It's Strawberry Planting Time!

We found this really neat place out on Manning Ave going towards Reedley from Golden State.  It is called Ortegas, for my Vegas peeps it is much like Little Baja.  We purchased two large strawberry pots and a small one.  The large one will hold strawberry plants... duh, but I got the little one to plant a succulent garden in.  It only has four pockets and then the top so it will be a cute addition to my patio.  In addition to the strawberry pots we got a cute bird bath and I finally got a St Francis of Assisi statue for my yard! I have always wanted one and now... I do.

I went online to learn the proper technique for planting strawberry pots and so right now I am soaking the pots with water because they are made of terra cotta and it will draw all the moisture from the soil and plants if I don't prepare them.  I also learned that to insure all plants get sufficient water you need to place a piece of PVC pipe that you have drilled holes in down the middle of the pot and water from the top.  This acts as a drip irrigation system of sorts.  I got the proper potting soil, blood meal and fertilizer so I am hoping to have a "bumper" crop of strawberries!!

Strawberry pots being "prepped"

Yummy, strawberry plants waiting to be planted.

I need to go back to Home Depot or Fowler Ace Hardware to purchase more strawberry plants as I got the last ten plants that Home Depot had yesterday and I need at least six more to top off the "garden". Each pot has twelve pockets and the there is room at the top for three to four more plants. I am excited about planting these strawberries and look forward to enjoying the "fruits" of my labors later this summer.

This beautiful sunflower came from Simonian's on Jensen and Clovis Ave.

This garden sculpture also came from Simonian's

Small strawberry pot succulent garden

St. Francis

All in all, the backyard is starting to come together.  It will be a wonderful place to relax in this spring and summer.  We have also added a bird feeder with more to come.  I have two chicken feeders that I am going to do something with.  One I think will be used for button display in my scraptuary and the other I think I will make into a hanging feeder for the little birdies in our back yard. 

Thanks for reading my ramblings today and I hope you all have a wonderfully relaxing Saturday.

Cathie