I have no idea why, but for some reason, the strawberry is not the most popular plant in the world among food gardeners. People prize their peppers, tout their tomatoes, and covet their corn, but little to nothing is often said of strawberries — and this is crazy because the strawberry is one of the sweetest things you can grow in a northern climate, and is easier to grow than all the aforementioned by a landslide, and it's also a perennial!!!

This bed of strawberries was the result of a $10 purchase of bare-root plants — one the best returns on investment that I've ever experienced!

In the spring of 2013, for the first time ever, I bought a bucketful of bare-root strawberry plants and put them in my garden. Within a few months, I started getting a few fresh strawberries each day, and then in the fall I had a large harvest, from which I made delicious jam that we coveted jealously and shared with no one. I couldn't believe how easy it was to grow strawberries and I really kicked myself for not having tried them sooner. This year, if you have the space, try growing strawberries!

How to plant

Buy bare-root strawberry plants and get them in the ground about a month after the soil has become workable (right about now – when the dandelion flowers start turning yellow). They are usually sold in bundles of about 20 plants, and that many will easily fill a 4' X 10' bed or more. Plant them in a bed with fertile soil. To plant, dig down a

The Maritime Gardening Newsletter

All You Need to Know About Growing…

Comments on this episode are for paid subscribers