Strawberries are a summertime staple, but buying pints of this sweet treat can add up fast at the grocery store. But what if you could enjoy an endless supply of juicy berries without the sticker shock?
One savvy gardener figured out a simple trick to double her strawberry yield every year, and the best part is it's totally free.
The scoop
Idaho-based gardening TikToker Abbi (@makegardenmagic) recently shared her secret for propagating new strawberry plants from runners. Here's how it works.
@makegardenmagic You can just let strawberries propagate & fill up a garden bed, but if you want to manage the placement more you can use this simple process to create more strawberry plants! I now have almost 60 new strawberry plants started that will be going into my front yard edible landscape as ground cover this fall! #strawberries #plantpropagation #gardeninghacks #gardengirlgang #growingyourownfood #growtherainbow #garden #gardentok ♬ original sound - Abbi | making garden magic
"Strawberries propagate very easily on their own by sending out these runners," Abbi explains. "Each runner can have two to three potential strawberry plants on it."
To turn those baby plants into a bumper crop, simply snip them off the runner, pop them in soil, and let the magic happen.
"Even if the runner just has a few bumps on the bottom, those can turn into roots," she adds.
The only thing to watch out for: Don't bury the base of the stems, and keep freshly potted plants in a shady spot at first.
"Maybe add a humidity dome if you live in a really dry climate," Abbi suggests. "In just a few weeks, they'll be ready to plant out or give away."
How it's helping
This simple hack can save you serious cash. A single strawberry plant costs around $5 at most nurseries. Multiply that by the 10 to 20 new plants a mature plant sends out each year, and you're looking at $50 to $100 worth of free fruit.
But the benefits of gardening go beyond stretching your grocery budget. Studies show that tending a patch of green does wonders for mental and physical health, providing stress relief and a solid workout all in one.
Plus, homegrown berries have a tiny carbon impact compared to the mass-produced, globally shipped supermarket variety. When you grow your own food, you're not just eating local; you're saving all the pollution from trucks, planes, and packaging, bite by delicious bite.
What everyone's saying
TikTokers were wowed by Abbi's easy propagation tutorial and eager to try it themselves.
"Those strawberries look perfect," one commenter chimed in.
Others celebrated the many gifts of gardening: "[It's] the gift that keeps on giving."
We couldn't agree more. With a little dirt and a dash of know-how, anyone can enjoy the mouth-watering, Earth-saving magic of homegrown berries.
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