Gardening
Easy-to-Grow Strawberries
Get out in the garden and plant strawberries this weekend for slicing up all summer long.
-
Photo: Cottage Living , Robbie Caponetto -
What strawberries want
-
Choose bare-root plants with large, firm crowns and healthy, light colored roots.
A good start: early spring planting in most regions, late winter in California.
Location: full sun (eight hours-plus daily)
Soil: rich and well-drained, enriched with plenty of compost
Water: consistent but soil should never be soggy
Food: initial feeding, then side-dress day-neutral varieties midsummer for second crop
Pest Control: snails, slugs, and birds love berries, too—beat them to it with handpicking, netting, or other organic solutions
Good Health: Avoid wetting leaves or fruit when watering (can cause rot), especially from flowering through harvest. Choose disease-resistant cultivars, and avoid planting where tomatoes were previously grown.
More Design Inspiration
› Kids in the Garden
›
› 3 Steps to a Great Spring Lawn