Strawberry Vine
Strawberry Vine: The Trail of Juiciness
Strawberry vine is the type of plant grown in gardens where the fruit appears on trailing vines. There is another kind of strawberry plant that is more bush-like and is used in pots or in more contained spaces. But typically, gardens with enough room have the trailing strawberry vine.
Strawberries are a fantastic treat for the summer – with their fresh berry flavor and their versatility in adapting to various dishes they are for many people the taste of summer. So, it can be very exciting to grow these berries on your very own strawberry vine.
Look and Taste
The strawberry vine is fairly easy to grow and it, in fact, has a tendency to grow too quickly. While many gardeners choose to grow this vine because of its fabulous fruits, it has more to recommend it. These plants with their trailing vines laden with the bright, red fruits make for a great visual addition to a garden also. It is particular gratifying for a home gardener when this rare combination happens.
While some gardeners let the plant trail along the ground and let it carpet a section of the garden, some others grow it with some height so that the trailing vines have a cascading drama all their own.
Tips for choosing a vine
Strawberries should be picked based on a couple of different criteria. There are the June bearing vines, ever bearing and neutral and this is an indication of when to expect the fruits. It is also important to consider local pests and diseases that strawberries are susceptible to and so it is a good idea to talk to a local nursery and get their recommendations.
Making the most of your plant
It is possible to get the most out of a plant if it is given optimal growing conditions. Strawberry vines should ideally be planted after the last of the winter frost when the weather is still a little cool. It should be in the ground and established before the hot weather starts. The soil needs to be moist but should not be wet. The plant hole does not have to be too deep as the soil has to cover the roots and leave the crown uncovered. This allows the runners to establish themselves.
Strawberries are popular among many home gardeners because of their ease of care. They need well drained soil and plenty of sun. It is suggested that they need as much as six hours of direct sun light every day. They need about one inch of water every week during the growing period. You can enrich the soil with organic matter such as kitchen waste. It is worth noting here that it is best not to grow strawberries in an area where eggplant, potatoes or tomatoes have been grows because they tend to attract verticillium wilt which is fatal to strawberry vines.
It is important to fertilize the plants at regular intervals to ensure bountiful strawberry harvests. However, over fertilization can be dangerous as that will promote vegetative growth at the expense of plentiful fruits. Strawberry plants produce flowers in late spring and removing this will help the plant get an early start on the fruits.
Using your harvest
Once you have your bountiful harvest of berries, you can use them by themselves as a fruit snack at any time of the day from breakfast through dinner. They make great additions to cereals and salads. You can process them and make juices and jams and have the fresh taste of summer last all the way through to winter! The strawberry vine will enrich your garden and your life in many different ways in many different seasons!