Strawberries are one of the most popular summer fruits.
They taste great on their own and top off a pavlova nicely.
Plus, they're pretty easy to grow.
I'll show you how to plant them and care for them.
And I'll give you a few handy tips
to make sure you get plenty for your summer desserts.
The best time to plant strawberries in New Zealand
is from June to October in the warmer northern regions
and August to October in the cooler southern regions.
Strawberry plants will grow almost anywhere
that's got plenty of sun and isn't too wet.
They also love good drainage, so a raised planter bed like this
is just perfect.
You could also grow them in a pot, a trough, or a hanging
basket.
There are a few types of strawberry plants.
We've chosen three different types here
because they fruit at different times throughout the season.
When it comes to soil, the easiest thing to do
is to use some strawberry mix.
It's got the perfect blend of nutrients for a great crop.
So don't be shy with the amount you use,
and mix it well through your existing soil.
Then create a mound about 10 centimeters high to plant into.
This helps with drainage and air circulation around the plants.
Space your plants evenly according to the recommended
spacing on the back of the tag.
For these, it's about 30 to 40 centimeters.
Now, we've got all our plants spaced out.
Next thing is to get them in the ground.
Just before they go in, give them a quick soak
in a bucket of seaweed tonic, which helps reduce
stress and transplant shock.
We're going to want to check the depth.
So check the height of the pot that the plant
is in with the depth of your hole
so that they roughly line up.
Once you're happy, give the pot a little squeeze just
to check that it isn't root-bound.
Two fingers over the top, little pat,
place it in the hole neatly, and just
secure the soil around the base of the plant,
making sure that the crown is above the soil level.
It's a great idea to add a layer of pea straw
around your plants.
It helps retain moisture in the soil, keeps the weeds at bay,
and helps protect against pests and disease.
Finally, give your new plants a good watering in.
During the growing period, water regularly.
But back off just as the berries start to ripen,
as overwatering might give you soft and flavorless fruit.
Feed with strawberry food every six weeks or so.
It's got the ideal N P K ratio for strawberry plants.
That's nitrogen, N, for foliage, phosphorus, P for root growth,
and potassium, K, to help with that all-important fruiting.
When it comes to pests and disease,
check the underside of your leaves for mites or aphids.
And look out for slugs or snails.
There's also a few fungal diseases
to look out for, like leaf spot, rust, and botrytis.
If you spot any of these, just head in-store and we'll
sort you out with the right product.
If you're not sure what you're looking at, just take a photo
and bring it in.
It's also a good idea to stake some
netting over your plants to stop the birds from getting
into the fruit.
Start picking when the berries are fully coloured,
but not before, as they won't ripen after picking.
The best way to harvest is to snip them at the stem,
leaving a little part of the stalks still on there.
When it looks like the fruiting is finished,
remove all the old leaves and stems.
If you look after them, the plants
could last you up to three years,
with even better cropping in the second and third year.
In their second season, look out for runners,
which are basically baby strawberry plants, which
you can snip and replant.
So that's all you need to know about growing strawberries.
Follow our advice, and come summer,
you'll be picking your own dessert, Easy As.