terrace garden notes continue

Independence from money in this economic Twilight Zone the world is in leads towards survival.  So learning to grow food is fundamental.

STRAWBERRIES.

  growing strawberries in a bag

What Are Strawberry Runners? (Stolons)----STRAWBERRIES FROM RUNNERS----     
How to Grow Strawberry Plants..

Three of four strawberry plants can be planted into a typical hanging basket with each 2yr old plant producing up to 1 1/2 pounds of fruit. Up to 50% less wastage occurs since the fresh breeze blowing through the strawberries keeps them dry (and therefore prevents rotting) and the slugs and snails cannot get to the fruit.

Strawberry Plants .org---

Plant Cloning....

Life Cycle of Strawberry Plants....

.....The plant should easily live over 5 years unless something happens like black root rot. Commercially, they would usually de-blossom (whether planted in spring or fall,) and harvest the first crop of berries the following year. On a smaller scale, this is probably unneccesary unless the crowns of the plants you are planting are rather small, and you need a year to get strong plants established.


Harvesting
Ripe berries appear about 30 days after bloom. Once the berry is fully red, let your taste buds be your final guide on when to harvest. Pick every two to three days, or daily in very hot weather. Keep green caps attached. 

BORAGE:
strawberries grow well next to borage:  Use the stems chopped up in salads or in stocks, stews and soups. You could also try eating them like the Spanish; simply parboil them for two minutes then deep fry in batter. Eat immediately.

 Ligurian Pansotti, a triangular ravioli filled with borage and ricotta cheese. Now we’re talking!

Borage (Borago officinalis) is an large herb with hair stems and leaves. The whole plant has a cucumber odor and flavor. Use the young leaves in green salads, seafood salads fruit salads and even fruit drinks. The leaves may also be cooked and served as for spinach. The flowers may also be used in salads or candied and used to decorate pastries and cakes......Borage is considered a weed in many regions of the United States but, like so many agricultural “weeds,” borage has a long history in the old world as an edible green.


Chilled Cucumber Soup with Borage and Sour  Cream

Cucumber, borage and ginger salad

Giovanna Voria's borage fritters )frittele di borragine(

Borage strawberries and borage panna cotta

How to Grow Borage, an annual