The title sounds like a poem, but I'm not feeling too poetic. The strawberries from the garden are really, really good. Absolutely delicious! However, they are a lot of work: Bending and reaching. Weeding. Covering for winter. Uncovering in spring. Rejuvenating plants by digging out old ones and planting runners. Trimming runners. Fortifying the soil (I use compost). Mulching.
I've told myself it's worth it. However, the only way to keep birds and squirrels away is to net the plants. Last year I netted early and removed the net when the main crop had been harvested. However, this year I've had to release two birds caught in the netting. Thankfully, I've been around so they aren't trapped long.
Even with the net, I still get some damaged berries. Without the net, my work and resources are for the birds (literally). I removed the net after harvesting the bowl of berries (first photo) because I don't want any more birds getting caught. Do I continue the same way (probably not), create a new space for strawberries, or go an entirely new direction?
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment