Latest / The Beanstalk : A Podcast for Gardeners / Episode 13 - Strawberries - The Sweet Reward of Patience

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Episode 13 - Strawberries - The Sweet Reward of Patience · The Beanstalk : A Podcast for Gardeners

• 0:29
  Welcome back to the Beanstalk. My name is John, and today we're
• 0:35
  diving into one of the most beloved, fragrant, and downright
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  irresistible fruits you can grow in your own garden.
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  Strawberries. Whether you've picked them fresh
• 0:47
  off the plant, still warm from the sun, or you've enjoyed them
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  in a sweet dessert, there's something magical about that
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  burst of flavor you just can't get from the grocery store.
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  But here's the thing, Growing strawberries is a bit like
• 1:02
  raising teenagers. They need time, a little
• 1:07
  discipline, and occasional patience before they reward you
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  with their very best. I still remember my first
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  strawberry patch. I was so excited that I planted
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  way too many in too small of a space, thinking I'd have a
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  strawberry explosion in my first season.
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  Instead, I got a lesson in plant patience because strawberries
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  don't always hit their full stride until the 2nd year.
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  But trust me, once they do, you'll be looking for every
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  excuse to sneak out to the garden with a bowl in your hand.
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  As always, we ask why grow strawberries?
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  Strawberries are one of those crops that bridge the gap
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  between practical gardening and pure indulgence.
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  They're relatively small plants, so you don't need a huge space.
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  They can thrive in garden beds, containers, or even hanging
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  baskets. Plus they offer several years of
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  production from a single planting, meaning less work and
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  more harvests over time. There's also the unbeatable
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  flavor factor. Store bought strawberries are
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  often picked under ripe for transport, which means they'll
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  never develop that sun sweetened taste you get from homegrown.
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  And if you grow different varieties, you can stagger your
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  harvest and enjoy them over a much longer period.
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  Now let's look at the types of strawberries.
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  There are three main types to consider. 1st is June bearing
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  varieties. These produce a single large
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  crop in early summer. Perfect if you want a big
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  harvest all at once for freezing, jamming or baking.
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  Next will be the ever bearing varieties.
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  These give you 2 smaller crops per year, one in early summer
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  and another in early fall. Great for regular snacking and
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  last day neutral varieties. These don't care much about day
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  length and will produce smaller amounts of fruit continuously
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  throughout the season. Pro tip, mixing types in your
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  garden means you'll have both a big main event and a steady
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  trickle harvest of berries for months.
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  Let's go over how to grow strawberries.
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  Firstly, we'll look at soil and sunlight.
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  Full sun is essential at least 6 to 8 hours a day.
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  They love well draining soil rich in organic matter.
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  If your soil is heavy clay, consider raised beds.
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  A slightly acidic pH of 5.5 to 6.5 will keep them happiest.
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  Then planting. Of course, plant strawberries so
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  that the crown where the leaves meet the roots is level with the
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  soil surface. Planting too deep can cause rot.
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  Too shallow and the roots dry out.
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  Space your plants 12 to 18 inches apart in rows about 3
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  feet apart. This gives them space to send
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  out runners. Next is watering.
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  Keep your soil evenly moist. Especially wild berries are
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  forming. Drip irrigation is great to
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  avoid wedding leaves and fruit, which can encourage rot.
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  And lastly, fertilizing. Feed with a balanced fertilizer
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  early in spring and again after the main harvest to encourage
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  healthy plants for the next year.
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  And now we should talk about how to harvest strawberries.
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  You want to pick them when they're fully red.
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  Strawberries do not ripen after harvest.
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  Also, it's best to harvest them in the morning when they're cool
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  and firm. An important thing to remember
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  is to twist them gently off the stem instead of pulling to avoid
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  damaging the plant. Pro tip, eat them as soon as
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  possible. Homegrown strawberries are most
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  flavorful within hours of picking.
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  And now let's look at the pros and cons of growing
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  strawberries. As always, we'll start with the
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  pros. Homegrown strawberries have
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  incredible flavor, far better than store bought.
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  They can be grown in small spaces, they are perennial
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  plants, which means they come back year after year, and they
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  are attractive plants with edible fruit and flowers.
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  Who doesn't like that? And now let's round off on the
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  cons. Strawberries require patience.
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  First. Your harvests are small.
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  They are susceptible to pests, birds, slugs and more, and they
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  need renovation every few years for best yields.
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  And as always, we'll cover common pests and problems.
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  Firstly is birds. They will find your
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  strawberries. Netting or bird scare tape is a
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  must. I actually use rocks that are
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  painted bright red like the berries as well.
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  They will fly down and try to Peck them and it will deter them
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  from coming back. Then we have slugs and snails
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  you might to mulch with straw to keep your fruit off damp soil
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  and use traps if needed. A simple trap is a beer can that
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  is half full with the top cut off buried to the edge in your
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  garden. Next we have Gray mold or
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  botritis. Generally, you just need to
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  improve air circulation and avoid overhead watering.
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  It really is that simple for molds for the most part.
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  And then as always, we have aphids.
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  They can be managed with insecticidal soap or by
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  encouraging ladybugs or other beneficials to your garden.
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  Now for my favorite part of the show recipe, Strawberry Basil
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  shortcake. First, there's the ingredients.
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  Grab 2 cups of fresh strawberries, whole and sliced,
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  then one to two tablespoons of sugar.
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  This is optional depending on your Berry sweetness.
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  Next, handful of fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced.
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  Then shortcake biscuits, homemade or store bought.
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  And lastly, whipped cream, because who doesn't love whipped
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  cream? Now for the cooking steps.
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  In a bowl, toss your strawberries with sugar and
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  basil. Let's sit for 15 minutes or so
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  to macerate, then split your shortcake biscuits in half.
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  Spoon your berries and basil mixture onto the bottom half of
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  each biscuit, then lastly top with the whipped cream and the
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  biscuit lid. Serve immediately and enjoy the
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  fresh garden flavors. The basil adds A surprising
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  freshness that complements the sweetness perfectly.
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  Don't skip it. And now for some fun facts here
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  in the Brain Food Corner. Strawberries are technically not
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  berries. Botanically, they're an
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  aggregate accessory fruit. They're the only fruit that has
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  seeds on the outside, with about 200 seeds per Berry.
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  The average strawberry has more vitamin C than an orange by
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  weight. And strawberries were once
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  believed to be a symbol of Venus, the goddess of love,
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  because of their heart shape and red color.
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  And that's it for today's deep dive into strawberries, the
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  sweet, fragrant reward for your patience in the garden.
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  If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to check out our
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  Facebook page at the Beanstalk Garden Club for extra photos,
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  growing tips, and updates between episodes.
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  If you're enjoying the podcast, give us a follow on Spotify so
• 11:53
  you don't miss a single episode. We would also love to hear any
• 11:57
  feedback or questions you may have as well.
• 12:02
  This has been the Beanstalk. I'm John, reminding you to keep
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  your hands dirty, your plants happy, and your harvest
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  delicious. From our patch to yours, keep on
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  climbing.