How to Grow Your Own Organic Strawberries
Strawberries are one of England’s favourite fruits, but they are also one of the so-called ‘dirty dozen’, in that most punnets on sale are covered in chemicals (which also means they don’t taste nice either). Related to roses, strawberries are the only fruits with their seeds on the outside, and each one contains 200 mini-fruits.
The good news is that strawberries are perennial fruits, so once you plant them, they will continue to give you fruit for around five years. Packed with nutrition, strawberries have more vitamin C than oranges, are very hydrating (they are nearly all water) and even contain malic acid to remove stains from your teeth!
Ancient Romans used to eat strawberries to cure fevers, bad breath and even depression. You can buy organic strawberry plants for big red berries, or the smaller wild Alpine strawberries are sweeter in taste (strawberries never sweeten more, once harvested).
What you need to grow organic strawberries
Strawberries love a sheltered south-facing spot, that gets 6 to 8 hours of direct sun each day. England’s climate is perfect for growing strawberries. Strawberries need fertile well-drained peat-free soil, so if you have poor soil (including heavy clay), try growing them in pots or raised beds. Avoid growing near potatoes, tomatoes or chrysanthemums.
- Read up on pet-friendly gardens for plants and mulches (like cocoa) to avoid
- Use humane non-toxic methods to deter slugs/snails
- For indoor plants and greenhouses, use Feather Friendly bird tape to stop birds flying into windows (avoid facing indoor plants to face gardens).
Use fruit protector bags (never use netting as this can trap birds and wildlife). Fasten over fruit as it starts to ripen, and leave until harvest (remove during flowering to let bees pollinate, or no fruit will develop). If laundered, use a microfiber filter.
Strawberries need fertile well-drained soil, so if you have poor soil (including heavy clay), try growing them in pots or raised beds, so you can buy some good peat-free compost for best results. Avoid growing them near potatoes, tomatoes or chrysanthemums.
Once planted, water at the base to keep leaves and fruit dry and keep soil moist (but not waterlogged). Once flowers appear, feed weekly or fortnightly with natural liquid fertiliser, and optionally tuck wheat straw behind the leaves, to protect from damp soil (and suppress weeds).
Plants grown nearby to deter aphids are garlic, onion, borage and marigolds – but all are toxic to pets. In this case, organic gardens will naturally attract ladybirds to eat them (bees will pollinate strawberries plants in spring).
Where to buy sustainable strawberry plants
If you can’t find sustainable strawberry plants locally:
Rocket Gardens are sold in biodegradable pots that can be planted or peeled off before planting (in spring to late autumn). You should get 3 to 4 cropping seasons from each plant. Sent in plastic-free packaging.
This company’s vegetables and herbs are organic, the strawberries are the best we could find commercially (in sustainable packaging).
Ways to eat fresh organic strawberries
Strawberries are best avoided for birch pollen allergies, and people who have a history of kidney stones or take blood-thinning medication. Avoid for small children and swallowing difficulties.
- Eat them fresh with Coconut Collab double cre&m!
- Slice them over thick plant-based yoghurt
- Dip into melted dark chocolate
- Drop slices into a pitcher of iced water
- Blend with plantmilk, yoghurt and banana for smoothies.
- Crush and use in a vegan Eton mess
