From last year's planting, I've had unbelievable success with my Cavendish strawberries. Why it is unbelievable is that shortly after I started the new strawberry patch, some bad weeds took over the bed. They were the kinds that cannot be weeded out, red clover, dock, dandelions and the occasional big bully, chicory. They dug in their enormous roots and defied me to get them out without killing the strawberry plants.
Basically, I could not fight them. It was a sad moment when I just gave up and walked away. I didn't water them in the late summer or early spring dry days. This springtime, I never expected to see a solitary berry.
It was a big happy surprise to find, in among all those rampant weeds, some prize strawberries. Every day or two I get another three to five quarts of these beauties, seventeen quarts so far.
It makes me wonder why I've always been so vigilant with weeding and watering. Even more surprising is the fact that we've had ten inches of rain in May, which usually is rotten news for strawberries.
Perhaps the weeds held the berries up out of the wetness. Whatever the case, there will be plenty of homemade strawberry ice cream, freezer jam and snacking in the patch.
Tonight, when the full moon comes up, I'll be full of strawberries.
