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Sweet, juicy, ripe strawberries! What could be better than picking one right from your own garden and eating it out of hand. Or you might want to gather a bowlful, slice them and serve them over homemade shortcake biscuits or cake. If you grow enough, you can even make jam and preserve it or freeze it. Someone said once that strawberry preserves are like "summer in a jar."
But here in New England, whether you live in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massacusetts, Rhode Island or Connecticut, growing strawberries can be a challenge. Spring warmth often turns to snow squalls or long damp, cold days. Winter is snowy and cold and frost travels deep into the ground, heaving it up in the spring. Summers can be hot and dry or cool and rainy, depending on the year, or a combination of both for long periods.
It's essential that you choose a type of strawberry that grows well in the Northeast. Some types that do well here are Earliglow, Redchief and Allstar, but my favorite is Cavendish, which does very well in Maine where I live. It produces large sweet fruit and is tolerant of uneven growing conditions and weather. I've had very good luck with it for several years and would recommend it if your garden soil is heavy and/or clay-like.
Your local Extension Office can advise you on what types grow best in your area and also give you growing tips for your particular situation. They're also able to help with pest problems, soil analysis and diseases of strawberries. You'd be well advised to use their services which are usually free.
Except for the day neutral types, which we won't get into here, strawberries do best in hills in a bed that is wide enough so that their runners can be covered with soil, thereby producing new plants. For the first year, it's wise to pinch off the flowerbuds, so that they'll produce more and bigger berries the second year. When runners appear, bury them and they'll produce new plants.
Weeding your strawberry bed is very important, because weeds will choke the plants and reduce the yield. Mulching is a good idea also, to keep down weeds and reduce damage from moisture and dirt. Clean straw can be used and is, in fact, how strawberries got their name. Growers used straw to mulch them.
In the fall, you should always mulch the beds to protect the plants from winter damage. Remove all the leaves and cover the crowns with a thin layer of mulch. You can add fertilizer, organic is best, at this time. In the spring, remove the mulch from the top of the crowns and water regularly. Soon, you'll have another crop of sweet, juicy strawberries from your own garden.
Strawberry beds will usually produce a decent crop for up to 5 years. After that, replanting is necessary. You might want to grow two varieties and experiment with a third, to see which does best where you live. That way, you could also plant one variety that produces a spring crop, one that produces in June and one that bears sporadically all season.
Once you've grown your own strawberries, you'll never want to be without some in the freezer or fridge or in jam on a shelf in your pantry. Full of antioxidants, vitamins and flavor, strawberries are one of the best things to grow in your New England garden.
Lill Hawkins lives in Maine and writes at News From Hawkhill Acres. It's a mostly humorous look at home schooling, writing and being a WAHM, whose mantra is "I'm a willow; I can bend."
Looking for safe toys? At How to Find Safe Toys Lill blogs about resources for finding safe toys for Newborns to Teens. Check in daily for the latest toy recalls and a long list of alternatives to blah big-box gifts.
Discover Maine
Maine is the 23rd state, but it's had a lot of firsts.
It was the site of the first sea battle of the Revolutionary War when the British ship Margaretta was captured by colonists near Machias. It leads the country in low-bush blueberry production - 98% of the crop. It also leads in sardine canning.
Maine has Acadia National Park, one of the most visited parks in the system. Almost completely surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, Acadia is a breathtaking mix of rugged coastline, historic carriage roads, woods and islands. There are several museums and nature centers and a rich variety of animal and plant life.
Maine's motto is "Dirigo", Latin for "I lead."
The state tree is the White Pine, which is appropriate because Maine is 89% forested and the forest products and pulp and paper industry play a big part in Maine's economy. Early in Maine's history, its forests provided giant trees for the masts of sailing ships. Now, the wood products industry provides the world with everything from toothpicks to wooden bowls to furniture to boats.
The State Animal is the moose, that hardy denizen of northern forests. Moose can be spotted feeding on water plants in the shallows of ponds and lakes, especially around Greenville, which is known as the moose capital of the world. These huge animals, which can be six feet tall at the shoulder, are popular with tourists and hunters alike.
Maine is one of the few states to have a State Cat, the Maine Coon Cat. These cats are large, ruggedly built and have thick, water-resistant fur. They're known for their playfulness and intelligence and are one of the oldest American breeds.
Maine even has a State Insect, the Honeybee. Because apples and blueberries are important agricultural crops in Maine, honeybees are very important to Maine's economy.
Maine is one of the most scenic states in the country, with miles of coastline, thousands of islands, mountains, glacial valleys, forests, farmland and orchards. There are ski resorts, campgrounds, convention centers, year-round and seasonal resorts, first-class restaurants and everything from 4 star hotels to cozy bed and breakfast inns.
The Maine Dept of Tourism maintains a very informative website where you can find out much more about our beautiful state and also send for a tourist guide. Enjoy the articles and come back often to Discover more about Maine.
For a mostly humorous look at homeschooling and country living, visit News From Hawkhill Acres.
Looking for safe toys? At How to Find Safe Toys you'll find safe toys for Newborns to Teens. Check in daily for the latest toy recalls and a long list of alternatives to blah big-box gifts.
It was the site of the first sea battle of the Revolutionary War when the British ship Margaretta was captured by colonists near Machias. It leads the country in low-bush blueberry production - 98% of the crop. It also leads in sardine canning.
Maine has Acadia National Park, one of the most visited parks in the system. Almost completely surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, Acadia is a breathtaking mix of rugged coastline, historic carriage roads, woods and islands. There are several museums and nature centers and a rich variety of animal and plant life.
Maine's motto is "Dirigo", Latin for "I lead."
The state tree is the White Pine, which is appropriate because Maine is 89% forested and the forest products and pulp and paper industry play a big part in Maine's economy. Early in Maine's history, its forests provided giant trees for the masts of sailing ships. Now, the wood products industry provides the world with everything from toothpicks to wooden bowls to furniture to boats.
The State Animal is the moose, that hardy denizen of northern forests. Moose can be spotted feeding on water plants in the shallows of ponds and lakes, especially around Greenville, which is known as the moose capital of the world. These huge animals, which can be six feet tall at the shoulder, are popular with tourists and hunters alike.
Maine is one of the few states to have a State Cat, the Maine Coon Cat. These cats are large, ruggedly built and have thick, water-resistant fur. They're known for their playfulness and intelligence and are one of the oldest American breeds.
Maine even has a State Insect, the Honeybee. Because apples and blueberries are important agricultural crops in Maine, honeybees are very important to Maine's economy.
Maine is one of the most scenic states in the country, with miles of coastline, thousands of islands, mountains, glacial valleys, forests, farmland and orchards. There are ski resorts, campgrounds, convention centers, year-round and seasonal resorts, first-class restaurants and everything from 4 star hotels to cozy bed and breakfast inns.
The Maine Dept of Tourism maintains a very informative website where you can find out much more about our beautiful state and also send for a tourist guide. Enjoy the articles and come back often to Discover more about Maine.
For a mostly humorous look at homeschooling and country living, visit News From Hawkhill Acres.
Looking for safe toys? At How to Find Safe Toys you'll find safe toys for Newborns to Teens. Check in daily for the latest toy recalls and a long list of alternatives to blah big-box gifts.
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