Patty is always coming home with pounds of stawberries,can`t believe how much they cost and the taste is quite variable, from nice to no taste at all.
Or sometimes that first suductive aroma then nothing:can`t think what that reminds me of.So to do something about it,I have grown the berry myself at times and with varying degrees of success.Strawberries suffer from loads of viral diseases such as botrtytis, verticcilium wilt, mildew grey mould etc. The plants generally produce less each year then give up altogether. The plan is to get some fresh stock from non other than the strawberry king himself Ken Muir aka Big Ron (see his catalouge portrait).
So after deliberating on his most excellent site I eventually succumed to the blurb and ordered a collection.Yes thats what I said a collection of strawberries they were on the catwalk comprising three different varieties early , late and perpetual. Now heres the thing,these plants have been in cold storage since early Feb.they were dug up as runners in the prime of life and plunged into suspended animation.They are to re-enter this world from their cryogenic slumber and get this: if Big Ken is to be believed they will forget that they are early, late or perpetual if planted before the end of July and produce over one whole pound of delicious strawberries per plant.This year!!That would be over 37 pounds.....Seems to good to be true.They would then forget performing this once only feat of soft fruit extravaganzing and revert to their alloted slot in the year ie late, early and perpetual.Now I know what you are thinking why would one require perpetual(the plant carries a premium if acquired outside of a collection)when one has early and late varieties anyway?
Well listen to Ken.
For anyone contemplating growing strawberries for the first time, one could do no better than include these remontant,or "perpetual "fruiting varieties as they are often refered to,continue to be grown for their seasonal appeal.Their quality and flavour leaves nothing to be desired and they are at their best when the mid season varieties have all but disappeared from the shops.And for the environmentalists among you we are talking food yards here not miles.
Now the economics of this seems to be quite sound.
Tescos Strawberries 37 pounds @ £1.85 per pound £68.45+ mileage.
Big Kens collection 3x12 plants+1 spare =37+pounds of strawberries. Well what a huge saving.
Thats what I thought.After placing the order an E-mail then informed me that the plants would be dispatched within 28 days , cutting it a bit fine I thought.But then to my delight a large box appeared with the UPS man a week later.He rang on the bell I answered and signed the thing he had with him.Now I could have sworn that he said " your strawberry plants sir"but unfortunatly he must have said "your Conqueror Paper delivery "I wish UPS men wouldn`t mumble."No plants then? I said"he just looked blank.Any way the box would have been much larger than that.
The days past by and I resolved to get my plants at the end of the month just in time to plant before the end of July.
On Wednesday I wandered up the road with Jessie for a nose behind the Melton Grange, yes they are getting on with the work quite well ,they could do without Jessie barking at them but thats how she is.
On the way back I saw our Postie, now he is not the worlds greatest conversationalist so I resisted the remark about the recent postal strike but said that I would relieve him of any of Her Majesty`s mail that may be destined for number seven.He handed me the usual rubbish and some legit post.He then went on his way.Oh he cried over his shoulder I have a small package for you in my saddle bag.Oh! I said what can it be?
He produced a small box about big enough for a baby`s pair of shoes,on the label it said LIVE PLANTS and stated that there were 36 strawberry plants inside.The penny slowly dropped.This could not be.Have I been done?Visions of 36 pounds of strawberries and pounds of delighting jam were coming to a sticky end.Ill` ave you for this Muir I am thinking.You will never work in Essex again.How in all that is horticultural can 37 pounds of strawberries come out of this box before christmas.The postman sensed my dissapointmentand had the look of a telegraph boy who had just delivered a telegram to Micheal Barrymores ` mother.NO reply.The best bit was the stern note that said that these plants must be dealt with at once,I had visions of them getting verticcillium wilt before the days end.
Ken being true to his word sent me a book entitled "Grow your own strawberries" containing all that one needs to know for the succesfull growing of the strawberry.The preparation of the site is quite onerous and must be weed free and can only follow certain crops.The spacing of the rows and distance apart were followed and so on. When finished the plants looked lost on the large plot given them.(They will have even more space when the onions are harvested)They are so small.The leaves are white not even green.The leap from their frozen world to the middle of summer must be a culture shock if nothing else.I have held back on buying the jam sugar for the time being.
