If you’ve been following me for awhile you know I have been battling getting a strawberry patch up and running. For several years I was trying to grow the wrong variety of strawberries for this area. And I mean a REAL wrong variety.
For several day lately we’ve enjoyed the “fruits of our labor” so to speak. This morning was a big HUGE payday!
Take a look at these babies…
It has taken me about 4 or 5 years to get to this point…but I got here. And brother let me tell you…it was worth it. And I don’t mean just a little bit. These berries are big, ripe, full of flavor and amazing. Yeah, nothing like the red cardboard balls you get from the store.
As the title of the post says…it has taken a lot of hard work and patience to get here…and it was worth every bit of it.
As a side note…while I was picking the strawberries I was pulling a few weeds as I went. Basic old weeds and grass…with one exception. I didn’t recognize it and pulled it too. Oh boy!!
About 15 seconds later my hand was on fire! It felt like a 1,000 fire ants on my hand all biting me at the same time. I got my hands washed right away but almost 2 hours later and my hand is still stinging a fair amount. Bummer!
I had to chuckle though…kinda like life: hard work, a little help along the way, patience…and at the pay-off still a bit of pain to go through…but well worth it. Yup, sounds like life to me. How about you?
The truly best part this morning…I will have a ton of daughter plants to completely fill my beds later this summer!!! That means tons of berries next year while enjoying pounds of berries this year.
And if you would like just a sampling of the Great Strawberry Journey…
1. October 31, 2022
GARDEN: Strawberry Patch 2022 Fall Update
https://ahtrimble.com/2022/10/31/garden-strawberry-patch-2022-fall-update/
The first major strawberry report. You describe establishing the original plants, propagating daughter plants from runners, and expanding the patch for the following year. This is really where the modern strawberry story begins.
2. July 11, 2023
Plan B, Plan C, and Strawberries…
https://ahtrimble.com/2023/07/11/plan-b-plan-c-and-strawberries/
Probably the most important “lesson learned” article. You recount:
- burning up the first patch with overly hot compost,
- rebuilding,
- growing 52 healthy plants,
- then losing the berry crop by over-fertilizing.
It’s the article that explains why later decisions changed.
3. February 24, 2025
Update (2/24/2025)
https://ahtrimble.com/2025/02/24/update-2-24-2025/
Not primarily a strawberry article, but it mentions giving away strawberry starts and helping friends begin their own berry patch. It shows the strawberry project beginning to bless others.
4. March 22, 2026
Sometimes I Just Get Excited…
https://ahtrimble.com/2026/03/22/sometimes-i-just-get-excited/
You announce ordering 50 bare-root plants (Albion and Eversweet) and your excitement about finally building the large strawberry patch you’ve envisioned.
5. April 1, 2026
Glamstead Update : 04/01/2026
https://ahtrimble.com/2026/04/01/glamstead-update-04-01-2026/
You explain changing varieties, abandoning Sequoia, expanding to five raised beds, preparing the soil, and the vision for an 80-plant patch.
6. April 7, 2026
GARDEN : Disaster Strikes!
https://ahtrimble.com/2026/04/07/garden-disaster-strikes/
A hard freeze hits immediately after planting the bare-root strawberries. One of the biggest setbacks in the series.
7. April 14, 2026
GARDEN : Strawberries – Planting Bare Root
https://ahtrimble.com/2026/04/14/garden-strawberries-planting-bare-root/
The actual planting of the Albion and Eversweet bare-root strawberries, along with lessons learned about suppliers and costs.
8. April 16, 2026
GARDEN : Strawberries – Planting Live Plants
https://ahtrimble.com/2026/04/16/garden-strawberries-planting-live-plants/
Planting the live Eversweet plants and comparing the experience with bare-root stock.
9. May 12, 2026
GARDEN : Strawberry Patch Problems…again!
https://ahtrimble.com/2026/05/12/garden-strawberry-patch-problems-again/
The low point. Plants are failing, you consult an expert, change your fertilizing, mulching, and irrigation strategy, and begin the rescue effort.
10. May 19, 2026
GARDEN : My Plea to You… (Please Read!!)
https://ahtrimble.com/2026/05/19/garden-my-plea-to-you-please-read/
The strawberry patch becomes the example behind your encouragement for others to start gardening—even if it’s only a few strawberry plants.
11. May 20, 2026
GARDEN : Update! (05/20/2026)
https://ahtrimble.com/2026/05/20/garden-update-05-20-2026/
Signs of recovery appear. Some plants thrive, some fail, and you lay out the long-term strategy of filling gaps with daughter plants.
