A little Patch of Yummy in the middle of the city - Urban Strawberries

Everbearing Strawberry

Years ago I lived in a tiny apartment with a seriously neglected postage stamp for a backyard.  It was pretty well shaded by a large elm on the southern exposure and a brick 2 storey building.  Although the conditions were not fantastic, I decided to try to grow strawberries.

After building a garden border with scraps of wood from a junkpile and carrying in several bags of soil through the house (no access to the backyard), I set out on a mission to find the best berry for the poorly lit area.

After a fast Google search, I found the answer "Everbearing  Strawberries"  also known as "day-neutral strawberries".  These plants produce sweet red berries from early summer to autumn and while June-bearing strawberries produce one hearty crop early in the growing season,but  tend to taper off  as the season goes on. 

First year yielded a small crop and I was just happy to see something growing!  The plants began to spread via runners from the original plants so the patch doubled in size within a year.  The patch was getting a little bit out of control by the third year so I donated a dozen plants to Victoria Hall as they were constructing a garden on the premises for their residents.  

I moved in 2004 and had to leave my plants behind which really sadden me, but the circumstances were beyond my control.  In 2005, I began to landscape my new backyard which was the total opposite to the old backyard.  Full sun for 3/4 of the day, no brick-walls or trees blocking the southern exposure.

I purchased more Everbearing Strawberries in the Spring of 2005 from a nursery and planted them on the norther side of the garden.  This spot receives full sun for approximately (9:30 am to 4:00pm) 7 1/2 hours.

The existing soil was rocky and filled with debris from the former house that was demolished decades before, so I bought planting soil (Super Soil)
which as a good mix of soil and peat and made a raised bed with the existing foundation rocks as a border. The rocks work well in retaining the heat from the sun and allow for good drainage. 

Since that initial planting the 12 plants have exploded into a huge patch of strawberries that have begun to infiltrate the neighbouring flower bed.  I will have to re- arrange the plants in the Autumn so that I can regain control of this spreading delicious fruit.

Crop from Last Evening

Here are some helpful hints that I have used over the last couple of years from a very reliable website (http://homeguides.sfgate.com/raise-everbearing-strawberries-37755.html)

Helpful Tips

1

Prepare a sunny spot with soil that drains well. Everbearing strawberries grow best with a soil pH no lower than 5.5 and no higher than 7.0. Contact the local extension office to perform soil testing several months before you plant the strawberries so any necessary amendments have time to work.

2

Cut the bare roots of strawberry plants to 6 inches long before planting in spring after the risk of frost passes. Plant the strawberries so the crown is just above the soil, as burying the crown causes it to rot. Space the plants at least 5 inches apart with 42 inches between rows.

3

Mulch around the berry plants with straw to keep the bed clean and retain moisture.

4

Irrigate the strawberry plants just enough to keep the soil moist without soaking the plants. A total of 1 inch of water weekly between rain and watering is usually sufficient.

5

Feed the plants with compost tea to encourage growth. Fertilize everbearing strawberries every two weeks, since they prefer more frequent smaller feedings. Too much fertilizer, especially early in the growing season, causes too much leaf growth and rotten or soft fruit.

6

Pinch off the runners that develop during the first growing season to produce larger berries. Allowing runners to grow in subsequent years produces more but smaller berries. Continue pinching off the runners or allow them to grow, depending on your preferred size of berries.

7

Pull weeds by hand as they appear to keep the everbearing strawberry plants healthy.

8

Cover the strawberry plants with floating row covers if birds, mice and other pests eat the crop.

9

Dig up old everbearing strawberry plants that become less vigorous or produce poorly. Plants are often replaced after three to five years.

10

Harvest the strawberries as soon as they are ripe. Look for fully red berries that are soft to the touch. Check the berries at least every other day throughout the growing season, since berries ripen constantly. Letting ripe berries rot encourages insect and disease infestations.

11

Bury the strawberry plants in 2 inches of mulch over the winter, especially in climates that drop below 20 F. The mulch prevents heaving of the strawberry root system due to frost. Pull back the mulch each spring when the temperatures rise.

Now it's time to see if there are more strawberries!

Last Night's Snack