Alaskan's Life

[Lazy Gardener]

Strawberries generally thrive in cooler zones. Choosing the right variety is key! and getting them from someone who has had success with a variety is a win/win situation, b/c the plants are already adapted to local growing conditions. I've toyed with the idea of harvesting seeds from my best berry plants, and growing them out.

 

[Alaskan]

Strawberries generally thrive in cooler zones. Choosing the right variety is key! and getting them from someone who has had success with a variety is a win/win situation, b/c the plants are already adapted to local growing conditions. I've toyed with the idea of harvesting seeds from my best berry plants, and growing them out.

So true!

 

[Britesea]

I found the alpines did better in our mountain climate. The berries are quite small but very sweet, and they don't keep- once you pick them, you'd better eat them right away. The plants don't send out runners, but if you leave a berry or two on the plant they will self-sow quite readily, and the plants themselves can be divided every few years. I know the two plants I had in the corner as an experiment gave me at least a handful of berries every couple of days for months, while the regular berries in the main bed did more in a couple of flushes. Kind of like the difference between bush beans and pole beans, lol.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

I found the alpines did better in our mountain climate. The berries are quite small but very sweet, and they don't keep- once you pick them, you'd better eat them right away. The plants don't send out runners, but if you leave a berry or two on the plant they will self-sow quite readily, and the plants themselves can be divided every few years. I know the two plants I had in the corner as an experiment gave me at least a handful of berries every couple of days for months, while the regular berries in the main bed did more in a couple of flushes. Kind of like the difference between bush beans and pole beans, lol.

Now... wouldn't it be sweet if strawberries GREW on a vine, like pole beans!!!!!!

 

[Alaskan]

Now... wouldn't it be sweet if strawberries GREW on a vine, like pole beans!!!!!!

Yes!

 

[Alaskan]

I found the alpines did better in our mountain climate. The berries are quite small but very sweet, and they don't keep- once you pick them, you'd better eat them right away. The plants don't send out runners, but if you leave a berry or two on the plant they will self-sow quite readily, and the plants themselves can be divided every few years. I know the two plants I had in the corner as an experiment gave me at least a handful of berries every couple of days for months, while the regular berries in the main bed did more in a couple of flushes. Kind of like the difference between bush beans and pole beans, lol.

Well, your description makes it plain that the ones I have are NOT alpines, since mine do throw out runners.

The one I have has small berries, that yes, do NOT keep once picked.

 

[Alaskan]

This is the neighbor driveway today... so... no, my strawberries are not yet visible.

Their patch on the church path has a few already peaking out... I will take a photo tonight.

 

[Lazy Gardener]

Such beautiful land.

 

[Alaskan]

Here ya go... the neighbor's strawberry

 

[Alaskan]

From yesterday, a pair of mallards.

They must be lamo underdog mallards, because at lower elevations there are fully thawed ponds.

But nope, they have chosen my still mostly frozen pond.

One is hidden behind the still slightly submerged and frozen in place duck island, the other one you can see standing on the ice.