garden0405

You will also know how it was grown (no pesticides, etc.). Children often like growing strawberries, well, because they like strawberries! Here are some pointers on growing and using them.

Strawberries grow 6-8 inches tall spreading about one foot across with long runners. Their white, sometimes pink (depending on the variety) flowers turn into luscious strawberries that we can enjoy fresh, put into desserts, make jam, or freeze and use later.

In mild winter areas, planting season is late summer or fall. These plantings will produce a spring crop of strawberries. In other areas, plant strawberries in early spring. Everbearers will produce a summer and fall crop.

When planting strawberries, be sure the crown is above soil level and the topmost roots are 1/4 inch beneath soil level because buried crowns rot and exposed roots dry out. Use mulch to keep berries clean, conserve moisture and keep weed growth down. Set plants 2-3 feet apart and let runners fill in until plants are 7-10 inches apart.

Strawberries like well drained fairly rich soil, so be sure to add compost or other organic matter when preparing the strawberry patch. They need full sun, and frequent, deep soakings. Be sure to give adequate water during bearing season. They will grow in all zones and should be fed twice a year -- when growth begins and after the first crop. Use a complete fertilizer high in phosphorous for feedings.

Types
June Bearing
June bearing types produce one crop per year in late spring or early summer. Since this type gives you all the fruit at once, it's best planted for reasons of preserving or freezing.

Everbearing
This type of strawberry tends to peak in early summer and continue on through the fall. This is the type to plant if you want fresh berries all season long.

Propagation
Most strawberries produce offsets at the end of runners. If you want more plants, just let them grow. If you have enough strawberry plants, pinching off the runners will give you larger plants with small yields of big berries.

If your children are interested in growing strawberries, you can let them plant and care for the whole patch, or just one or two plants if the patch is too much for them. Strawberries will also grow in containers, so this is another option that is less work for children. Remember that container plantings need much more water than in the ground plantings, usually once a day; if it's hot, twice. Be sure to let them help you with the fun part -- harvesting and making delicious things to eat with them.

About the Author:
Monica Resinger is the creator of 'Homemaker's Journal E-Publications' where you will find many fun and informative home and garden related e-books, tip sheets and how to sign up for her FREE home and garden newsletter! Click here to visit: http://homemakersjournal.com/

Make a Gardener's Tote
by Leslie Sausage

Ready for Spring gardening?

You'll be more likely to tackle the daily garden activities if you're ready to go with all your tools.

You'll need two plastic buckets. These can usually be found for free or for a minimal cost at the local donut shop or bakery or can be purchased at the local discount or hardware store.

I use one of the 2-gallon plastic buckets for storing my hand tools.

Inside my bucket, I keep my trowel, a small hand rake, a large spoon, a pair of garden shears, a pair of garden gloves, my kneeling pad plus a few plastic grocery bags for pulling weeds or for gathering the harvest.

A 5-gallon plastic bucket is great for collecting weeds in the garden. When the bucket is full, transfer the weeds to the compost pile.

If you have an old piece of garden hose, cut off two small sections, slit the hose lengthwise and slip it around the thin, metal handles on you buckets to make them more comfortable to carry.

Need to take a break? Flip the 5-gallon bucket upside down and use it for a chair. Now when you're done gardening for the day...put away your Garden Tote by storing the 2-gallon bucket inside the 5-gallon bucket.

About the Author:
Leslie Sausage is the editor of Heart4Home.net website. For more creative, practical and fun ideas for your home visit the site www.heart4home.net

   1. Sunshine: Plan to put your rose bush in a spot where it will get as much sun at least 6 hours of sunshine a day.

   2. Water: Drops of water on the leaves can cause burning, and lead to black spot disease so always water from underneath, soaking the earth until it is damp but not soggy.

      It is better to water thoroughly once a week than lightly several times in the same period. Beware if your Roses get too much water, they'll drown. Water in the morning or at least four or five hours before dusk so that any excess moisture can be absorbed by the heat of the day.

   3. Planting & Soil: As soon as the ground can be worked in the Spring, turn the soil to the depth of the spade. To the loosened soil add 1/3 to 1/2 as much again of composted humus like leaf mold, peat moss, or composted manure, together with coarse sand. Make sure to work the soil at least a month before planting.

   4. Tidy, Tidy: Keep Roses healthy, it is important to gather up withered petals and leaves and pick off any live leaves with black spots. Prevent black spot - mix 1 tbs of baking soda with 1 tbs of liquid dish soap and 1 gallon of water together and spray your Rose leaves.

   5. Prune: Always prune 1/4" above an outward facing bud. Always use a sharp knife or hand pruners. Never prune in fall. Always cut off the suckers, they grow just below the bud union; follow them down to where they begin and carefully remove them to encourage strong new growth.

Roses are classified into types according to ancestry, bush type, and flower form and size - ask at your local nursery for the type you prefer.

About The Author
Abigail Baker is webmaster and managing editor for Country Mall Place at www.acplace.com/