I had lots of strawberries this year and they where of nice size but where not sweet . What do I need to do. Indiana Country Friend Jack Bunyard

-- Jack Bunyard (bunyard@cnz.com), January 11, 2001

Answers

Did you have alot of rain? that sometimes makes them blah.

-- renee oneill{md.} (oneillsr@home.com), January 11, 2001.

Put sugar on them.....................JAY

-- JAY (jay@townsqr.com), January 11, 2001.

That's right Jay. Sugar works for me. I have heard some people use manure on them too. But I much prefer sugar and cream. JR

-- JR (jr3star@earthlink.net), January 11, 2001.

Variety-some look good but lack taste.Too much rain and overcast weather-need the sun.Too shady an area-sun again.

I can't recommend a variety.I planted cavendish,too sweet and not enough strawberry flavor,but good for freezer.

Surecrop was recommended by local grower,and I planted some last year,so I'll see if it meets my expectations.

Sparkle I tried in the past and didn't like.Everbearings never did what expected for me.Fruit expert for Ag extension agreed with me on that one.

Alpines do well for me,but are a completely different taste.Good, just different.

Honeyohe didn't do well here.Well that's the ones I know.

-- sharon wt (wildflower@ekyol.com), January 11, 2001.

Ours were really blah in michigan this year too. Too much rain, too cool.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), January 11, 2001.

Speaking of strawberries - this joke came out of one of the Mitford books. A farmer was hauling a load of manure when his truck broke down in front of a mental institution. One of the patients, he leaned over the fence and said, "What're you goin' to do with your manure?" The farmer said, "I'm going to put it on my strawberries." The feller said, "We might be crazy, but we put whipped cream on ours."

-- glynnis in KY (gabbycab@msn.com), January 12, 2001.

Thanks for the ideas. Indiana Country Friend Jack Bunyard

-- Jack Bunyard (bunyard@cnz.com), January 12, 2001.

Jack, mine poop out when they need to be divided. You might want to dig them up and "renovate" them.

-- sheepish (WA) (rborgo@gte.net), January 12, 2001.

I've had great luck and good flavor/sweetness from Cardinal. I also don't pick them until the tip of the berry is red.

-- marilyn (rainbow@ktis.net), January 12, 2001.

Hi Jack!

I'm voting for too much rain, too little rain and definately - variety! I recommend Jewell - it's the only berry I bother to grow anymore. I put out some Surecrop a couple years ago when my supplier was out of Jewell - waste of time IMHO. I've raised berries for sale since 1980, you wouldn't stay in business long if your berries don't taste good!

Jewell makes good size berries - not huge ones where you can only get three in a pint basket (like guardian); but it doesn't take you all day to pick a quart of them either. They get red from tip to crown and are sweet and juicy. I've been growing them since 1991, I think. They weren't supposed to do well in clay soil, but that's what I have. They weren't supposed to be able to be picked over a long season either, but I pick them every third day to begin with, then every other day for a solid three weeks. Then I pick for the freezer after that. They freeze well and make excellent freezer jam. My berry customers ask for Jewell berries by name. My buddy started in the berry business when I got to busy to continue at my former pace - he planted Surecrop the first year. Didn't take our customers long to straighten him out on variety!!

I highly recommend my supplier for anyone wanting to set out some berries - Daisy Farms, in Decatur MI. My latest catalog has disappeared into the void this weekend so I can't give the phone # and web site now, but if someone wants it, e-mail me and I'll look it up. I only put out a thousand plants at a time anymore (down from 10,000), but those thousand keep me busy AND earn me about $400-500 in May and June each year.

Which is way more than Jack wanted to know - but I like strawberries like sheepish likes sheep!!

-- Polly (tigger@moultrie.com), January 14, 2001.

Polly, where are you?

-- Sam in W.Va. (turnip55a@yahoo.com), January 15, 2001.

Sam - E. Central Illinois, look for Lake Shelbyville on a map. You can click on my e-mail addy if you want to talk berries!

-- Polly (tigger@moultrie.com), January 16, 2001.

I am looking for alpine strawberries and a start of comfrey. Bettie

-- Bettie Ferguson (jobett@dixie-net.com), February 19, 2002.