Strawberries, the fruit that shouts summer. I love fresh strawberries, I do not mind using frozen berries in smoothies for example but fresh strawberries are a taste treat all by themselves, just sitting in a bowl waiting for me to dig in. Or add some cottage cheese or yogurt.

I can’t forget strawberry shortcake and my very favourite strawberry rhubarb pie.

Strawberry- rhubarb pie:

I use two frozen pie shells, when bottom one is full with the fruit I place the second one on top and use a fork to pierce crust. Works well.

• 4 cups rhubarb, chopped
• 2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• Dash sea salt
• Lemon juice to taste

Preheat oven to 400° F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into a circle large enough to fit a 9-inch pie pan. Line pan with pastry, trim and cinch edges. Chill until ready to fill.

Toss rhubarb and strawberries with sugar, cornstarch, spices and salt to coat. Fill pie shell with fruit.

Bake pie on a tray at 400° F for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350° F and bake for about 40 minutes more, until filling is bubbling.

Strawberries:

There are four basic types of strawberries. They are June bearing or spring bearing, ever bearing and day neutral.

The fruits of day neutral plants and ever bearers are usually smaller than June-bearers fruit.

June bearing strawberries are classified into early, mid-season and late varieties. They will produce a crop during a two-to-three week period in the spring and produce flowers, fruits and runners.

The ever bearing strawberries will produce three periods of flowers and fruit during the spring, summer and fall. And only produce a few runners.

Day neutral strawberries are able to provide you with this delicious fruit all season long and they too will only generate a few runners.

If your space is small your best bets are the ever bearing and day neutral strawberries. These two are able to grow terraced beds, barrels or pyramids. A bonus is that they can be used as an edging plant or a groundcover.

The optimum soil pH for strawberry production is 6.0- 6.5.

Strawberries are an excellent container plant and ideal for balcony or patio.

Growing Strawberries in Strawberry Pots:

1. Plant strawberries early- after the last frost.

2. Decide which species of strawberry you want to plant. Ever bearing strawberries should bear fruit the year you plant. June bearing strawberries fruit the following year

3. A strawberry pot is a great way to begin your relationship with strawberries; terra cotta works best.

4. Fill your strawberry pot up to the first pocket with a rich potting soil that is high in sphagnum peat moss. This will help the strawberry plants retain moisture.

5. Plant a plant in the first pocket letting the leaves and most of the stem hang out.

6. Add soil up to the next pocket and plant another plant.

7. After you are finished planting the pockets fill the jar up to the top with soil; then plant the remaining plants in the top of the pot. Six plants per pot work well.

8. Water the plants and place them in a sunny location.

9. Water the plants everyday and be sure to pick the berries otherwise the yield will not be as good as it can be.

It is possible to grow strawberries indoors in a hanging pot; it will need sufficient light and water and may not be a produce as much fruit as growing them outdoors but a few fresh home grown strawberries in the middle of winter is well worth the effort.