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Post by Moonlight on Feb 11, 2013 9:42:05 GMT
I would like to grow strawberries. The variety I have been looking at is Cambridge Favourite and catalogues I've read say it is good for jam and one said: "Often regarded as the finest variety for making strawberry jam" which led me to thinking of how many strawberry plants does it take to make some jam?
I have happy memories of going strawberry picking (scoffing) as a child with my family. My Mum made glorious jam (even if she would argue that she didn't.) thick or runny it was wonderful and the smell in the kitchen was glorious to. She made damson, plum, gooseberry and others.
Not wishing to grow a field of strawberries but I did wonder, how many plants would I need to get enough fruit to make some jam. I'm not thinking thimble but neither am I thinking Hartley's or Robinsons.
Sounds like either an algebraic question or the same as asking how long is a piece of string but I would like to know if anyone has ever grown enough of their own fruit to make jam.
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Post by Rosie on Feb 11, 2013 10:11:15 GMT
It would depend on a lot of things Moonlight, how good the soil is,The richer the soil the more fruit you will get, how good a growing season it had been, my strawberries last season were pathetic And how much jam you wanted to make. 1 1/2kg of berries ahould make about 2.3kg of jam. Plus the 1st year you should let your plants put down roots and not let them fruit. Not that i have done that ;D ;D I am way too inpatient for that ;D
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Post by Moonlight on Feb 11, 2013 10:34:29 GMT
It would depend on a lot of things Moonlight, how good the soil is,The richer the soil the more fruit you will get, how good a growing season it had been, my strawberries last season were pathetic And how much jam you wanted to make. 1 1/2kg of berries ahould make about 2.3kg of jam. Plus the 1st year you should let your plants put down roots and not let them fruit. Not that i have done that ;D ;D I am way too inpatient for that ;D forget the jam, what no strawberries?
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Post by Rosie on Feb 11, 2013 10:41:23 GMT
It would depend on a lot of things Moonlight, how good the soil is,The richer the soil the more fruit you will get, how good a growing season it had been, my strawberries last season were pathetic And how much jam you wanted to make. 1 1/2kg of berries ahould make about 2.3kg of jam. Plus the 1st year you should let your plants put down roots and not let them fruit. Not that i have done that ;D ;D I am way too inpatient for that ;D forget the jam, what no strawberries? Thats what your meant to do for the first year, shocking isn't it ;D ;D
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Post by Moonlight on Feb 11, 2013 11:14:59 GMT
forget the jam, what no strawberries? Thats what your meant to do for the first year, shocking isn't it ;D ;D but what about pots like strawberry pots with the holes in?
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Post by Cherry on Feb 11, 2013 12:14:55 GMT
Moonlight, Cambridge Favourite is a very soft skinned old variety which is only good for jam unless it is picked and eaten straight away. It has been superseded. I grow a few varieties and this morning took delivery of a surprise parcel of Anais, an everbearer, and Candiss. These are new to me and I am looking forward to growing them.
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Post by Moonlight on Feb 11, 2013 12:19:41 GMT
Moonlight, Cambridge Favourite is a very soft skinned old variety which is only good for jam unless it is picked and eaten straight away. It has been superseded. I grow a few varieties and this morning took delivery of a surprise parcel of Anais, an everbearer, and Candiss. These are new to me and I am looking forward to growing them. What is an everbearer?
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Post by Lou78W on Feb 11, 2013 13:48:28 GMT
Everbearrs usually fruit for the whole season...up to October (depending where youlive)...I made raspberry jam last year...I just froze the berries until I had enough. You could do this with strawbs as well ;D
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Post by Moonlight on Feb 11, 2013 14:12:41 GMT
Everbearrs usually fruit for the whole season...up to October (depending where youlive)...I made raspberry jam last year... I just froze the berries until I had enough. You could do this with strawbs as well ;D That makes sense. Problem with strawberries they just go, quite happy for the little fingers to go munch better than eating chocolate. I guess that I should change my variety, it is just that it was the cheapest, I guess that is why. Hay hoe I'll get there in the end.
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Post by Moonlight on Feb 11, 2013 14:37:28 GMT
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Post by Moonlight on Feb 11, 2013 14:40:29 GMT
Failing that I'll let the girls decide whether they would be able to agree is another thing though
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Post by Rosie on Feb 11, 2013 14:44:57 GMT
The half dead looking one's could just be waiting to burst into life. they look dead untill the weather warms up and new leaves comethrough. strawberries are tough plants The ever bearer strawbs is a good idea also the freezing ;D
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Post by Cherry on Feb 11, 2013 17:30:57 GMT
That's right Rosie. Some of the strawberries look more dead than others at this time of the year.
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Post by Rosie on Feb 12, 2013 9:40:56 GMT
That's right Rosie. Some of the strawberries look more dead than others at this time of the year. My one's in the polytunnel are just showing signs of life, you can see a tiny bit of green in the centre, this year by hook or by crook i will have a strawberry bed in the garden!!
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Post by ladybird on Feb 12, 2013 20:10:17 GMT
Moonlight, T&M ( via GYO mag ) still have the offer on until the 18th of Feb for 6 Elsanta strawberry plants, plus 3 packets of seeds free, just £5.60 postage. I just sent for them today , (it was the seeds that got me ) if your interested go to the site and type in GYB17.
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