Gardening with Simon - Growing succulent summer strawberries
Published on December 06, 2022
Juicy red strawberries are the taste of summer. Whether by themselves, sprinkled with icing sugar, dipped in chocolate sauce, shining bright on top of a pavlova, or made into a sauce or jam, strawberries make a great addition to any festive feast.
They make a great addition to your garden too!
Strawberries are easy to grow and can be planted in many different areas of your garden but are most commonly established in raised garden beds. They like a well worked soil and being planted in a mound, covered with black polythene or pea straw.
Remember to check on them daily so you get to enjoy the delicious red beauties before the birds do! There is nothing more demoralising than putting in the effort of bringing them up to picking stage than to come out one morning and the birds have beaten you to them.
An innovative way to grow strawberries is to use old roof guttering. All you do is connect it on the top rail of your boundary fence, fill it with compost and soil mixed with some sheep and chook pellets, and plant your strawberry plants in there.
Birds do not like to eat strawberries while flying so netting is optional.
Strawberries aren’t the only edible summer treats that you can enjoy fresh from your garden. Spring vegetable crops are ready to harvest, and you’ll be enjoying fresh salads throughout the barbecue season if you’ve done the work during the past few months.
What to plant in Summer
While enjoying the fruits of your labour this season, don’t forget to think ahead about what to grow so you can continue to eat your garden as the weather starts to change.
December and January are good months to plant:
- Beans
- Beetroot
- Capsicum
- Courgettes
- Cucumber
- Kumara
- Lettuce
- Pumpkin
Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Simon Broad
sf.broad@xtra.co.nz