Check out some quirky and Genius Strawberry Growing Hacks that actually work! Use them today for a plentiful harvest.
Here are some Genius Strawberry Growing Hacks that you can use to ensure fresh and a bagful harvest from your plants!
Learn everything about growing strawberries here
Genius Strawberry Growing Hacks
1. Strawberry Plant from Strawberry Scraps
We have a habit of throwing away the strawberry tops before consuming them. These tops contain some flesh and seeds, which can be used to grow new plants.
Put all the tops in a blender, add some water and run it for 15-20 seconds. Once done, leave the solution for 10 minutes. The dud seeds will float on the top. Skim them out and wash away the remaining pulp; you will be left with viable seeds. Planting the seeds with too much pulp will cause them to rot.
Plant them directly in the garden or a pot filled with a well-draining potting mix.
Find out more vegetables that grow from scraps here
2. Freeze the Seeds
The best way to trick the seeds into their regular winter cycle is to refrigerate them after keeping them in an airtight sealable bag or container for 3-4 weeks.
Start the seeds indoors in winter or early spring, about 8-10 weeks before the last frost date in your area.
3. Paint Stones and Keep them Near the Plant
When your plant is in the stage of producing strawberries, you will have to make sure it is protected from birds and other predators. The simplest way to do it is to paint small pebbles in the shade of red and put them near the plant.
The birds will come to check these out, thinking they are ripened fruits that have fallen off the tree. Once they realize they are of no use, they will fly away. This will keep the actual fruits on the plant safe!
4. Use Straws or Newspaper to Protect the Fruit
When the plant starts to grow strawberries, the weight of the fruits tends to make them touch the soil, which can rot them. It would be a great idea to use a layer of newspaper or straw around the plants to save that from happening.
This will create a barrier between the fruits and soil, keeping the strawberries safe from rotting.
5. Light up Incense Sticks Infused with Essential Oils to Keep Bugs and Birds Away
When the strawberries begin to take their signature red color, light up incense sticks infused with essential oils around the plant. The intense fragrance will keep the birds away, hence protecting your harvest.
6. Add Fake Plants Around the Real One
Adding fake plants with plastic strawberries near the real ones is an excellent way to confuse the birds. Keep the actual plant in the middle while keeping the fake one outside.
The birds will come, and after realizing the fruit is not real, they will stop visiting your garden, keeping your harvest safe!
Check out the best strawberry companion plants here
7. Make a Strawberry Tower
Making a strawberry tower is the best way to enjoy plenty of strawberries in a relatively small space like a patio or balcony. All you need is a tiered planter, and you can enjoy a fresh harvest for the entire family! Here’s a really good DIY you can check out.
Here are some super cool DIYs for growing strawberries in a small space
8. Pick Strawberry Seeds with a Toothpick to Grow Them
The next time you get fresh strawberries, pick the seeds from the outer skin using the tip of a toothpick. Simply sow them in a pit filled with a well-draining growing medium, water well, and keep it in bright but indirect light. Soon, you’ll have strawberry plants of your own!
9. Use Coffee Grounds
Since coffee grounds are a good source of nitrogen, they add the same to the soil and a little acid content, which makes the pH of the growing medium high, helping the strawberry plant grow bigger fruits.
The grounds are also a rich source of potassium, magnesium, and copper, which help strawberries to have a healthier growth.
Find out the amazing coffee uses in the garden here
10. Trim Out Runners
‘Runners’ are the horizontal stems of the strawberry plants that run parallel to the ground. They set their roots to grow into individual strawberry clones of the mother plant.
As the plant has to divert a lot of energy into maintaining runners that it can otherwise use to produce bigger fruits, it would be wise to trim them out or plant them in separate pots.
I just Love Strawberrys.. Thank you for Sharing.