Growing Strawberries
Growing strawberries in your garden isn't very hard at all. With just a little TLC, here and there, they will quite happily take care of themselves.
If you already have a garden, the soil is probably okay for growing strawberries. If you are just starting a garden, you may want to add organic matter such as ground bark or compost to the existing soil. A good rule of thumb is to add at least 2-inches of organic matter over the garden plot and work it into the top 6-inches of soil with a tiller, shovel or fork.
Your growing strawberries will need at least 6 hours of sun everyday, so be sure the garden spot you choose will not be shaded. And don't plant your strawberries around tomatoes or where you have planted peppers or potatoes. There is a disease called verticillium wilt carried by those plants and it will infect the strawberries.
When you decide to start growing strawberries, you will need to check with your local garden center about whether they should be planted in the spring or the fall. In mild climates, the plants can be set out in the fall and in colder climates, spring is the time to plant.
When you get the bare root strawberry plants from the nursery, don't be discouraged. The plants may not look so good, but they will soon start rooting and putting on leaves. Trim the roots to about 4-inches and fan the roots out and over a small mound of dirt. Space the plants at 10-inches apart and cover with soil, leaving only the crown of the plant uncovered. And remember that growing strawberries will need to be thoroughly watered.
Put at least an inch of mulch around the growing strawberries. Mulching helps retain precious water for the plants, prevents most weeds and adds nutrients to the soil.
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