Strawberries-What heaven must be like

I've always said that heaven must be like what strawberry pie tastes like. 

My goal for a strawberry bed was to have more strawberries than what I could eat standing in the garden.  If you know me, that is a lot of strawberries!  

In 2020, I made 10 raised beds for a garden.  We have very heavy clay soil, so it only made sense to me to do a garden this way.  In addition, I'm not getting any younger, so raised beds are easier on my back. 

I filled 2 3x12 beds with a suggested mixture of 1/3 each of peat, composted manure, and vermiculite and the plants I got from my mom went crazy!!  They love their new home.  

Last year I had runner shooting out the sides of the bed.  Due to a knee issues, I let them go.  This spring, the berries are many, but smaller than they should be.  This year it's time to thin the beds.

Caring for strawberries

• Runners take energy from the mother plant and, during the growing season, a majority of the runners should be pinched off leaving only one or two per plant. This will produce larger berries and prevent over crowding. 
• Remove old plant that have slowed production after harvest.  This gives room to the younger plants. 
• Thin out plants that appear to not be as healthy.  No worries.  There will be more to take their place.

Enjoying the berries

I have found some great recipes to use my berries, but this recipe for strawberry pie is my all time favorite.  I could be because it's my mom's and she is the queen of desserts. It is a simple recipe that doesn't take much time and, as you will see by the picture that accompanies the recipe, it is so good that it doesn't need a topping. Find the recipe here.