10 June 2007
Thriving on neglect
I have a number of strawberry plants in the garden, planted out last year as a temporary measure before being transplanted to the allotment at some point. There seems little point in shifting them to the plot now so they are still in their temporary home.
The work on the garden continues around them. Yesterday I planted out some courgette and squash plants into the empty beds. We still have a lot of lawn to take up (gradually) so it makes sense to fill the beds with anything that can rest there for a few months until the major remodelling begins. It’s either that or learning to love the brambles and weeds that will fill the empty ground.
I have given the strawberry plants (I can’t even remember which variety they are) no care to speak of since they went in the ground last year. It was my Mum who took it upon herself to pick up some straw from the local pet shop and do the business so that the developing fruit wouldn’t rot. Nonetheless, they have rewarded my complete indifference by being unbelievably fecund - there are masses of little green strawberries swelling and ripening bit by bit.
Today I picked the first fruit - luscious and red and gorgeous. They are going to be delicious with chocolate mousse.
Filed under: Baby plants, Harvest — Clare @ 3:58 pm
Check out Mike’s first harvest too: http://surelythisisntinteresti.....rries.html
(11.06.07 @ 10:11 am)
There’s a lot of it about. Though he’s got far more than me…for now!
(11.06.07 @ 10:16 am)
Strawberries are one of those things unrecogniseable when grown at home rather than shop-bought aren’t they? How could you describe to someone the burst of flavour, sometimes almost intensely astringent along with the sweetness from a ‘proper’ strawberry?
I always intend to put straw down but never get round to it, so well done to your Mum!
(11.06.07 @ 12:07 pm)
They are so much better, I agree. richer and fruitier. Mind you, this all depends on whether I can beat the resident slugs and snails to them.
(12.06.07 @ 7:14 am)
I need to put netting over my strawberries. Bloody birds keep eating them.
I used shredded paper under mine to keep them off the ground. It’s cheaper than buying straw, and if identity thieves are scrabbling about on my plot trying to collect enough strips of bank statement to steal my account number, well I guess they’ll scare the bloody birds away at the same time.
(12.06.07 @ 12:42 pm)