Strawberries are grown in tubs with a four year rotation. That means that 4 years ago I started with 3 plants in 1 tub. In September I layer the baby plants ( see new one where the cat is) and when it shows some roots I plant it in a pot still attached by its cord to the mother plant. When it has taken in about 3 weeks I sever the connection and then have small strawberry plants to plant in a tub later on or early in spring.The little strawberry plants are not encouraged to make fruit in the first year, but to grow into healthy plants.
The second year they fruit and produce babies.
The third year they fruit and produce babies.
The fourth year the fruit is lower in yield and the plants are put on the compost heap or planted randomly at the edge of the garden in case they produce some more.
The tub is cleaned, new soil put in and new baby plants put in.
This system allows for 3 tubs with active strawberry plants in a sunny spot in the garden.
Make sure you net it in the spring when the fruit is set ( I use horticultural fleece) so the birds do no eat the crop. Sufficient for topping on cereals and ice cream ( if you spot them before the children).
3 comments:
Hi there,
Sorry to be a bit off-topic here, but I was contacted by a blogger(http://www.becomingdomestic.co.uk)who has you on her blog roll.
I'm an author and she wrote to thank me for writing a book I had written called 'A Place in My Country: In Search of a Rural Dream'.
This is what Becoming Domestic wrote in her email to me:
"I found your book in our local library and have enjoyed it tremendously.
Your story and those of your friends in Marsham is told so well. Before reading it I was concerned with leaving behind the final trappings of modern
life which may not be accessible in Cornwall but now realize I have so much to take their place.
I'm buying a copy of your book for my husband I know he'll enjoy it as much as me.
Thanks for writing it."
I hope you don't mind but I thought it might therefore appeal to you too, as she has you on her blogroll.
Here's the Amazon reference but it is published by Phoenix in paperback and was published by Weidenfeld & Nicholson last year.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Place-My-Country-Search-Rural/dp/0753823888/ref=pd_sbs_b_title_14
If your blog has heaps of traffic I may even be able to get my publisher to send you a free copy if you tell them that you will review and blog about it, but they are rather mean when it comes to bloggers! (Why is beyond me.)
Anyway, there it is. Again, hope you don't object to this shameless self-promotion.
Kind regards,
Ian
www.ianwalthew.com
P.S You might also be interested in a hobby of mine: www.farmblogs.blogspot.com
Thank you for this post. My plant is in the third year stage and I am getting ready to root the babies. I was wondering how long to keep them on the mother plant.
I leave the baby plants connected for about 3 weeks and then cut the cord. You can check whether roots are growing properly if you want but 3 weeks usually does it.
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