Strawberries, Yum, Yum, Yum!

It is strawberry picking time!!!

Here is the same strawberry just six days ago - it never ceases to amaze me how quickly things change in the garden. I am completely fascinated by the ever-changing face of nature.So one of the things that has been on my mind is slug patrol...this is the edge of the strawberry bed. The punched out metal strip is copper that the husband attached around the bed. Copper reacts with a slug's skin, sending an uncomfortable electric current through them if they try to cross it. (I think it's like biting foil when you have metal fillings - makes me cringe just to think about it!)

So far th copper seems to be working, though some of the strawberries are growing a little out-of-bounds...My inner control freak makes me move them back whenever I go out there to weed and water. I know, I know, trying to control nature is pretty futile, they end up sneaking back over.

If the copper tape doesn't completely do the trick, I am going to try the beer in tuna can method next...those strawberries are delicous and I don't want to share with nasty, slimy creatures!

As far as the non-slimy but still annoying birds than want to get to our strawberries before us, we invested in a bit of bird netting to fend them off. A few berries had been picked at in what appeared to be a bird-like manner, but since the netting has been over the strawberry patch I haven't noticed anymore eaten fruit.

On the subject of berries, I checked out our blueberry bushes today - they are both looking great. I transplanted them about 3 weeks ago, hoping they'd like their new home at the end of the garden. They seem to, especially this one, it's definitely carrying more berries than it did a year ago. I can't wait to pick these yummy little treats!