Imagine picking strawberries right in your backyard.
Well, you don’t have to imagine anymore because the fresh sweetness of this iconic fruit can actually be at arm’s reach.
No need for fancy gardening tools and planting techniques. If you have basic gardening tools and materials you’re all set.
This gardener will show you how.
As shown on the YouTube channel TEO Garden, it only requires some recyclables and patience to grow this yogurt companion.
But first, the basics.
Let’s talk about strawberries.
Strawberries are widely grown throughout the world. They’re commonly eaten fresh, made into jams, mixed as a pastry or pie filling, or blended into gelatos.
They’re one of the most recognizable fruits in the world. However, despite the name, it is not considered a true berry.
It’s not the most interesting information about the plant, though. The low-growing plant grows differently than others.
From a central mother crown, the plant can produce “runners” or stolons.
These are long branches that can grow their own root system and the main components in this video.
First, wrap runners with parchment paper.
A “mother” plant can produce stolons but you can also buy pre-cut “runners”. Cut a small square of parchment paper.
Then, put a couple of spoons of soil on the small sheet. After that, place a thinly cut banana piece, skin on, over the soil. This will serve as a fertilizer.
Wrap the paper around the stolon. Make sure that the budding roots are pressed against the soil. Tie it with string.
Prepare your recycled pots.
Cut your plastic jug in half. You can use 5 to 10-gallon jugs. Using a soldering iron, punch holes on the sides and the bottom of the plastic pots.
This will make sure that your soil has drainage. Soaking the soil with too much water can encourage the growth of fungi and we don’t want those on our strawberries.
You can use thin aluminum wires or thicker strings to make a pot sling. Fill the pots with soil and hang them up.
Harvest your stolons
After about 15 days, your stolons would have grown roots that will hold the soil ball together. Trim the stolon from the mother plant.
Carefully remove the paper covering so you can maintain the shape of the soil.
Now you’re ready to really grow.
Transfer it into your recycled pots by digging a hole a couple of inches deep. Cover the stolon with soil.
Time for plant maintenance.
Water your strawberry plants regularly. After about 2.5 months, your stolons would’ve grown into flowering plants.
You’ll notice that they will be adorned with white flowers with yellow centers.
Make sure to check them for fungi or weed growth. Then after 3.5 months, the strawberries will be ready for picking.
A fulfilling endeavor.
Growing fruit-bearing plants empowers us to be less dependent on market systems and gives us a sense of responsibility for living things.
Seeing how your food grows from seed to plant also gives us a new appreciation for food that we often take for granted.
You can check out the TEO Garden for more planting tips.
See how TEO Garden gets the most abundant berries in the video below!
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