February means strawberry season in Florida which also means strawberry picking—at least for my kids, it does.
You the season is here when the strawberry displays in your grocery begin to grow in size—enormous size—taking up space from the front to the back and all across the produce aisles. Plant City is ground zero for everything strawberry and celebrates the season in grand country tradition with the Plant City Strawberry Festival. Otherwise known as BIG fun, the event runs from February 26 – March 8.
Every now and again the kids and I try our hand at strawberries. They aren’t hard to grow but we never seem to harvest enough to quench our hunger for the gems. Mind you that’s because we use them in everything from smoothies to dessert, pancakes to pies.
When growing strawberries, pine needle mulch is a must. Berries like their soil acidic and pine needles will do the trick. They like fish emulsion for feed, in addition to worm poop and general all-purpose organic fertilizer. Make sure to keep their soil well-drained and you will soon have yourself a ton of beautiful red berries.
If you’d like to find a farm near you and try your hand at strawberry picking follow the link provided by Pick Your Own. This is an international source, mind you, and in addition to strawberries, you’ll be able to locate blueberry farms, pumpkin patches—all kinds of stuff! Looking for something new to try? Check out the All Recipes strawberry page. YUM. Or how about trying your hand at homemade strawberry preserves? The kids and did and were surprised how easy it was to do. For complete instructions, refer to the recipe on my blog here.
Why not have your own “picking party” and invite friends over to harvest your strawberries? My kids always enjoy gardening more when joined by their friends. Whatever you do, have fun and enjoy the sweet taste of Mother Nature.
I love strawberry season! We have everything strawberry when I go picking. Living in Plant City, it’s easy to pick way more then needed! If you come in the area for picking or for the festival let me know. Maybe we can meet up!