Alpine Strawberries

Let's Talk about Circular Terraces for Growing Strawberries

Mike Wellik — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 18:21:00 GMT

I've been seeing these being sold for a number of years. Most say they have a maximum diameter of six feet. The basic idea is to maximize your space by planting strawberries on terraces to utilize the vertical space.

I for one have never purchased one for several reasons. First, in my opinion they are too shallow. Strawberry roots are predominantly in the upper 6" of soil but they can go deeper. I see how deep the roots go in 6 gallon pails.

Second, the irrigation system, a sprinkler, is totally the wrong way to water strawberries. Wetting the leaves and fruit is not a good idea from a disease standpoint. There are a number of diseases that cause severe problems in strawberries. The other downside of sprinklers is not just the method but the timing of irrigation. Many people think watering at night is best. This is the worst time to water. The leaves and fruit stay wet all night, especially with cool humid nights. This leads to perfect conditions for diseases to thrive. The best time to water is early in the morning so the leaves and fruit can dry off early in the day and the plant can use the moisture during the warm part of the day. And, the best way to water is with a drip system or soaker hose.

The best idea with this terrace system is the hoops and netting as well as the plastic cover. Netting is essential to keep the birds out, especially with red fruiting varieties. The plastic cover can extend the season either earlier in the season or later for ever-bearing varieties.

With a little adjustment, this sytem could be better. Throw away the sprinkler system and get a drip system or a soaker hose. Then you have a fighting chance with the terrace system.

Beware of Online Sellers

Mike Wellik — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 21:22:00 GMT

I just visited eBay and did my standard search for alpine strawberries. I finally had it with sellers there. I frequently see misinformation there but it's now too much for me. I saw an auction selling 'Alexandria' seeds with a picture of a garden variety strawberry. Beware of sellers out there. If they're selling antiques AND fraises des bois seed, question it. Where did they get the seed? How are they sure that this is a fraises des bois variety? Do they guarantee the seeds/plants? All good questions. BEWARE .....

Welcome to Alpine Strawberries aka fraises des bois

Mike Wellik — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 00:47:00 GMT

Welcome to my first entry into the alpine strawberry blog. The first idea I'd like to discuss is growing alpines in containers and specifically pot color. Most nurseries produce plants in black containers. There's a reason. Most nursery plants need and like warm soil. Strawberries on the other hand prefer cooler soil as evidenced by their best production in the spring or fall (for everbearing varieties). I've had many plants die because their roots were "cooked" or didn't survive winter due to stresses that I attribute partially to hot soil. I try to grow alpine strawberries in white containers for this reason. Unfortunately there aren't any plug trays or flat inserts made in white, at least that I'm aware of. So, I germinate in black plug trays and up-pot to 1801 inserts (black is all I can find) and then asap transplant into 6" white azalea pots as soon as they can be handled. When the plants have outgrown the 6" pots I move them to white 2 gallon buckets and finally white 5 gallon buckets.