Strawberry Fever

Strawberry fever got me this weekend at Home Depot. I already ordered 25 Fort Laramie everbearing strawberry plants from Henry Fields, but couldn't resist buying a few more plants at Home Depot.  

I stopped in at a Home Depot just to see what they had in terms of seeds and plants this time of year being that I'm in a different zone now. I found their current lettuce/cabbage/broccoli/strawberry stand had some plants that were seriously hit by some frost. I asked an employee if they were marking any of the plants down because I figured I could save some of the strawberry plants, and would happily take them off of their hands for a reduced price. I was disappointed to find out that they are subcontracted through Bonnie's plants, and Home Depot has no authority to reduce the price. They said that Bonnie's will just throw them away.  

I left empty handed, disappointed, and with a new "need" for strawberry plants. The "need" grew, and I headed with the hubby to a closer Home Depot the next day.  Their plants were in excellent condition, and I reasoned that I was planning on being out of town for the "estimated delivery date" of my strawberries from Henry Fields, and wanted some back ups. I also know (as evidence of the whole cart of half dead plants at the first Home Depot) that they don't always take the greatest care of the plants at Home Depot after they've arrived. That means that the earlier I can take care of my own "backups" the better!

I brought home 10 Tristar bareroot plants, and one established Quinalt plant with dreams of luscious strawberries.

I planted 6 in new dollar store planters to add to my balcony rails and three in the terra cotta planter that I borrowed from a cousin for my tomato plant when I moved here early last year. I'll be returning it to her with these three strawberry plants as a thank you. The last one I swapped out with a lettuce seedling from the Aerogarden and planted it there.  This will be a science experiment of sorts (nothing fancy), but I also bought a topsy turvy strawberry planter while at Home Depot, so I'll plant my Henry Fields plants in that. 

Yesterday, I e-mailed the customer service at Henry Fields explaining that I'd be out of town for the estimated delivery date of my strawberry plants, and that if it was possible, I'd rather have my plants earlier than risk them sitting in a mailroom for a week.  What do you know, my estimated delivery date is now this week.  Talk about service!  All of these "back ups" for nothing.  I love strawberries though (and so does my sister in PA, who will be benefitting from this fever of mine with some plants of her own!)