SOWING INSTRUCTIONS
Depth:
Surface sow and press in lightly; requires light to germinate.
Starting Indoors:
Sow indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost. Keep at 65-70°F.
Starting Outdoors:
Not recommended.
WHEN TO SET OUTSIDE
After last springtime frost.
PLACEMENT & CULTIVATION
Native Americans called this strawberry heart-seed berry, and the small sweet berries were combined with cornmeal to make bread. Naturalist William Bartram encountered them in paradisiacal abundance in his travels in the East in the 1770s. The French, who called them Fraises du Bois or berries of the woods, gathered them in woven baskets every spring. Fragaria vesca, with crinkled grass green leaves, bloom and fruit in spring meadows in the East. A clump grower, 'Yellow Wonder' has aromatic fruits melding sweetness with notes of pineapple and rose, which is unsurprising, as all are members of the rose family. The plants are everbearing—take care when harvesting as the 1/2-1" long fruits are softer than regular strawberries when ripe and are easily damaged. A beautiful edging for herb beds in well-drained soils and containers, best planted in masses for a good harvest.
Watering Details:
About 1" per week, more during hot, dry spells. Do not allow to become soggy.
Fertilizer:
Mix in a couple of inches of compost prior to planting if soil is poor. If soil is especially poor, an optional supplement of organic granular fertilizer can be applied.
Diseases & Pests:
Prevent aphids and spider mites by hosing plants down when watering. If they become an issue, treat with neem oil or insecticidal soap. Fungal issues can be prevented and treated with a copper spray or neem oil. Protect from animals by covering with netting or growing in pots out of reach. If slugs are a problem, try sprinkling some crushed eggshells on the soil around the plants.
