My strawberry plants are flourishing; many are bearing new flowers. I believe using a paper pot has aided in their growth transition, helping to avoid shock from transplantation. I favor paper pots because it’s easier to evaluate the moisture of the seedling, a challenge when using plastic pots. Despite the higher cost, I deem it worth it to avoid risking seedlings’ survival due to improper watering.

The next step is protecting the strawberry fruits from birds. Given the high bird traffic in our garden, with even a dove currently nesting, I’ve added birdnet covers supported by bamboo sticks.

Here are the blossoming strawberries:

With the first batch of strawberries progressing nicely, it’s now time for experimentation. I’ve ordered several open-pollinated strawberry seeds for planting. They aren’t the main crop for this season, but I’m prepping for next year.

Fortunately, I found https://www.ufseeds.com/, which offers a diverse array of open pollinated strawberries. The journey from seed to plant takes about 12 weeks, so I am planting now in May to facilitate their outdoor transition by August. With three months of growth before winter, I believe we’ll witness a fruitful yield by next spring.