GARDENING
Strawberries
anyone?
There’s nothing like a sunripened, freshly picked
strawberry. And for many
people, summer hasn’t
arrived until the first, fresh
strawberries appear in the
shops.
However, growing your own will
offer you an even sweeter fruit
because it has been allowed to ripen
on the plant. You will also have the
added pleasure of knowing that it
was grown by your own hand and
without pesticides if you prefer.
They are easy to grow – especially
by children – even if you don’t have
a garden.
Strawberry plants can be planted
outdoors from late June until
September, which should ensure
a moderate crop the following
summer.
Although it is common to plant
strawberries in the ground, it is just
as easy to plant them in containers
such as hanging baskets, flower
pots, barrels or tubs, as long as they
have a hole in the bottom that will
facilitate drainage. By choosing
containers, you will be able to ensure
plant per container.
Strawberries need to be watered just
enough to keep the soil damp. They
don’t grow well if you over-water
them and it should be able to drain
away from the soil so they aren’t
standing in water.
- life
Strawberry plants need six to eight
hours of sunlight a day. They also
need to be in the dark from sunset
to sunrise. If your strawberries can
be put in the direct sunlight during
the day, that is best. If not, use plant
grow lights. The lights can