To change her mind.
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On July 24, I planted this new bed of Fort Laramie strawberries.
Today I dug them all up. Don't worry, I relocated most of them.
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They went here....
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...and here.
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They'll get watered in well, and hopefully enjoy their new location.
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Here's the reason I moved the Fort Laramie berries. This is the Tristar strawberry bed that has become too matted and overgrown. The last two berry harvests have yielded way too many soft, moldy berries, so it had to be cleared out. I've been wanting to tear out this old raised bed, so I decided to make two narrower (3' wide) beds in the main garden for next year. At first I was planning on one bed of Tristar and one of Fort Laramie, but I really do like the flavor of the Tristar over the Fort Laramie. They are much smaller, therefore more difficult to pick, but for us the smaller, softer berry is so much better tasting than the big, firm Fort Laramie. So the final decision was to make two new beds of Tristar.
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One bed was planted last night, and they are looking nice and perky today. Don't even look at the crooked rows....I planted the bed, then I measured it and found it was crooked, so I built up the sides to make it a perfect 3' width. Once the plants fill in, nobody will even notice! Only small young plants were used, the older woody plants were disposed of. I will try really hard to keep the runners and blossoms cut off of these new plants for the rest of the season so they can put all of their energy into developing strong roots.
Tonight, as it cools and the sun begins to set, I'll start on strawberry bed #2. In the meantime, the old strawberry bed will get a good soaking, so I can move as much soil as possible with the plants.
I'm glad to see your planting more of what you really like. I used to try and "save" things, because I figured I had the money invested...but as I get older, I figure life's too short. Grow what you LOVE, and to heck with the rest!
ReplyDeleteI agree, Sue. By moving the strawberries to new beds, I have room to redo and expand the raspberry patch. That means I probably won't get a lot of raspberries next spring, but future years should be much better.
DeleteSounds like a lot of work to me!! I need to start on that! Is it still hot there? Nancy
ReplyDeleteNancy, we had a couple of cool days and nights, with heavy thunderstorms and hard rain showers, but it's supposed to get back up in the 90s again by Wednesday. I need to work fast to take advantage of these under 80 degree days!
DeleteOften it is those small and soft fruited varieties that taste so good. I wish my replanting of the strawberries was working out well, but a lot of them are struggling. I hope they survive and get stronger.
ReplyDeleteYes. The Fort Laramie strawberries were like grocery store berries. Huge, but hard and white inside, with a big core. Tristar are small, but juicy and red all the way through.I have only taken a few plants from the old bed. I'll make sure the transplants all survive before I empty out the bed completely.
DeleteYes, the tristars really mat up quickly. We love them; thanks for giving us a heads up. I just need to adjust the watering until it really works for the berries - we didn't get what we hoped this year, and I think that's the key.
ReplyDeleteStefaneener, that's one reason I'm going to narrower beds. I don't think the back of the raised bed got nearly enough water, as most of the berries picked came from the front half. That and I think my arms get shorter as I get older, LOL! I still got over 30 pounds from that crowded 4'x8' bed. The yield (and the berries) would have been bigger if I'd kept the runners cut off.
DeleteI have yet to try it but I know someone who covers their strawberries with a mulch (I guess you can use leaves, as I know you collect them every year)...not so heavy that it smothers them, just lightly. Then, in the spring, the strong plants come through the mulch and the weaker ones decompose. The mulch is never removed and he has great berries every year. No need to cut them back or move them! I am going to try it this year :)
ReplyDeleteGardeningwithout, they must not grow Tristar strawberries. They mat up so quickly in the spring that they have to be thinned out, or the runners have to be removed nearly every day!
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