Question:
This will be my first attempt at planting strawberries. Is there a type of strawberry that doesn’t produce runners? How would I go about planting them in a strawberry pot/jar with side pockets?
Answer:
The Everbearing type of strawberries are the closest you’re going to get to a runnerless strawberries. They also happen to be the most productive as they produce three crops a year. June Bearer is the other type of strawberry and is the one commerically planted because it produces the largest size berry. For most homeowners, they’ll take quanity over size. Strawberries grow equally well in a clay or ceramic Strawberry Jar with any type of commercial planting mix. They like a sunny location with five to six hours of direct sunlight per day. The first step is to fill the jar with soil up to the first series of openings and insert the plants through the side pockets. You insert a drip stake down the center to aid in the distribution of water as the plants mature. The soil need not be level with the edges of the pockets, as you need a depression for water. Next, you add more soil/plants and repeat the process untill all the side pockets are planted. Next aid soil with in an inch of the up to within one half inch of the top of the container finish adding your plants. When planting strawberry plants be very careful not to bury the crown of the plants. The crown is the fleshy area were the roots attach to its base. This needs to be at or just above the soil line. I’d water the plants with a Dramm soft rain nozzle or watering wand and add water to the drip stake. The gentle stream of water doesn’t splash soil all over the place. While strawberries, do well in containers, it may not be the ideal if your looking for everyone in your household. The general rule of thumb is to plant five to ten berry plants per individual. So, a strawberry jar would be sufficient for one individual.
Question:
The leaves on my thirty year old Modesto Ash tree have turned brown and have fallen off the tree several times. Is this the result of the drought we been having?
Answer:
Anthracnose or Modesto Ash Blight is an air borne fungal disease that causes the leaves to turn brown and drop off. The primary cause is cool, damp weather as the leaves are emerging in the spring. It infects or attacks the emerging leaves causing the tree to defoliate. It’s a common problem in many older neighborhoods as reisistant varieties weren’t available as there are today. When this occurs, you just need to be patient. The problem solves itself, once the rainy season concludes and temperatures return to normal. Chemical controls are available but impractical for most homowners to apply. Anthracnose rarely has a serious or damaging effect on the long term health of the tree. It’s more of a nuisance having to pick up the leaf drop and the bare branches are unsightly.
