CHERRYGAL STRAWBERRY PLANTS ORGANIC MIX 25 PLANTS. It is time to thin my organic strawberry patch which is loaded with a mixture of Benton (June bearing), Ft Laramie and Tristar (Everbearing) plants, all healthy and thriving and great producers! Recent studies have shown that commercially grown strawberries retain much of the pesticides and chemical fertilizers they are subject to in production - regardless of washing. Plus, instances of e-coli and other food-borne contaminants are on the rise in the commercial strawberry fields. So organically grown strawberries are really the only safe strawberry anymore. Productive in zones 4 - 10. Included:

BENTON STRAWBERRY (Fragaria x ananassa) "Fragaria" is latin for "fragrant" and that certainly applies to these delicious berries! Benton are June producing plants with large berries that hold their size well through their fruiting, medium bright red skin, calyx easily removed for preparation, and excellent eaten fresh or frozen. It is also the easiest to grow of the June strawberries. It tolerates wetter soils and disease problems. It ripens later in June than most varieties.

TRISTAR (EB18 x MdU4258) Developed by plant scientists at the United States Department of Agriculture, from a single plant discovered near Salt Lake City, Utah, Tri-Star requires no special care to start bearing loads of fruit continuously. Tristar are everbearing and a choice for home growers. Produces medium to small flavorful fruit with tender skins. It is resistant to both red stele and verticillium wilt. Excellent for use in patio gardens and/or hanging baskets. Also sets an exceptional number of strong runners and daughter plants that will also flower and bear fruit the same season. AND, they are exceptionally tolerant of heat and will produce in heat as high as 95 degrees and if brought indoors and artificial pollination provided (you with a Q-tip) will even produce indoors in the winter! How cool is that?

Did you know . . . Strawberry fruits are aggregates made up of several small fruits, each with one seed called an achene. The flesh of the strawberry is actually an enlarged receptacle, non-reproductive -- but oh, so delicious! -- material.

Nutritional Composition: Two separate studies presented at the 2003 American Dietetic Association Food and Nutrition Conference and Exhibition reveal that in addition to being low in fat and calories, strawberries are naturally high in fiber, vitamin C, folate, potassium and antioxidants, making them a sweet choice that advances heart health, reduces the risk of certain types of cancer, and gives a boost to total body (and mind) wellness.

Planting Pointers: One of the most important aspects of a healthy strawberry patch is location -- a minimum of six hours of sunlight a day. Although you can get a harvestable crop with as little as six hours of direct sunlight per day, the largest harvests and best quality berries come from those plants that get the advantage of full sun. Choose a spot away from large trees, which may send roots into your strawberry bed. And when making a strawberry bed in an established garden, be sure to locate it away from any spot where you have grown peppers, tomatoes, eggplant or potatoes. These plants can harbor verticillium wilt, which is devastating to strawberries. Your strawberry bed should have good drainage and be well tilled with rich organic matter such as manure or compost to give your strawberry plants a good start, with amendments again in the spring. Keep your plants well watered until they are established (but don't overdo) and up to fruiting time. Withhold additional water just before fruiting so that sugar content increases! The crop the first Spring will be modest, and abundant the second Spring. Give a moderate feeding of a good organic fertilizer mixed into the soil when you plant with crowns just below surface of the soil and repeat in very early spring. You should pinch out any blossoms this year so that all the plant's energy goes into root production.