The Garden Club September 22, 2007

Alpine (Woodland) Strawberry 'Pineapple Crush'

If you were to walk in the open woodlands of northern and central Europe, you will occasionally come across wild strawberries (Fragaria vesca). Sometimes you will happen upon an individual plant; occasionally a whole field almost solid with wild strawberries. In June, the air will be filled with the intense, sweet aroma of ripening berries - small, sweet and juicy, but so relished by the birds.

How Neat They Are!
Woodland strawberries are virtually runnerless; they form tidy ten inch tall by twelve inch wide individual clumps, which makes them useful, neat garden plants. In spring the white flowers are borne in large clusters on long, arching stems just above the foliage. In June, they ripen into a profusion of small pointed fruits, most about three quarters of an inch long. They have been enjoyed at least since Roman times. Alpine strawberries are reported to bear right up until autumn, but in my garden this has not proved true. I get one large, long crop in late spring and early summer. But, I use mine as an edging in a dry, low maintenance area in a spot that is a bit too shady; perhaps with less tree root competition and more sun they would rebloom and rebear.

How Sweet They Are!
I grow the variety 'Pineapple Crush'; one that is scarce and hard to find. It has creamy yellow fruit that the birds always ignore, just as the grower from whom I got my plants twenty years ago said they would. They have the sweet flavor of strawberry mixed with pineapple. To me, the taste is even sweeter and more flavorful than the red alpine strawberry. I know the berries are ripe when the seeds darken and the fruit separates from the stem easily. They do not store well; so at one time I usually pick only enough to eat out of hand, plus some either for my cereal or to go on top of vanilla ice cream. I have been known to alter my path so I can strip the berries from the nursery plants as I pass by.

'Pineapple Crush' Strawberries can be used in the foreground of the perennial or herb garden, as an edging, mass planted as ground cover, in strawberry jars or in mixed containers. I know of one particularly handsome herbal container combining English thyme, hardy Rosemary Old Salem, Sage Berggarten, golden Oregano, Forescate Chives and Provence hybrid Lavender. The entire container has remained outdoors on a deck for years.

Planting and Care

Hardy in Zones 4 – 9
Easy to grow and versatile.
Plant in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun or very light shade.
Fertilize in early spring and in early summer, after fruiting, with Plant-tone and Kelp Meal.
In late autumn, mulch lightly with shredded hardwood mulch or straw. That's why they are called strawberries!

Fragaria vesca Pineapple Crush: You receive 3 for $ 22.85 from 2 quart pots.

'Pineapple Crush'

Garden Club Questions and Answers

Question: I usually grow vining cucumbers, but as I'm getting older I'm trying to cut down on the size of my vegetable garden. This year I grew a bush cucumber and I was really disappointed. I got one big crop early in the season, but since then: absolutely nothing. The plant is still alive but barely so. What did I do wrong?

Answer: I suspect you did nothing wrong. It is the genetic makeup of a bush cucumber to produce over a short season. The only way I have found to get season-long production from a bush cucumber is to stager the plantings.

Question: My house plants have spent the summer outdoors. What treatment do you recommend to be sure I don't bring insects into the house? Last year I had a terrible insect problem and I'm sure it started with the plants I brought in from outdoors.

Answer: For most house plants, I recommend a thorough spray of insecticidal soap or the new Espoma Earth Tone insect control. I usually spray outdoors and then bring the plants immediately indoors. I also recommend sprinkling Systemic Granules (Di-syston) on the soil around the base of the plants. Work the granules into the soil, or cover them with a quarter inch of new potting soil, then water the plant.

Question: I'm confused about when is the best time to seed a shady lawn. I have heard both spring and fall.

Answer: Fall is really the best. But it depends upon the leaf situation. If the shade is caused by a building or if you can remove the leaves with a leaf blower twice a week, then you can seed a shady lawn in the fall. However if you cannot keep up with the leaves, they will smother the new grass seedlings. In this case I feel it is best to wait to seed until early spring. I don't recommend more than an occasional raking the fall that you seed; because each time you rake, the rake pulls out some of the tender grass seedlings.

Question: Last year I overseeded the lawn at the same time I aerated. I was not entirely happy with the results. The grass seed came up in little clumps scattered around the lawn, but only in the little holes where I aerated. I am planning on following the same process again this year because my lawn is thin. I bought the aerator to pull behind my tractor so I can aerate every year. Is there anything I can do to improve the germination of the seed? Our lawn is large, about two acres, and some things that might be practical for a small lawn, such as covering the seed with top soil, are not practical or cost effective for us.

Answer: I think your best bet is to make several passes with the aerator - more than you did last year. The more holes you make and the more cores you pull up, the better the germination will be. Incidentally I recommend applying the seed before you aerate rather than afterward.