Here’s a little quiz for Tucson-area gardeners: When is the best time to plant strawberries: September, January or March?
If you guessed now — September — you win.
Last year, upon advice from the folks at The Magic Garden Nursery and Landscape, I planted strawberries in the early fall.
By March, I was harvesting some of the best strawberries I’ve ever had. They were much tastier than you’d find at any supermarket.
The plants — an ever-bearing variety — continued fruiting into May, but by summer every plant had croaked, even though I had moved them into the shade and watered them every day.
Was it a waste of money? Not for me — I adore fresh strawberries and don’t mind planting them as annuals every year.
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But Tony Sarah of The Magic Garden Nursery says you can keep strawberry plants alive during the hottest months by watering twice a day — and at the same time of day.
That last bit of advice goes for many plants, he says. You can’t water in the morning on a Monday and in the evening on a Tuesday, for example.
Read on for more tips:
Contact me at onesnowpea@tucson.com or call 573-4163.
