April 28, 2026
On April 20 (Monday), I planted the two rhubarb crowns that I bought. I was rather disappointed with their appearance. They looked like they had mold on them. I planted them anyway in hopes of the crowns growing.
I transplanted the alpine strawberry plants that I had been growing in one of my seed starter kits. I have a white variety “White Soul” and a red variety “Mignonette”. I also transplanted a few wild strawberry plants I grew in the same seed starter kit. I am growing the plants in a raised bed so I won’t need to bend over to harvest the berries.
Alpine strawberries have a compact growth habit. They don’t produce runners, making them ideal for creating a 6 to 12 inch tall border. I used them as a border around my herb garden in the mid 90s. They make intensely flavored small 1/2 inch diameter berries and produce the berries all summer long. My daughter loved the berries so much that Bruce and I didn’t get very many berries.
Here are some pictures of the garden taken on the 20th. I have a picture of the rhubarb, horseradish, and sorrel bed. The strawberry picture is a Florida Pearl
Bruce mowed one section of the yard. He still loves speed mowing. Yep, that is a thing.
Blackberry Homestead 
Speed mowing…next thing you know it will be televised on TNT! 😂
(Will you be making rhubarb jam or rhubarb pie soon?)
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Hmmm 🤔, yep, it could happen! 😁
I can’t harvest any stalks this year and only a few next year. The third year, is the year I can start really harvesting the stalks. Rhubarb may not do well here since we have such hot summers. I’m going to give it a try and see if it will make it.
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It’s almost like we can’t grow cool weather crops anymore. 🙄
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It is really hard for us to grow cool weather crops. We are in zone 8b, but we get below freezing (under 20) temperatures after plants have started blooming.
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We used to be in a good place for cool crops, but now our temps jump from cold to hot. 🤷♀️
Maybe you can grow bananas?
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I don’t think our unexpected freezing weather in the spring would allow the bananas to grow. One of the garden blogs I follow has a garden in south Texas and she can’t grow bananas.
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Bummer about the bananas. Pineapples then? 🤔. (Just kidding!)
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You saw the magnificent red pineapple pictures!
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That’s right. I forgot! 😆
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🍍 😄
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Dan says when his son was growing up and had to cut the grass, he would actually run while mowing. He wanted to get it done! Another form of speed mowing?
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I bet all that running and pushing the mower built up arms and legs to do mow faster the next time! 😄
Bruce’s speed mowing is a lot less effort!
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Whoa…I had no idea that alpine strawberries produced fruit the entire season. And I love the fact that they don’t send runners hither and yon like everbearers do. I’ll have to look for some at the local garden centers around here. Thanks!
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The plants are hard to find at nurseries. Some nurseries do sell the seeds. You might be able to order the plants online. I absolutely adore them. The taste is incredible!
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It sounds like they will be worth the search!
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They will be!
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Home grown strawberries are sooooo good! I hope you get a good harvest.
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Thank you. I love homegrown strawberries. They are so much better than the store bought ones.
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Grow them like the Japanese do, so you can charge $500 per strawberry.
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Way too much work!
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I just suggested it hoping that I can get $500 strawberry from you for friendly hook up of $50… there goes that plan 😂
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You’ll have to find someone else to provide super expensive strawberries to you!😂
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