Here at Stephanie’s Kitchen Garden this week we will be planting strawberries. Our existing plants are 3 years old and this year our crop was not as good as previously. Strawberries need renewing every three years to maintain a vigorous healthy crop.
We have ordered some new varieties to try and have been preparing the raised bed in readiness for their arrival. Jo has added generous amounts of homemade compost to the bed and the plants will be given a dose of root boost when they are planted which will give them a good start. Strawberry mulch mats will then be added to each plant to protect the fruit from slug damage and excess moisture.
Once we had decided to replace our plants, Jo allowed the old plants to send out runners which have been growing into healthy young plants. This week these home grown runners will be transplanted into our strawberry tables to replace the old crop. The troughs have been refreshed with new compost and, as with the raised bed, the plants will be given root boost.
Our strawberry tables are situated within our fruit cage which will protect them from the birds. The raised bed has a slot and lock frame covering it and bird netting is added to this during the fruiting season.
This week we will be harvesting butternut squash, courgettes, broccoli, cauliflower , kale and beetroot.
