There’s little that conjures the feel and taste of summer better than a bowl of homegrown strawberries and thanks to the greenhouse I’ve had some delicious early fruit.
Having succumbed to the temptation of a punnet of British strawberries only a week or so earlier, I was just so disappointed in the tasteless berries I’d paid a fair old price for that I decided it’s time to plan to increase my strawberry patch.
I’ve got one generous strawberry planter full of mature plants, languishing in the warmth of the greenhouse.
The fruit are protected from predators that might reach the succulent berries before I do and are hanging tantalisingly ripening from short stems.
It produces a delicious early crop of rich, fragrant fruits to transform a boring bowl of cereal into a tasty treat.
So when the plants have fruited and start to form runners I will harvest some from the healthiest plants and pot them up for a bigger and better crop next season.
I’ll plant them in strawberry planters and keep them in the greenhouse for a tasty early crop.
It’s just another great way to get the best from your greenhouse and have out of season, early crops of fruit and vegetables that cost a fortune in the shops.
When a 250g punnet of organic English strawberries costs £3 or more you’d be mad not to have a go at growing your own and if you don’t have any donor plants for runners you can buy them now at a garden centre near you.
Plus it’s a great way to get the kids interested in gardening, they simply love anything they can pick straight from the plant and eat there and then.
It’s also a useful way to show them that fruit doesn’t grow in plastic punnets in supermarkets.
