And yet again, I had another gardener compulsive shopping disorder episode. Last week I went to the garden center just to see what was in store for the winter.
Since winter is coming, they don’t have as much flowers anymore. However, they did had a bunch of plum and cherry blossoms trees getting ready for spring, and some winter tulips too. I was almost going to buy some, but I managed to convince myself not to. I already have some tulips in my garden, so I can wait a bit. And the cherry trees are just to big for my small balcony. However, there was one thing I could not resist. They had some everbearing strawberries for sale! I just had to get me some.
From what I know, the everbearing varieties are a bit hard to get here in Japan. Last time, after loosing my crazy always blooming strawberries to beetles, I tried to get some more of the everbearing kind. But, even when I look on more than 10 places, I could not find them anywhere. I found that, here in Japan, summer blooming varieties are much more coveted than everbearing, so it's very unusual to find the plant for sale. I was also surprised to find out that mines where not really true everbearing, they just had a lucky mutation that gave them that characteristic.
So, when I saw this one for sale, I had to buy it. And even more after finding they only had three plants left.
I hope it grows well on my garden. I still have to find it a place. I think I will put it in the same pot with the others, but I am hesitant in case something happens and some disease wipes away all the strawberry pot like last time. You can never be to careful with your strawberries.
My new everbearing strawberry
Since winter is coming, they don’t have as much flowers anymore. However, they did had a bunch of plum and cherry blossoms trees getting ready for spring, and some winter tulips too. I was almost going to buy some, but I managed to convince myself not to. I already have some tulips in my garden, so I can wait a bit. And the cherry trees are just to big for my small balcony. However, there was one thing I could not resist. They had some everbearing strawberries for sale! I just had to get me some.
From what I know, the everbearing varieties are a bit hard to get here in Japan. Last time, after loosing my crazy always blooming strawberries to beetles, I tried to get some more of the everbearing kind. But, even when I look on more than 10 places, I could not find them anywhere. I found that, here in Japan, summer blooming varieties are much more coveted than everbearing, so it's very unusual to find the plant for sale. I was also surprised to find out that mines where not really true everbearing, they just had a lucky mutation that gave them that characteristic.
And this one is still blooming growing fruit!
So, when I saw this one for sale, I had to buy it. And even more after finding they only had three plants left.
I hope it grows well on my garden. I still have to find it a place. I think I will put it in the same pot with the others, but I am hesitant in case something happens and some disease wipes away all the strawberry pot like last time. You can never be to careful with your strawberries.
The strawberry is so attractive that your hesitance to buy it have been blown away! I think you are lucky to find bearing strawberry and I hope you can enjoy the sweet fruits in the near future!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your strawberries Fer, I love having fresh berries at my finger tips to enjoy. Happy you found some more for your balcony.
ReplyDeletehehe.. I can understand compulsive shopping disorder very well :)
ReplyDeleteMy garden is currently bombarded with tiny caterpillars!
cina
I would love to grow strawberries, but the weather here can be extremely hot! Tried a couple of times, but the plants died. So now, I'll just admire yours!
ReplyDeleteWell, Fer, Strawberries are my favorite. My strawberry bed did not get built last year, so I must add it to my To Do list. I so enjoyed the project Carnival. I tried to post to all of them, except the ones not in English. And by doing so, I was amazed at the traffic that I received and the wonderful comments that were left. It was great fun. As for your precious ever bearing, I would pot her alone just because she is so rare and hard to find. Will she send off runners? I always let my strawberries send of runners to expand the bed, but removing runners increases the berry production. Keep us posted on your ever bearing's success. cheers. ann
ReplyDeleteYou can never have too many strawberries Fer. We have some on order - mail order - so will be planting lots more this year.
ReplyDeleteVisiting the Garden Centre is a dangerous business! You are soon going to have to build an extension on your balcony. Is that the sort of thing an Engineering student like yourself can do???
ReplyDeleteI hope they bare lots of fruit for you!
ReplyDeleteNever heard of ever bearing strawberries, so thank you for sharing. Actually your plants are quite different from mine (see here). Keep us informed about them.
ReplyDeleteWishing you every success with your new "ever bearing strawberry" plants. Look forward to seeing how they progress!
ReplyDeleteI think you did very well. I would have bought all three. My disorder is apparently worse than yours :)
ReplyDeletegood luck...nothing like a fresh strawberry
ReplyDeleteYes, great show of restraint! I find it difficult to restrain when it comes to buying plants but I'm going to really try to be more discriminating this spring!
ReplyDeleteHow can you resist a strawberry plant, i can't too! If only i can grow strawberries in my place, i would have many many many pots...
ReplyDeleteI can understand..... streawberry is irressitable! I wish i can grow them in my garden...but it's too hot here!
ReplyDeleteFer, Every time I read your blog I am amazed that your balcony can hold another plant. I wish you would show some photos of your whole balcony--you may have in the past, and I missed them. Good luck with the strawberry. Carolyn
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the strawberries... I have four plants and they are surviving although not anywhere near flowering as yet...
ReplyDeleteFirst I resist walking into a nursery. If I do walk in, I must be prepared to bring home something. :) I hope you have better success with your strawberry this time.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the strawberries. I have also ever barring and they produce fruit from spring until first frosts. Soon you might have some runners, so you can propagate your strawberry plant and get more.
ReplyDeleteHow could you possibly resist?! Good luck with them fer.
ReplyDeleteStrawberry fever, it might be a new name for an old obsession.
ReplyDeleteI like strawberries. One of the few disappointments about the hedgerows I photograph is that there are no wild strawberries. There were when I lived a little to the west.
ReplyDeleteLucy
At least your climate is suitable for such 'luxury' fruit.Here only the highlands farmers have them grown commercially. My own strawberry is everbearing too but..only green leaves!
ReplyDeleteFer, I did have three plants myself some years ago, just to try and I had fantastic time watching growing the strawberries, I could not hold myself to let them mature. I love straberries!!! Last summer I could have some wild straberrries from the forest. Good luck and keep posting how they are doing!
ReplyDeleteWow, that looks like a nice strawberry to grow. I don't think I've ever grown this one before, but I'll have to look out for it.
ReplyDeleteWish you a lot of strawberries! What cultivar is it? I'm about to sow yellow strawberry seed. Eszter
ReplyDeleteThank you very much!
ReplyDeleteann ~ great to see you had fun at the carnival! I hope the strawberry will send some runners, and I do think I will set it alone.
Mark ~ I am thinking what can I do to make more space, but I will have to wait until I move probably.
Carolyn ~ I will try to post more photos of the balcony. But you can see some I had post on my monthly updates. Thank you
Művelt Kert ~ This strawberry is called ELAN, not sure the cultivar, but I do know it comes from Shizuoka Japan. They really like strawberry here, they make a lot of new ones, that are only found in japan.
I hope yours do well, everbearing strawberries are the best!
ReplyDeleteI always have these episodes of buying plants on sale! It's a great way to save and try a new variety. Hope your strawberry does well.
ReplyDelete