Hort Shorts
- Plant bare-root strawberries in March. When buying, look for roots that are moist and plump. Choose plants with a fresh, earthy smell. Plant in well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter. Strawberries are well suited to pots and raised beds. Avoid planting where tomatoes, pepper, eggplants or potatoes have been grown before. Plant with the crown even with the soil surface. Pinch off new blooms to encourage root development and a more abundant harvest next year.
- Sometimes it’s hard to improve on a classic, like the timeless native eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis). Its rosy-pink flowers, followed by heart-shaped, medium-green leaves, are a harbinger of spring. But ‘Forest Pansy’, with its deep red-purple leaves maturing to maroon, is a nice twist on the standard, as is ‘Hearts of Gold’, which bears bright yellow-gold or chartreuse leaves. Grows 20–30' tall x 25–35' wide. Likes sun or dappled shade.