A knowledgeable home gardener shared a how-to video for growing fresh strawberries. Her reel included helpful instructions, tips, and information on nurturing berries grown at home.
The scoop
Amy Chapman (@inthecottagegarden), an Instagram gardening expert, posted a reel teaching her followers how to grow strawberries.
The video begins with her telling her followers, "Never buy strawberries again." She explains that with this gardening strategy, you can enjoy "an infinite supply of strawberry plants" and "grow your own delicious berries in your garden year after year."
You only need bare-root strawberry plants, warm water, and a soil plot. Amy explained that she used Marshmello variety strawberries from Marshalls Garden. She recommends bare-root plants because they ship without excess plastic packaging.
Bare-root plants are young, dormant plants ready to go into soil. It's easier for most people to grow bare-root plants compared to starting with seeds.
The reel details how to rehydrate the roots, plant the strawberries in shallow soil, and nurture the baby runners that mature plants produce. Throughout the clip, Amy gives tips on planting the strawberries perfectly so you get the best results.
An important tip she mentions is that autumn is the optimal time to plant strawberries. This way, they'll be thriving by the time warm weather comes.
How it's working
As Amy emphasizes, this gardening tip ensures you'll have abundant strawberries on hand. Strawberries are tastiest when fresh. And when grown at home, you can eat them right off the stem.
Planting a few also saves you money on groceries while you enjoy juicy berries. Amy triumphantly noted in her caption, "I never have to buy supermarket berries again."
🗣️ What is the biggest reason you don't grow food at home?
🔘 Not enough time ⏳
🔘 Not enough space 🤏
🔘 It seems too hard 😬
🔘 I have a garden already 😎
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
Beyond the benefits for your tastebuds and wallet, home gardening can also improve mental well-being. According to the Mayo Clinic, gardening can reduce stress and anxiety while improving mood. Caring for a little plant, sharing your garden with neighbors, and spending time outside all support mental wellness.
Growing your own food also helps the planet, reducing waste and pollution. By doing this, you lessen transportation pollution, the need for plastic packaging, and the use of harmful chemicals.
According to the University of Michigan Center for Sustainable Systems, the transportation of food accounts for about 5% of a household's carbon footprint. The more food you grow at home, the smaller your carbon footprint.
You'll also encourage biodiversity in your area, benefitting insects and other wildlife.
What people are saying
People showed intrigue, excitement, and passion about this. The idea enticed many, like one person who said, "These sound amazing."
Others echoed Amy's love for home garden berries. One commenter said, "I grow strawberries and they are delicious homegrown." And another was ecstatic about the environmental impact of bare-root plants. They said, "Love the no plastic!"
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