Strawberries from last spring.
I recently planted 50 'Sweet Charlie' strawberry plants from Ison's nursery. Last year I grew around 70 of these in the holes in the cinder blocks surrounding the vegetable garden, and they produced well in spite of the lack of care I gave them. My little boy would run out there everyday after I got home from work to pick and eat berries.
Since he loves them so much, I wanted to do a better job with the strawberries this year and actually put them in good soil with reliable irrigation. I planted the bare root plants in the flower beds around the deck where it would be easy for him to reach them. Fortunately, we got a good rain right after I planted them, and I dusted the beds with a little Micro Life 6-2-4 to help them get started. I also ran new soaker hose across the top of the beds, so they should get plenty of water.
It really is amazing how resilient this variety is. I've grown 'Chandler' and 'All-Star' before, both of which would wilt when it got dry. Not 'Sweet Charlie'. This variety is pretty tough, enduring bad soil, little irrigation, and neglect. Last year I even had some runners take root in the lawn. Any plant that can hold its own against St. Augustine is pretty tough. I think if I give them some attention this year, my son will have buckets of strawberries this spring.
One weird thing though, my supposedly June-bearing strawberries are trying to produce now. It's January, and I'm going to have a ripe strawberry any day now (pictures below). I guess that really goes to show how warm and mild this winter has been.
Since he loves them so much, I wanted to do a better job with the strawberries this year and actually put them in good soil with reliable irrigation. I planted the bare root plants in the flower beds around the deck where it would be easy for him to reach them. Fortunately, we got a good rain right after I planted them, and I dusted the beds with a little Micro Life 6-2-4 to help them get started. I also ran new soaker hose across the top of the beds, so they should get plenty of water.
It really is amazing how resilient this variety is. I've grown 'Chandler' and 'All-Star' before, both of which would wilt when it got dry. Not 'Sweet Charlie'. This variety is pretty tough, enduring bad soil, little irrigation, and neglect. Last year I even had some runners take root in the lawn. Any plant that can hold its own against St. Augustine is pretty tough. I think if I give them some attention this year, my son will have buckets of strawberries this spring.
One weird thing though, my supposedly June-bearing strawberries are trying to produce now. It's January, and I'm going to have a ripe strawberry any day now (pictures below). I guess that really goes to show how warm and mild this winter has been.
November 2010
December 2010
January 2010
