| I am planning on ordering the Burpee 4' Patio garden pyramid and I want to put in 4 different types of Strawberries, one type on each side. I was thinking of ordering 100 strawberry plants, 25 on each side. Could you please tell me what types would be best, and the best type of soil? |
| The Patio Garden Pyramid with 25 strawberries would probably be fine. Keep in mind however, growing 100 strawberries at once is very ambitious. One mature plant can produce as much as 1 quart of berries. If you want to go ahead, I would probably grow 2 everbearing varieties such as Ozark Beauty and Shortcake and 2 Day-Neutral varieties such as Tristar and September Sweet. With that arrangement, you can get the maximum harvest of strawberries. Is this your first strawberry crop? If it is, let me suggest a few things. If it's not, just a reminder. The soil should be well drained, fertile and high in organic matter (compost, leaf mould, composted manure, etc.). The soil pH should be a bit on the acid side, 5.5-6.0, test it before you alter it so you don't go overboard in either direction. Strawberries demand full sun, and don't like dried out soil. During hot periods the plants will need an inch of water per week. This is especially important when the plants are flowering and forming fruit. Don't expect much the first season. The plants will produce flowers but these should be pinched off so the plants will put all of their energy into producing a bumper crop next season. Fertilizer is only necessary once a year, at blossom set. I suggest a 15-15-15. |
