2012 Strawberries: Full Speed Ahead!

Ben had a four-day weekend for the Labor Day Holiday.  He worked three of those days.  This is how it went:

The strawberry plants arrived from Lassen Canyon Nursery on Thursday.  We ordered 1,000 Jewel and 1,000 Gaviota bare root plants.  I had to store them in the refrigerator until Saturday.

We received two of these boxes.  Both arrived in great condition.

We had prepared the outside of the high tunnel by tilling with the tractor, hoeing up six rows, and laying horse manure.  We mulched the pathways with a layer of cardboard with shredded bark mulch on top.  The rows are mulched with straw.  We planted 1,000 strawberry plants here.

A row of rawberries growing outside of the high tunnel.

Ben had put down chicken manure on the inside of the high tunnel several months ago.  Before putting in about 900 plants, we rototilled and hoed up the rows.  We mulched with a thick layer of straw.

Not including the months that led up to this, Ben and I worked on the strawberries nonstop from Saturday through Monday.  When Ben had to go back to his job, I worked Tuesday and Wednesday to complete the project.  My lower back was screaming at me!

High tunnel plants

As for the garden magic part, I watered-in the plants with a dose of seaweed and fish fertilizer.  They sprang to life immediately.

I had a few plants leftover, and those went into the kitchen garden.  No Plant Left Behind!  Not only did I not want to waste any of the plants, but I also think it's a good idea to have some of each variety planted in several different places.  This way, if some disaster happens, like an insect infestation or deer attack, we'll be sure to have back-up plants.  These back-ups can be used to repopulate the high tunnel area if needed.

We'll get our first harvest next spring.  The strawberries inside the high tunnel should ripen earlier than those planted outside.  We're looking forward to harvesting our first asparagus and strawberry crops next spring!