The strawberries I got from
Ison's didn't look very promising when they first arrived. They were $8 for 25 strawberry plants, and I thought I had been swindled. They came as a bundle of bare root little sticks, and certainly looked dry, dead, and disappointing. I planted three plants each in eight hanging baskets (97 ¢ each at
Walmart). I used regular potting soil, covered the surface with 1/2-inch of mulch, and watered them well.
Much to my surprise, within 24 hours the little guys had seemingly come back to life. Every plant had at least a little new growth and color. Hopefully, they will produce some berries by early summer. From what I've read, strawberries have a very difficult time surviving our scorching summers, but they can be productive if treated as annuals. I decided to plant them in hanging baskets to reduce potential problems with pests, and to conserve space in the vegetable bed. According to
Ison's, they need 1.5-inches of water a week to produce.
I hung all the baskets under the eave of the porch, where they will hopefully be somewhat shaded. Strawberries need the sun, but can't take the 98° Houston heat. Dr. B's impatiens wilted on the first day when hung here. If the strawberries can't take it, I'll try to move them back towards the porch by a foot or so. I don't want to hang them directly over the porch because I don't want them to drip on the wood deck. Others using this method have been able to produce 1 pint of berries per plant with adequate fertilization. I'll be adding a little
Osmocote slow release fertilizer tonight. I'll be ecstatic if I get one good berry, let alone 24 pints! That's a pretty good return for a $16 dollar investment, considering the strawberries at HEB were $4 per pint.
Elsewhere in the yard, the pathetic looking
muscadine grape vines and
Dorma Red raspberries appear to be coming back to life as well, just not as quickly as the strawberries. I really should have planted all of them earlier in the spring, but I figure a late planting this year with a focus on growth and establishment will pay off in bigger production next spring.
Much to my surprise, within 24 hours the little guys had seemingly come back to life. Every plant had at least a little new growth and color. Hopefully, they will produce some berries by early summer. From what I've read, strawberries have a very difficult time surviving our scorching summers, but they can be productive if treated as annuals. I decided to plant them in hanging baskets to reduce potential problems with pests, and to conserve space in the vegetable bed. According to Ison's, they need 1.5-inches of water a week to produce.
I hung all the baskets under the eave of the porch, where they will hopefully be somewhat shaded. Strawberries need the sun, but can't take the 98° Houston heat. Dr. B's impatiens wilted on the first day when hung here. If the strawberries can't take it, I'll try to move them back towards the porch by a foot or so. I don't want to hang them directly over the porch because I don't want them to drip on the wood deck. Others using this method have been able to produce 1 pint of berries per plant with adequate fertilization. I'll be adding a little Osmocote slow release fertilizer tonight. I'll be ecstatic if I get one good berry, let alone 24 pints! That's a pretty good return for a $16 dollar investment, considering the strawberries at HEB were $4 per pint.
Elsewhere in the yard, the pathetic looking muscadine grape vines and Dorma Red raspberries appear to be coming back to life as well, just not as quickly as the strawberries. I really should have planted all of them earlier in the spring, but I figure a late planting this year with a focus on growth and establishment will pay off in bigger production next spring.
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