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Strawberry Growing Guide

Strawberry Growing Guide

SHORTCUTS: Ideal Environment, How to Plant, How to Water, Companion Planting, How to Propagate, How to Harvest, Parts Used, Preparations, Uses, Key Constituents, Key Actions, Research.

Information

Fragaria × ananassa
FAMILY ROSACEAE
InformationStrawberries come in a wide assortment cultivated varieties and are delicious, juicy, sweet and known for their wonderful aroma. Strawberries are great in the garden because they are easy to grow, like a variety of soils, easy to propagate through runners and they are perennial, so you can keep them year after year, though it is recommended to replace mother plants every few years.

Growing Environment

Ideal Environment 

The best time to plant is in spring or  late summer.  A pH level of 6.0 to 6.5 is the best soil for growing strawberries, but a range of 5.5 to 7.0 is also acceptable.  Plant in full sun or dappled shade, and in somewhat sandy soil.  The addition of manure and a thin layer of straw mulch or other mulch / ground cover. 

How to Plant

How to Plant 

You can start from seed or you can buy your first plants from a nursery and then grow more from the runners yourself.  If planting from seed, put a couple of seeds into each 6mm deep hole, 15cm apart or in separate containers.

Watering

How to Water

Water strawberries immediately after planting. After that water once a week, or not at all if there is at least 30mm of rain.  If you are making new plants from runners keep them moist or in a party covered area so that they don’t dry out.

Companion Plants

Companion Planting 

Good companion plants for Strawberries is Borage, Garlic, Spinach, Lupin Flowers, Lettuce and Thyme.  

Avoid broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, kale and kohlrabi.

Here are the Companion Plants by group: Herbs, Flowers, Trees, Vegetables, Berries, Fruit and Mushrooms

How to Propagate

How to Propagate 

Runners can be taken from the plant or removed to encourage more energy towards the fruit.  A good way to make new plants is to place the tip of the runner in a small growing container next to the mother plant and then cutting it off as soon as they have set roots in the growing container. 

Harvest

How to Harvest

Strawberries should ideally be harvested at least every other day. The berries are picked with the caps still attached and with at least 1.5cm of stem left.  Strawberries need to remain on the plant to fully ripen because they do not continue to ripen after being picked. 

Medicinal Plants Parts Used

Parts Used

The berries are harvested and used.  Unlike some other berries I have not found any information about the use of the leaves.

Medicinal Preparations

Preparations

Strawberries can be used fresh or frozen (fresh is always better) and can also be used to make a variety of preserves, fruit juice, ice cream, pies, cakes etc.

Plant Uses

Uses

The best way to get the benefits of strawberries is to include the fruit in your diet and eating them fresh whenever possible.

Constituents

Key Constituents

Flavonoids, Vitamin C, Manganese, tannins, acids, smaller amounts of other vitamins and minerals, as well as a variety of chemicals that make up the fragrance and pigment.

Key Actions

Key Actions

Anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant and decreased cardiovascular disease risk (12).

Research

Research

Studies show that the anticancer effects of berry bioactives are partially mediated through the ability to counteract, reduce, and also repair damage resulting from oxidative stress and inflammation(12).


USEFUL LINKS: About the Growing Guides, The Medicine Garden, Companion Plants, Basic Preparations and Plant Constituents. Disclaimer. References.

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