orchid, or in your ornamental garden as they are a great ground cover. Be sure to pick your berries when they are ripe because the more you pick the more they fruit.

To do in September

Spring is here, the days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer.

For those of you who have been hibernating inside during the winter it’s time to wake from your gardening slumber and get stuck in.

Dead head, prune and transplant

Spring is a glorious time for flowers some of my favorites include Camellias and Rhododendrons. Remove all of the flowers from these plants when they are finished, this is what is referred to as ‘deadheading’ and encourages the promotion of new growth and the development of next year’s flowers. It also makes your plants look better. Throw all the dead flowers on your compost heap as they will break down beautifully.

 Magnolia 'Phillip Tregunna'

The end of flowering is also a great time to do any pruning (especially of evergreen plants) as new spring growth will rejuvenate your plants very quickly.

Also any transplanting of evergreen shrubs should be done at this time. Make sure plants are well watered before and after transplanting. Try to retain as much of the root ball as possible and give your plants a prune at the same time. Pruning reduces the amount of leaves and water loss through leaf area and gives your plant the best possible shot at surviving relocation.

Be sure to enjoy your flowers, by picking them and bringing them inside or to share with friends.

Re-pot and top dress

Re-potting into larger pots gives your plants roots area to grow and keeps them happy and healthy. An indicator for a plant that requires re-potting is when the roots are growing out of the pots drainage holes, when the plant dries out too quickly or if your plant is looking a little worse for wear. When re-potting plants it pays to use premium potting mix, these are well worth the extra money paid as they drain freely and are full of fertilizer to feed your plants.

If your plants do not require re-potting they will benefit from top dressing. This is the process of removing all the top potting mix down to the roots of the plant and replacing with fresh (premium) potting mix. This creates better drainage and a hit of fertiliser at the same time.

Sow herb seeds or replace herbs

It’s time to plant all those herbs that are annual or biennial or replace those that are old and no longer harvesting. Sow your seeds direct into the garden or into seed trays for transplanting later, or you can purchase some new plants or seedlings from the nursery. Herbs to replace include Parsley, Coriander, Chervil, Sage and Chives.

It’s also a great time to plant strawberries in the garden and sow tomato seeds in the hot house.