It was just a year ago that I started my new strawberry bed.
Just one year ago that I hauled all that smelled chicken poo in the wheelbarrow across the farm yard and tilled it all in with my handy -dandy Mantis
Just one year ago that I planted over 70 strawberry plants. Yes – 70.
I had such high hopes.
Ha!
Then it rained. And rained. And rained.
When the sun finally came out – the weeds grew and grew and grew.
About mid-July I gave up. I had green beans by the bucketful to take care of, county fair, company coming and a VBS to plan. I had no time to spend in a strawberry bed.
I didn’t even look at the patch again until last week.
I got on my hands and knees and started digging out weeds. I had some of the kids help me and turned it into a hide and seek game. In all – we discovered 8 strawberry plants.
Yes – eight.
I’m not so good at math – but it seems to me that adds up to over 60 plants that didn’t make it.
Let’s see now. There’s seven people in my family and eight strawberry plants. If each plant produces 3 berries this season we can all have about 3-1/3 berries.
So much for strawberry shortcake, strawberry preserves, and strawberry pie.
But I’m not giving up! My friend Dorothy offered me as many strawberry plants as I wanted and I intend to take her up on that.
I’ll replant and mulch well and wait another year.
Yep – I’m sure I needed that exercise anyway!
Now where’s that wheelbarrow…
I’ve linked this post up with my friend Myra over at My Blessed Life for her Friday Fails and over at the Tuesday Garden Party at An Oregon Cottage.
Blue Jeans and Cotton Tees 
I don’t dare even attempt to calculate the dollars I have buried in the ground in the name of starting something. Tends to turn my stomach a smidge.
But occasionally something survives (like my asparagus, third or fourth attempt) and we enjoy its abundance.
Gardening certainly “ain’t” cheap, but every once in a while, it is so so worth it. Better luck next round on the strawberries.
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Watch the few plants you have, they send out runners like crazy! You might be surprised how quickly your bed fills up on its own! Mine are everbearing, I get a “big” crop in June then a nice amount of stragglers all summer-enjoy!
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We started a patch last year, then moved in the middle of June. We dug them up and put them in pots and brought them with us. We left them in the pots and they are fairing quite well. We have several berries and several more blossoms.
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Isn’t that frustrating!?! If everything I planted lived, our yard would be an oasis. Next time I’m going to focus more on soil preparation. I planted 2 and got zelch, I should plant more! I love your perseverance, let’s not give up on our dreams for strawberries galore!
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I had to till in strawberry bed once. It was a sick feeling, but I too had let it go to weeds, and it would have taken more labor to weed around the few remaining plants than to just start over. “Time is money, and money is time” as my dear hubby tells me sometimes. I didn’t start with such a big bed the next time and found out that it multiplied itself many times over during the following years…as long as I kept up on the weeding. It’ll all come together this time.
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I’m keeping an anxious eye on my pepper and tomato plants. So far, so good…..
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I’m sorry these didn’t work out better for you. I’ve never been brave enough to plant strawberries. I’m impatient and like to see things produce right away.
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You have perserverance, that is for sure! But always with a smile right? 🙂
We have gotten a couple strawberries out of our 3 or 4 plants out front. They keep coming back every year and I just let them do their thing. Sure wish they’d do it in abundance 🙂
~Cinnamon
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I planted 45 strawberries this year. They are everbearing, so I hope to harvest some in late summer, but it just KILLS me to pull off those blooms everyday, eventhough I KNOW it will make my plants produce more in the long run. Best of luck with your new plants!
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We’ve got about 7 strawberry plants – I’m hoping that they make it through this season. I didn’t know that they could be there next season too. I’ll have to keep that in mind!
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Oh, that is too bad- 8 out of 70 is certainly not the best return!
I grow mine in raised beds and don’t till (cuts down on weeds) and that’s about the only way I get some. 🙂
Thanks for linking up to the Tuesday Garden Party!
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Oh, what disappointment! But, I was going to say, like pig in mud, that you may very well have more plants next year with the runners. Persevere!
The weeds got so bad in two of our beds that we tilled and are currently down to one producing bed; I am hoping to plant some runners for next year:)
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