The Gardener's Corner
Luscious Strawberries
by Judith Rogers

What would summer be without baskets of fresh juicy strawberries, strawberry shortcake, strawberry pie and all the other yummy treats this fruit has to offer?

Ancient hunters ate wild strawberries to sharpen their perception and our ancestors used them to cure nervous disorders, control heart palpitations and to purify the blood. Today we eat strawberries as a healthy fruit choice; half a cup provides almost the daily Vitamin

C requirement for an adult and they are rich in potassium and flavonoids that help protect us against allergies, viruses and carcinogens.

Plant breeders have developed different varieties for specific growing conditions but originally all strawberries produced only one large crop in June and these plants form horizontal runners from the mother plant with daughters or new plants at the tips.

Ever-bearers produce a crop in spring and again in fall and although they have fewer runners the second harvest of berries is smaller and not as flavourful. In the late 70's a new strawberry was developed that would yield fruit continuously from June until fall. Called dayneutrals, they do not rely on the length of daylight to set flowers, have few runners and bear a superior tasting fruit that generally surpasses the crop from the June berries. A late spring frost will only damage the flowers set at that time and berries can still be harvested later in the season. Unfortunately because dayneutrals bear fruit all summer long they are susceptible to botrytis fruit rot and tarnished plant bugs, two problems that begin in spring and can escalate as summer progresses.

To grow strawberries look for varieties at a local nursery that are well-suited to your area and plant them in early spring just as the trees are starting to leaf out. They like a sunny spot with rich, well-drained soil but avoid low lying areas where frost could damage the flowers.

Make the beds 30 cm wide with paths between and if growing dayneutrals, plant them in a raised mound. Prepare the soil by mixing 5 to 8 cm of compost or manure into it and work a balanced fertilizer into the top 4 cm or so. Position the roots downward and fan them out before filling in the hole; it is essential that the top part of the crown where the buds are is just above soil level. Water well and check the crowns again for proper placement and mulch with 5 to 8 cm of straw or leaf mould. Fertilize after three weeks and again every two to three weeks with compost or manure tea which is made by soaking a bag of manure in a bucket of water overnight.

Strawberries need winter protection so after the ground has frozen cover the plants with 8 to 15 cm of straw, evergreen boughs or dry leaves and remove again in spring so as to add more compost and fertilizer to the soil around the plants.

To harvest dayneutrals successfully pick only the fully red, ripe berries which is when the flavour is most intense and pick every couple of days in the morning when the fruit is still cool. Refrigerate and use within a couple of days or freeze for that taste of summer during the winter. Fruit production will decline with dayneutrals after two or three years so the plants will need to be replaced for a new berry patch. This variety makes a pretty edging for a perennial border by planting them 13 cm apart and will look attractive all summer long. Remember to mulch and keep the plants well watered and then enjoy the fruits of your labour.

* In Ontario the dayneutral varieties of 'Tristar', 'Seascape', and 'Tribute' are recommended.