Strawberry Fields Forever

Before I even began building my raised beds for the backyard, I decided I wanted to grow some strawberries. I read that one of the best ways to grow them was in a hanging basket because the bugs will not be as bad and they will not rot from lying in the soil. Luckily the garden department at the hardware store where I work had two small strawberry plants. They had been there for quite a while and not in the best shape, but I figured I would try one anyway. I hung it up on the front porch where it would get plenty of sunlight and cared for it everyday by picking out any dead leaves, etc.

After a month a few small white flowers appeared. I was so excited and I'll even admit that I did a little dance because I hadn't killed my plant. A couple weeks later there were tiny green berries and not long after that I had strawberries! I picked four ripe berries last week and have picked others here and there. I will admit that there are not many strawberries because it is a small plant, but it is so nice to be able to walk by it and if there is a really nice looking one, I can pick it and eat it right on the spot. The only pest control I use so far are lady bugs and organic worm castings as fertilizer, so there are no chemicals on it. I still rinse it off, but I could eat it right then and there if I wanted to.

Here is a picture of my strawberries. This plant will send out shoots that I can place in other hanging baskets for new plants and soon I will have all the strawberries I can eat!