Transplanting Strawberry Plants--New Strawberry Bed

This year's strawberry bed

Thinking spring already. My DH is planning for a new strawberry bed next year. He has already transplanted the runners of strawberry plants into the new bed on the west side of the garden. This section of the garden stays wet in the spring and it is a struggle to till, so it is a good place to keep strawberries. The east bed produced very well this June, but time for a change. This area is tillable and will allow my hubby to plant an early spring crop in the soil.

My DH suggests starting a new bed every three to four years. There are 225 plants of the June bearing All Stars variety in this new location. We like the June bearing fruit better than the ever bearing varieties. June is a high production crop and tastier, or so we think.

Healthy plants which are connected to the mother plant and ready for transplanting. We call them runners.

This photo shows the small plants that are called runners from the large mother plants. My DH digs them up carefully to re-plant in the new bed.

Garden Tip: When transplanting, do not bury the heart of the plant and be sure the roots are healthy.

The new strawberry bed

We have a straw path down the center of the bed so it is easy to reach all the plants for picking the fruit. The old bed spread runners into the moist straw allowing a great place for the runners to thrive.

Stay tuned for the results next June. Lip smacking, juicy strawberries. Mmmmm.....

My Husband's Report on the Garden

A view of the garden. Strawberry plants in the far right with rhubarb behind them.

Cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli plants in foreground.

Lettuce plants growing with a cover of straw under them to keep the soil from the leaves. Easier to clean up after picking.

My DH wrote an email to our gardening friend in Florida detailing the progress of our northern garden. Here is his very complete report....

THEY ARE CALLING FOR SNOW SHOWERS AND TOMORROW NIGHT POSSIBLE FROST. WENT OUT THIS AM AND COVERED THE STRAWBERRIES. THEY ARE ABOUT 50% IN BLOOM. IF FROST HITS THEM, THEY WILL NOT SET BERRIES SO HOPEFULLY I HAVE THEM COVERED ENOUGH.

RADISH, BEETS, CARROTS, ONION, PEAS, A LITTLE CORN AND POTATOES ARE UP. THE CABBAGE AND CAULIFLOWER I STARTED IN FLORIDA IS DOING GREAT. THEY ARE ABOUT A FOOT TALL.

LETTUCE IS DOING GREAT. I HAVE PUT STRAW AROUND THE BOTTOM OF LETTUCE AND IT KEEPS THE DIRT OFF THE LEAVES. WE SHOULD START CUTTING IT BY MID MAY.

I HAVE ALL THE OTHER PLANTS IN THE GREENHOUSE UNDER HEATERS. HATE TO SEE MY ELECTRIC BILL. -- CUCUMBERS, PICKLES, MUSKMELON, WATERMELON, KOHLRABI, PUMPKINS. MORE CABBAGE. CAULIFLOWER, BROCCOLI ANOTHER TYPE OF SWEET CORN. MY OTHER LETTUCE WILL BE READY TO SET OUT IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

THE TOMATO PLANTS I STARTED IN FLORIDA ARE ABOUT 16" TALL NOW. I HAVE ABOUT 100 SEED POTATOES STARTED IN THE GRENHOUSE AND 50 GREEN BEAN AND 50 YELLOW BEANS COMING UP IN THE GREENHOUSE.

I HAVE 1# RED ONION SETS, 1# WHITE ONION SETS PLANTED. THEYARE ABOUT 4" TALL FOR GREEN EATING. 60 RED CANDY ONIONS, 60 YELLOW CANDY ONIONS, 35 BIG DADDY ONIONS, 50 WALLA WALLA ONIONS FOR GROWING ON FOR SLICING. HAVE ABOUT THAT MANY LEFT TO PLANT A LITTLE LATER.

Yes, he is into growing onions. It was a pleasure to have onions and potatoes all winter.

This is a very complete report on our progress on the garden in West Michigan. Please leave comments lettting us know your location and an update on your garden. Thanks.