Strawberries

I've been talking about a perennial strawberry bed for a while and this past Sunday I finally got my start.  I had the middle bed basically dormant under a tarp this past winter, and I had planted nothing in it all last year. This spring it was ready for the strawberries. 

At the same time, a new load of compost was ready in the tumbling composter, So i was pleased that I got to use it on this application.  I also amended the soil with organic fertilizer and bone meal.  I planted 5 plants on 2-foot spacing, removing any flowers or fruits to allow the plants to establish well and hopefully get fruit next spring.  The variety I planted was called Eversweet and it is supposed to be everbearing.

Finally, I mulched it with a mixture of mostly mulched pine straw and a few hardwood leaves.  I ran the mower over it and collected it in the bag to chop it up a little before applying. I went with a good thick layer, to help hold soil moisture and prevent weeds.   When the time comes to root the runners, I will have to clear away a little of the mulch to let the runners actually touch the soil.

The area in the back will be used for the Ground Cherries, which are more of a summer crop, like tomatoes.  I am starting them from seeds in the propagator now and they should be ready to plant out in May.