So I’ve been keeping a log of all of the produce for this year. The strawberries weighed in at 29.75 pounds. Rather impressive. But I want MORE. See I figure if I can triple the strawberry production for next year then I will definitely have enough to sell at the local farmer’s markets. Not to mention it means less lawn to mow and weed whack!
So yesterday, today and tomorrow I’m working on this little project…
Expanding the strawberry bed
Along the main pathway to the raised bed garden in our backyard I planted a line of strawberry plants last year. They took off and were my biggest producers this spring. Well, I’m doubling the width of the bed from one foot to two foot wide. This means a total of about 30 make that 40 square feet of additional strawberry plants and that’s just where I’m starting. The front yard will be next. I’m thinking of possibly planting border rows along the property line on each side in the front.
So if fences make good neighbors…a border of strawberries must make for lots of neighborly jam! Before I start the strawberry border I will probably encircle the base of the peach and pawpaw trees with the strawberry plants and expand from there.
The first step is removing the grass and putting it over here where the weeds have grown and the ground is uneven…
Square foot sod pieces are relocated to base of tepee
Then it’s simply a matter of throwing some potting soil or humus/manure/peat moss mixture and sticking the runners in. Look for nodes that have sprouted white roots. I haven’t even made it to the 4×8 planter to see what nodes are available there. All of the area planted so far came from the inside of the walkway where we don’t want the plants getting stepped on or crushed.
"Water us...please!"
It’s supposed to be torrential rains tonight. Do I dare believe it will come true?
Here’s some other pictures of the garden. I’d say that our horseradish is definitely healthy…
Gorgeous and healthy horseradish
A pensive moment in the tepee…the beans sure are growing well on it…
Emily checks out the pole beans
I’ve always heard it said that your corn should be knee-high by the 4th of July. Ours definitely qualifies and then some. The tallest of it is way past my waist now…
Corn in the far bed
Corn is approx. 4' tall now
Make a stop by Belton Community Days tomorrow. I’ll be doing a presentation on “Whole Yard Gardening” for the Cass County Sustainability Committee on Main Street at 5pm. Hope to see you there!
That’s it for now. I’ve got to go dig up the potatoes. The greenery died back, not sure if I’ve got potatoes in there to harvest or not!
You can’t beat deep pockets like that. Who needs a basket when Dave’s shorts are around?!
