about 3 years ago I made a new bed (outisde my garden) for some strawberries - I ordered some plants off an internet site that said they were suppose to be Gigantic Strawberries. (As big as peaches - that wasn't true - maybe just a bit bigger than average) but they tasted awful - I have never had such bad strawberries in my life. They were so tart and had an awful taste to them even though they looked really nice bright red and ripe. The plants looked so nice and big and healthy.
I made my bed over an old dead tree stump (to hide the little bit of stump left) For constructing this new bed I used some recycled cinder block type bricks from a building that was being torn down - the bed is raised about 10 - 14 inches off the ground and the soil in it is half my clay type soil I have in this area a qaurter vermiculite mixture for better drainage and a quarter bagged organic potting soil... I have no idea what I did wrong. Could it be be the rotting stump under them or the sorce I orderd them from?
Some research I did the year before last told me to fertilize with Epsom Salt which I tried with 3 seperate applications last year and it had no impact on the flavor whatsoever - They are getting torn out this year unless anyone has other ideas for me...
Right now I'm thinking the problem I have is the plants I got and I should start over. Any Ideas?
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FruitAddict
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!potatoes!
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applestar
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I think so too. Especially when huge size is the main feature.
That said, strawberries need to ripen fully to be really tasty. That's the whole point of home growing because "can't get any riper" strawberries couldn't be packaged and shipped without spoiling.
in the summertime, my garden smells like strawberry jam from all the peak strawberries warming in the hot sun. Until peak production when we can't keep up any more and I start freezing them, they often don't make it back into the kitchen.
That said, strawberries need to ripen fully to be really tasty. That's the whole point of home growing because "can't get any riper" strawberries couldn't be packaged and shipped without spoiling.
in the summertime, my garden smells like strawberry jam from all the peak strawberries warming in the hot sun. Until peak production when we can't keep up any more and I start freezing them, they often don't make it back into the kitchen.
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WinglessAngel
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I have also heard along my gardening way that cinderblocks have toxins and poisons in them that leach out into the dirt that they become into contact with and can be harmful to the plants sometimes killing them or causing plant distress. probably not what you want to hear, but wood is much better. maybe you could try inserting wood slats in between the blocks and your dirt and maybe that will help? IDK just a thought