I'd love to grow my own strawberries. I even planted some in late November -- I lost them all this winter. :( My raised bed is begging for some berry plants. Anyone started any in spring (April)? Get any berries the first year?
I'm looking at the Sweet Charlie variety. Infact, that is what I planted last fall. Everything I read says to plant in Fall in Texas (I tried). Today I read that for north and northeast TX -- plant in early spring. That would be me -- I'm on the OK border. So the question remains, will I get berries this year? Any experience fellow Texans?
Thanks!
strawberries?? spring planting??
I just read a page that said plants in the ground in March & April is ok. I will try to find it for you ok.
I can't find it so I may be right or I may be wrong. OK...
Here is a video to express how I feel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPj-8_wOZcA
This message was edited Mar 22, 2010 9:59 PM
I out out new ones this year as most of my patch didn't survive the heat then the snow
I always plant early spring ...you will get berries the first year but it is suggested you pinch off the blooms instead so it gives the plants a better chance of getting established the first year......I never seem to get that part the job
DH just dug up the plants we planted last spring because he's under the impression that they need some kind of special dirt or something. They've been blooming the past week, so I'm going to plant them tomorrow! LOL We had 2 plants last spring and now we have 4 or 5. We grew them under the okra and they were shaded during the hottest part of the summer.
Thanks for you input! Under the okra -- good idea! I think the biggest challenge is getting them through the summer -- well, I thought that until I lost all of mine this winter, yet I grew wonderful ones in MT -- who knows!
I'll go check out that video now.
Okay, ratfood -- exactly what are you trying to say with that video? Strange!
Greta~Be sure to get varieties that do well in your area for starters. I also grew bell peppers in front of the okra, so my strawberries got lots of shade during the hotter part of the summer. I work with a guy who's from FL and his FIL is a big strawberry farmer. He told me that if the strawberries get a bit of frosty weather during the winter, they produce sweeter berries in the spring. Not sure if it's true, but it'll be interesting to test the theory.
Okay, I did it. Ordered 40 plants. They should be here in 10 days or so.
I read an old article in an old "Organic Gardening" Magazine where a guy didn't get to go to all the trouble suggested for strawberries, because of WWII (I think). Anyway, when he returned home, his strawberry patch had gone wild (obviously wasn't in TX). He rototilled a row between patches so he could get to the plants to pick. Come fall, he mowed them all down, rototilled the old ones, letting the new babies in the aisles be next year's crop. He claimed he had the biggest, sweetest berries ever. And he could not understand why they say pick off all new blossoms and new baby plants. He never did. I like his style! I do not think I'll have this kind of luck in Texas, but I'll give it a good shot.
Thanks for the advice. I'll definately do the okra thing. Right now I have peas growing in the middle of my raised boxes with strawberries going on each side of them. By the time the heat gets to the peas, it will be time to plant okra. Thanks!