Thankful for Abundant Strawberries

What started as a single strawberry plant purchased at a Master Gardener's plant sale about 6 years ago has turned into two full-to-the-brim beds of incredibly healthy strawberry plants. Even more, these strawberries have spread so far and wide that I have been able to share starts with many friends, helping them start their own strawberry beds.

I have been asked several times what the key to my amazingly healthy strawberry plants is, and my primary response: neglect. Now, don't get me wrong. I do take care of them about once a year. In the spring, I sprinkle Black Lake Organic's strawberry fertilizer over the entire beds and then attempt to brush most of it off of the plants. Then I give them a thorough dusting of mulch, again attempting to shake the majority of the mulch off of the leaves and down to the soil. That is about it. Many people space their strawberry plants perfectly and meticulously remove runners. I don't. I generally figure, the more plants the merrier! So far my lovingly neglectful treatment of my plants has worked out very well.

Last year, though, the deer discovered my strawberry beds. Many mornings I walked out to my garden and ended up nearly (or completely) in tears as I saw the devastation caused by the deer. My view regarding the peaceful deer has changed. I no longer see that as peaceful, lovely animals. I now see them as pests, monstrous rodents. As a result of the deer's new found infatuation with my garden, we only ended up getting a handful of strawberries.

For some reason, the deer must have found better gardens to visit this year. My garden has been blessedly deer free so far this year. After last year's pitiful harvest, I have a new level of gratitude for the sweet berries we are picking.

Today, as I really picked our berries for the first time, I found myself truly thankful for our strawberries. Yes, Ayla was a little over-zealous in her picking. In her excitement, she decided that it was better to fill her bowl than to make sure the berries were completely ripe. Even so, I am thankful for our early, abundant harvest of strawberries.

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What are you thankful for today?

 Come join me (and my friends at Adventures Of Raising A Baby In The City )! Every almost every Thursday, I will post something for which I am thankful, and I would love it if you participate as well. It is medicine for the soul to give thanks and, when practiced regularly, results in contentment. It can be anything: silly, personal, or blog related. Just take a moment to give thanks!

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